'Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?' by Francis Quarles
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1Why dost thou shade thy lovely face? Oh, why
2Does that eclipsing hand so long deny
3The sunshine of thy soul-enliv'ning eye?
4Without that light, what light remains in me?
5Thou art my life, my way, my light; in thee
6I live, I move, and by thy beams I see.
7Thou art mv life; if thou but turn away
8My life's a thousand deaths: thou art my way;
9Without thee, Lord, I travel not, but stray.
10My light thou art; without thy glorious sight
11Mine eyes are darken'd with perpetual night.
12My God, thou art my way, my life, my light.
13Thou art my way; I wander if thou fly:
14Thou art my light; if hid, how blind am I!
15Thou art my life; if thou withdraw, I die.
16Mine eyes are blind and dark, I cannot see;
17To whom or whither should my darkness flee,
18But to the light? and who's that light but thee?
19My path is lost, my wand'ring steps do stray;
20I cannot safely go, nor safely stay;
21Whom should I seek but thee, my path, my way?
22Oh, I am dead: to whom shall I, poor I,
23Repair? to whom shall my sad ashes fly,
24But life? and where is life but in thine eye?
25And yet thou turn'st away thy face, and fly'st me;
26And yet I sue for grace, and thou deny'st me;
27Speak, art thou angry, Lord, or only try'st me?
28Unscreen those heavenly lamps, or tell me why
29Thou shad'st thy face; perhaps thou think'st no eye
30Can view those flames, and not drop down and die.
31If that be all, shine forth, and draw thee nigher;
32Let me behold and die, for my desire
33Is ph{oe}nix-like to perish in that fire.
34Death-conquer'd Laz'rus was redeem'd by thee;
35If I am dead, Lord, set death's prisoner free;
36Am I more spent, or stink I worse than he?
37If my puff'd life be out, give leave to tine
38My shameless snuff at that bright lamp of thine;
39Oh, what's thy light the less for lighting mine?
40If I have lost my path, great Shepherd, say,
41Shall I still wander in a doubtful way?
42Lord, shall a lamb of Israel's sheep-fold stray?
43Thou art the pilgrim's path, the blind man's eye,
44The dead man's life; on thee my hopes rely;
45If thou remove, I err, I grope, I die.
46Disclose thy sunbeams; close thy wings, and stay;
47See, see how I am blind, and dead, and stray,
48O thou, that art my light, my life, my way.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face? A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
By: An Excited Human
Francis Quarles' poem "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" is an exquisite representation of the poet's spirituality and faith, as well as a reflection of the societal norms of the seventeenth century. The poem is structured as a dialogue between a lover and his beloved, and the themes of love, beauty, and mortality are explored in great depth. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve into the various literary devices employed by the poet to convey his message, as well as the cultural and historical context in which the poem was written.
Historical Context
Francis Quarles was a seventeenth-century English poet who lived in a time of great political and religious upheaval. Born in 1592, Quarles was a devout Christian and his works often reflected his religious beliefs. The poem "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" was written in 1644, during the height of the English Civil War, when the country was divided between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians. The war had a significant impact on the cultural and literary landscape of the time, and many poets, including Quarles, used their works to express their political and religious views.
Poetic Elements
The poem "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" is written in iambic pentameter, with a rhyme scheme of ABABCC. The use of a regular meter and rhyme scheme gives the poem a sense of structure and order, which is reflective of the poet's religious beliefs. The opening lines of the poem set the tone for the rest of the poem, as the lover questions why his beloved would hide her beautiful face:
Why dost thou shade thy lovely face?
O why
Does that eclipsing hand of thine deny
The sunshine of the sun's enlivening eye?
The use of rhetorical questions is a common literary device in poetry, and in this case, it serves to highlight the poet's sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of his beloved. The lover is not simply asking why his beloved is hiding her face, but rather expressing a sense of disbelief that anyone would choose to hide something so beautiful.
The poem is structured as a dialogue between the lover and his beloved, with each stanza representing a different part of the conversation. The lover's questions are met with the beloved's responses, which serve to deepen the poem's themes of love and mortality. In the second stanza, the beloved responds to the lover's question by saying:
Know, love, this veil was woven by the art
Of the great master, to attend my part
In his dark closet, whilst he sits above
With the other choice graces whom he loves.
The use of personification in this stanza is particularly effective, with the veil being described as a work of art woven by the "great master". The image of the "dark closet" is also evocative, suggesting a sense of secrecy and intimacy between the beloved and her creator. The beloved's response serves to highlight the poem's religious themes, with the veil representing the mortal body that hides the true beauty of the immortal soul.
In the third stanza, the lover responds to the beloved's explanation by expressing his desire to see her true beauty:
But ah! my heart, such eyes such beauty show
As, like a tempest, to the ocean flow;
Thy face, like clouds, wraps up thy powers above,
But is the curtain drawn or art thou love?
