'Elegy VI' by John Donne

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Oh, let me not serve so, as those men serve
Whom honour's smokes at once fatten and starve;
Poorly enrich't with great men's words or looks;
Nor so write my name in thy loving books
As those idolatrous flatterers, which still
Their Prince's styles, with many realms fulfil
Whence they no tribute have, and where no sway.
Such services I offer as shall pay
Themselves, I hate dead names: Oh then let me
Favourite in Ordinary, or no favourite be.
When my soul was in her own body sheathed,
Nor yet by oaths betrothed, nor kisses breathed
Into my Purgatory, faithless thee,
Thy heart seemed wax, and steel thy constancy:
So, careless flowers strowed on the waters face
The curled whirlpools suck, smack, and embrace,
Yet drown them; so, the taper's beamy eye
Amorously twinkling beckons the giddy fly,
Yet burns his wings; and such the devil is,
Scarce visiting them who are entirely his.
When I behold a stream which, from the spring,
Doth with doubtful melodious murmuring,
Or in a speechless slumber, calmly ride
Her wedded channels' bosom, and then chide
And bend her brows, and swell if any bough
Do but stoop down, or kiss her upmost brow:
Yet, if her often gnawing kisses win
The traiterous bank to gape, and let her in,
She rusheth violently, and doth divorce
Her from her native, and her long-kept course,
And roars, and braves it, and in gallant scorn,
In flattering eddies promising retorn,
She flouts the channel, who thenceforth is dry;
Then say I, That is she, and this am I.
Yet let not thy deep bitterness beget
Careless despair in me, for that will whet
My mind to scorn; and Oh, love dulled with pain
Was ne'er so wise, nor well armed as disdain.
Then with new eyes I shall survey thee, and spy
Death in thy cheeks, and darkness in thine eye.
Though hope bred faith and love: thus taught, I shall,
As nations do from Rome, from thy love fall.
My hate shall outgrow thine, and utterly
I will renounce thy dalliance: and when I
Am the recusant, in that resolute state,
What hurts it me to be excommunicate?

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Soulful Elegy VI: A Masterpiece by John Donne

Are you in search of a poetic masterpiece that can move your soul and make you feel the depth of emotions? Look no further than Elegy VI by John Donne. Written in the early 17th century, this elegy is a remarkable blend of poetic form and philosophical reflection that explores the nature of love and death.

In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve deep into the poetic techniques, themes, and symbols used by Donne in Elegy VI. From the intricate rhyme scheme to the profound metaphysical ideas, this elegy is a treasure trove of literary excellence that deserves to be appreciated and studied by all poetry lovers.

Form and Structure

One of the most striking features of Elegy VI is its intricate rhyme scheme and meter. The elegy consists of 68 lines, divided into 17 quatrains, each consisting of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH IJIJ KLKL MNMN. This complex rhyme scheme, known as the "circular stanza," is a hallmark of Donne's poetry and reflects his love for mathematical precision and intellectual playfulness.

The circular stanza is not only a display of Donne's technical prowess but also serves a thematic purpose. The circular pattern, with its repeated rhymes and patterns, reflects the cyclical nature of life and death. It suggests that life and death are interconnected, and that every end is also a new beginning.

Donne's use of the circular stanza is also a nod to the Petrarchan tradition of love poetry, which was popular during Donne's time. The ABAB rhyme scheme was a common feature of Petrarchan sonnets, which often explored the themes of unrequited love and the unattainable beloved. By using the same rhyme scheme in his elegy, Donne subverts the traditional Petrarchan love poetry and transforms it into a meditation on mortality and the afterlife.

Theme and Symbolism

At its core, Elegy VI is a reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. The elegy opens with the speaker mourning the loss of his beloved, who has died of a fever. The speaker laments the fleeting nature of life and compares it to a dream that fades away with the morning light:

O how feeble is man's power,
That if good fortune fall, cannot add another hour,
Nor a lost hour recall!
But come bad chance,
And we join to it our strength,
And we teach it art and length,
Itself o'er us to advance.

The speaker's despair and resignation are palpable in these lines. He acknowledges the fragility of human life and the powerlessness of man in the face of death. The imagery of the dream adds to the sense of transience, as dreams are often fleeting and ephemeral.

However, the elegy is not a hopeless meditation on death. Instead, the speaker finds solace in the idea that death is not the end but a transition to a new state of being. He sees death as a necessary step in the cycle of life and compares it to the changing of seasons:

We are scarce our fathers' shadows cast at noon,
But skip the intervening night, and vanish soon,
Led, like a flower, to that part of the garden,
Where, though in prison, yet we may take
Fresh air and wholesome exercise and awake
To a new life; and, like a buried seed,
Shot forth the stalk of a better deed.

