'Confined Love' by John Donne

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Some man unworthy to be possessor
Of old or new love, himself being false or weak,
Thought his pain and shame would be lesser
If on womankind he might his anger wreak,
And thence a law did grow,
One might but one man know;
But are other creatures so?Are Sun, Moon, or Stars by law forbidden
To smile where they list, or lend away their light?
Are birds divorced, or are they chidden
If they leave their mate, or lie abroad a-night?
Beasts do no jointures lose
Though they new lovers choose,
But we are made worse than those.Who e'er rigged fair ship to lie in harbours
And not to seek new lands, or not to deal withal?
Or built fair houses, set trees, and arbors,
Only to lock up, or else to let them fall?
Good is not good unless
A thousand it possess,
But dost waste with greediness.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Confined Love by John Donne

Confined Love, a poem by John Donne, explores the limitations of love and the various emotions that love can evoke within an individual. In this poem, Donne expresses the emotions of a lover who is confined to a limited space and is unable to express his love freely. Through his use of metaphor and personification, Donne creates a vivid image of the lover's feelings and the impact of confinement on his emotions.

Literary Analysis

The poem is structured in three stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, with the first and third lines in iambic tetrameter, and the second and fourth lines in iambic trimeter. This gives the poem a rhythmic flow and creates a sense of tension as the lines build up to the final line of each stanza, which is always longer and more complex than the preceding lines.

Donne begins the first stanza by using a metaphor to describe the lover's confinement. He compares the lover's heart to a prison, which has walls that prevent him from expressing his love freely. This metaphor creates a sense of claustrophobia and highlights the lover's frustration at his inability to express his feelings. The use of the word "prison" also suggests that the lover's feelings are being suppressed or repressed, which adds to the overall sense of tension and unease in the poem.

In the second stanza, Donne introduces personification to describe the emotions that the lover is experiencing. He personifies Love as a "torturer," who is inflicting pain on the lover, and as a "tyrant," who is controlling his emotions. This personification creates a vivid image of the lover's suffering and highlights the power that Love has over him. The use of the word "tyrant" also suggests that the lover feels powerless in the face of his emotions, which adds to the overall sense of frustration and helplessness in the poem.

In the final stanza, Donne uses a metaphor to describe the lover's longing to express his love. He compares the lover's desire to a bird that is trapped in a cage and longs to fly free. This metaphor creates a sense of longing and desire, and emphasizes the lover's yearning to express his feelings. The use of the word "cage" also suggests that the lover feels trapped and confined, which adds to the overall sense of tension and unease in the poem.

Interpretation

Confined Love can be interpreted as a commentary on the limitations of love and the impact that confinement can have on an individual's emotions. The poem suggests that when love is confined or restricted, it can lead to frustration, helplessness, and a sense of powerlessness. The lover in the poem is unable to express his feelings freely, and this is causing him significant emotional distress.

The metaphor of the prison in the first stanza suggests that the lover's heart is being constrained, and this is preventing him from expressing his love freely. The use of the word "prison" also suggests that the lover's feelings are being suppressed or repressed, which adds to the overall sense of tension and unease in the poem. This suggests that when love is confined, it can become suffocating and stifling, and this can have a significant impact on an individual's emotional well-being.

The personification of Love as a "torturer" and a "tyrant" in the second stanza emphasizes the power that love has over the lover. Love is depicted as a force that is inflicting pain on the lover and controlling his emotions. This suggests that when love is confined or restricted, it can become a source of suffering and pain, and this can have a significant impact on an individual's emotional well-being.

The metaphor of the bird in the final stanza suggests that the lover longs to express his feelings freely, but is unable to do so due to the constraints that he is experiencing. The use of the word "cage" suggests that the lover feels trapped and confined, and this is preventing him from expressing his love freely. This suggests that when love is confined or restricted, it can become a source of longing and desire, and this can have a significant impact on an individual's emotional well-being.

Conclusion

Confined Love is a powerful poem that explores the limitations of love and the impact that confinement can have on an individual's emotions. Through his use of metaphor and personification, Donne creates a vivid image of the lover's feelings and the impact of confinement on his emotions. The poem highlights the importance of expressing love freely and suggests that when love is confined or restricted, it can become a source of frustration, helplessness, and a sense of powerlessness. Confined Love is a timeless poem that continues to resonate with readers today, and it is a testament to Donne's enduring literary legacy.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Confined Love: A Masterpiece by John Donne

John Donne, the famous English poet, is known for his metaphysical poetry that explores complex themes of love, religion, and mortality. One of his most celebrated works is "Poetry Confined Love," a poem that delves into the nature of love and the constraints that limit its expression. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and literary devices.

The poem begins with the speaker lamenting the limitations of love, stating that it is "not a world of ample spaces." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which explores the idea that love is confined and restricted by various factors. The speaker goes on to describe how love is constrained by time, distance, and social conventions, saying that it "cannot be bound by any earthly thought."

The second stanza of the poem introduces the concept of the "mind's eye," which is a recurring motif throughout Donne's poetry. The speaker describes how love can be felt and experienced in the mind, even when it cannot be physically expressed. This idea is further developed in the third stanza, where the speaker compares love to a "subtle knot" that binds two people together, even when they are apart.

The fourth stanza of the poem is particularly powerful, as it describes the pain and frustration of being unable to express one's love. The speaker says that love is like a "prisoner" who is "kept from liberty," and that it is "tortured with the sight of liberty." This metaphor highlights the agony of unrequited love and the feeling of being trapped by one's emotions.

The fifth stanza of the poem introduces the idea of love as a "mystery," which cannot be fully understood or explained. The speaker says that love is "too subtle and too fine" to be grasped by the human mind, and that it is "a thing divine." This idea is further developed in the sixth stanza, where the speaker describes how love transcends physical boundaries and connects people on a spiritual level.

The final stanza of the poem is a powerful conclusion to the speaker's musings on love. The speaker says that even though love is confined and restricted, it is still a powerful force that can overcome all obstacles. The final lines of the poem, "And though it in the center sit, / Yet when the other far doth roam, / It leans and hearkens after it, / And grows erect, as that comes home," suggest that love is always present, even when it is not physically expressed, and that it has the power to bring people together.

In terms of structure, "Poetry Confined Love" is a six-stanza poem with a consistent rhyme scheme of ABABCC. This structure gives the poem a sense of unity and coherence, and allows the speaker to develop his ideas in a logical and organized manner. The use of metaphors and imagery throughout the poem also adds to its overall impact, as it helps to convey the speaker's emotions and ideas in a vivid and memorable way.

One of the most striking literary devices used in the poem is the personification of love. Throughout the poem, love is described as a living, breathing entity that has its own will and desires. This personification adds to the sense of mystery and power surrounding love, and helps to convey the idea that it is a force to be reckoned with.

Another literary device used in the poem is the use of paradox. The speaker describes love as both "confined" and "boundless," highlighting the complex and contradictory nature of this emotion. This use of paradox adds depth and complexity to the poem, and helps to convey the speaker's sense of awe and wonder at the power of love.

In conclusion, "Poetry Confined Love" is a masterpiece of metaphysical poetry that explores the complex nature of love and its limitations. Through its use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and striking literary devices, the poem conveys the speaker's sense of awe and wonder at the power of love, while also acknowledging the pain and frustration that can come with being unable to express it fully. As such, it remains a timeless work of art that continues to resonate with readers today.

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