The use of metaphor in this stanza is particularly effective, with the lover comparing his beloved's beauty to a tempest and her face to clouds. The image of the curtain being drawn is also evocative, suggesting that the beloved is intentionally hiding her true beauty from the lover. The lover's question at the end of the stanza is particularly poignant, as he wonders if his beloved is simply hiding behind a veil of love, rather than a physical veil.
In the final stanza, the beloved responds to the lover's question by revealing her true nature:
For, as the sun shines every day anew,
And yet is ever in the same esteem,
So let my constant image be in you
One day as yesterday, and still the same.
The use of the sun as a metaphor for the beloved is particularly effective, as it suggests that her true beauty is constant and unchanging, like the sun. The beloved's response serves to deepen the poem's themes of love and mortality, as she suggests that her image will remain with the lover even after she has passed away.
Interpretation
The poem "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" is a complex and nuanced exploration of the themes of love, beauty, and mortality. The use of a dialogue between the lover and his beloved serves to highlight the different perspectives on these themes, with the lover representing the mortal world and the beloved representing the immortal world. The use of religious imagery and language serves to deepen the poem's themes, suggesting that true beauty can only be found in the divine.
At its core, the poem is a meditation on the transience of human beauty and the search for something more lasting. The beloved's veil represents the mortal body that hides the true beauty of the immortal soul. The lover's desire to see his beloved's true beauty represents the human search for something more meaningful than physical beauty. The use of the sun as a metaphor for the beloved suggests that true beauty is constant and unchanging, even in the face of mortality.
In conclusion, Francis Quarles' poem "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" is a masterful exploration of the themes of love, beauty, and mortality. The use of poetic devices, such as iambic pentameter and rhetorical questions, serves to highlight the poet's sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of his beloved. The poem's religious imagery and language serve to deepen its themes, suggesting that true beauty can only be found in the divine. Overall, this poem is a timeless meditation on the nature of beauty and the search for something more lasting than physical appearance.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face? A Classic Poetry Analysis
Francis Quarles, a renowned poet of the 17th century, wrote a beautiful poem titled "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" This poem is a perfect example of the metaphysical poetry style that was prevalent during the 17th century. In this article, we will analyze and explain this classic poem in detail.
The poem "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" is a conversation between the poet and his beloved. The poet is questioning his beloved about why she is hiding her face from him. The poem is written in a lyrical style and is full of metaphors and imagery.
The poem starts with the poet asking his beloved, "Why dost thou shade thy lovely face?" The poet is curious about why his beloved is hiding her face from him. He wants to see her face and admire her beauty. The poet uses the word "shade" to describe the act of hiding one's face. The word "shade" has a double meaning in this poem. It can mean to hide or to protect. The poet is questioning whether his beloved is hiding her face to protect herself or to hide her beauty from him.
The second stanza of the poem is full of metaphors and imagery. The poet compares his beloved's face to a "crystal shrine." The word "crystal" is used to describe the clarity and purity of his beloved's face. The word "shrine" is used to describe the sacredness of her beauty. The poet also compares his beloved's eyes to "two bright stars." The use of the word "stars" is a metaphor for the brightness and beauty of his beloved's eyes.
In the third stanza, the poet continues to question his beloved about why she is hiding her face. He asks her if she is hiding her face because of her shyness or because of her pride. The poet uses the word "shame" to describe his beloved's shyness. The word "pride" is used to describe his beloved's arrogance. The poet is trying to understand his beloved's motives for hiding her face.
In the fourth stanza, the poet expresses his desire to see his beloved's face. He compares his desire to the desire of a pilgrim to see a holy shrine. The poet uses the word "pilgrim" to describe his longing to see his beloved's face. The word "shrine" is used to describe the sacredness of his beloved's beauty.
In the fifth stanza, the poet continues to express his desire to see his beloved's face. He compares his desire to the desire of a lover to see his beloved's face. The poet uses the word "lover" to describe his longing to see his beloved's face. The word "beauty" is used to describe the attractiveness of his beloved's face.
In the sixth stanza, the poet expresses his frustration with his beloved's refusal to show her face. He compares his frustration to the frustration of a thirsty man who cannot find water. The poet uses the word "thirsty" to describe his desire to see his beloved's face. The word "water" is used to describe the satisfaction he will feel when he finally sees her face.
In the final stanza, the poet concludes the poem by expressing his hope that his beloved will show her face to him. He compares his hope to the hope of a sailor who sees land after a long voyage. The poet uses the word "sailor" to describe his longing to see his beloved's face. The word "land" is used to describe the satisfaction he will feel when he finally sees her face.
In conclusion, "Why dost thou Shade thy Lovely Face?" is a beautiful poem that is full of metaphors and imagery. The poet uses these literary devices to express his desire to see his beloved's face. The poem is a perfect example of the metaphysical poetry style that was prevalent during the 17th century. The poem is a conversation between the poet and his beloved, and the poet is trying to understand why his beloved is hiding her face from him. The poem is a beautiful expression of love and desire, and it is a classic example of the power of poetry to express complex emotions.
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