This metaphor of the flower and the seed is a powerful symbol of rebirth and renewal. The speaker suggests that death is not the end of life but a necessary step in the process of growth and development. Like a seed that is buried in the ground, we too must die in order to grow and flourish in a new form.

This theme of rebirth and renewal is further explored in the second half of the elegy, where the speaker reflects on the nature of love and its transcendent power. He argues that love is not bound by the physical world but exists beyond the realm of material existence:

But souls where nothing dwells but love
(All other thoughts being inmates) then shall prove
This or a love increased there above,
When bodies to their graves, souls from their graves remove.

This idea of love transcending physical existence is a common theme in Donne's poetry and reflects his belief in the power of spiritual love to overcome death and separation. The speaker suggests that love is the one thing that can survive the passage of time and the separation of death, and that it exists in a realm beyond the material world.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Elegy VI by John Donne is a masterpiece of poetic form and thematic depth. Through its intricate rhyme scheme, metaphysical ideas, and powerful symbolism, the elegy explores the nature of life, death, and love in a way that is both profound and moving.

Donne's circular stanza and use of Petrarchan rhyme scheme reflects his technical skill and intellectual playfulness, while also serving a thematic purpose. The theme of transience and rebirth is explored through the imagery of the dream, the changing of seasons, and the metaphor of the flower and the seed. The idea of love transcending physical existence is a powerful message that resonates with readers even today.

Elegy VI is a testament to Donne's poetic genius and his ability to weave complex ideas into beautiful and moving poetry. It is a poem that deserves to be studied and appreciated for its technical and thematic excellence, and for its ability to move the soul and stir the heart.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

John Donne's Elegy VI is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a beautiful and moving piece of literature that captures the essence of grief and loss. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in the poem to understand its meaning and significance.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing the deceased, saying, "Oh let me not serve so, as those men serve / Whom honour's smokes at once fatten and starve." Here, the speaker is expressing his desire not to serve the dead in the same way that others do. He does not want to be consumed by grief and sorrow to the point where it becomes his entire existence. Instead, he wants to find a way to honor the dead without losing himself in the process.

The poem then moves on to describe the speaker's grief, saying, "Poor ghost, the center of my sinful earth, / My sinful earth these rebel powers array, / Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth, / Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?" Here, the speaker is acknowledging his own sinfulness and how it has affected his relationship with the deceased. He is asking why the ghost is suffering and why it is trying to hide its pain behind a façade of beauty.

The imagery used in this section of the poem is particularly powerful. The idea of the ghost being the "center of my sinful earth" suggests that the speaker's grief is all-consuming and that he is struggling to find a way to move on. The use of the word "rebel" to describe the powers within the speaker's sinful earth suggests that he is fighting against his own emotions and desires, which are in conflict with his desire to honor the dead.

The poem then moves on to describe the speaker's desire to find a way to honor the dead without losing himself in the process. He says, "Thou art the grave where buried love doth live, / Hung with the trophies of my lovers gone, / Who all their parts of me to thee did give; / That due of many now is thine alone." Here, the speaker is saying that the deceased is the repository of all the love that he has lost over the years. He is acknowledging that he has given parts of himself to others, but that now, in death, the deceased is the only one who truly deserves his love and attention.

The imagery used in this section of the poem is also powerful. The idea of the deceased being the "grave where buried love doth live" suggests that the speaker's love for the deceased is still alive, even though the person is dead. The use of the word "trophies" to describe the things that the speaker's lovers have left behind suggests that he is still holding on to the memories of those who have gone before.

The poem then moves on to describe the speaker's desire to find a way to move on from his grief. He says, "Their images I loved, I view in thee, / And thou (all they) hast all the all of me; / If I have any joy of heart in store, / 'Tis to be thyself, and mine own only more." Here, the speaker is saying that he finds comfort in the fact that the deceased contains the images of all the people he has loved. He is also saying that he finds joy in the idea of being himself and being his own person, even though he is still grieving.

The imagery used in this section of the poem is also powerful. The idea of the deceased containing the images of all the people the speaker has loved suggests that the person is a repository of memories and emotions. The use of the phrase "all the all of me" suggests that the speaker has given everything he has to the deceased, and that he is now struggling to find a way to move on.

In conclusion, John Donne's Elegy VI is a beautiful and moving poem that captures the essence of grief and loss. The themes, imagery, and language used in the poem all work together to create a powerful and emotional experience for the reader. The poem is a testament to the power of love and the human spirit, and it is a reminder that even in the face of death, we can find a way to honor those we have lost while still moving forward with our lives.

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