A Lecture Upon the Shadow By John Donne
A Lecture upon the Shadow
1. Stand still, and I will read to thee
A lecture, love, in love's philosophy.
These three hours that we have spent,
Walking here, two shadows went
Along with us, which we ourselves
produc'd.
But, now the sun is just above our head,
We do those shadows tread,
And to brave clearness all things are
reduc'd.
So whilst our infant loves did grow,
Disguises did, and shadows, flow
Explanation:
The poet asks his beloved to stand
still, that is, he wants his beloved to stand motionless with a carefree
mindset in order to listen to the lecture on true love that would be delivered
by the poet to his beloved. The poet continues to refer to the three hours that
he had spent with his beloved. These three hours are a reference to the initial
stage that the poet and his beloved spent in a state of togetherness. The poet
then continues to say that he and his beloved created two shadows of themselves
while they were together in the morning hours and these shadows symbolize the
initial stages of their love. But as the noon arrives, when the sun shines the
brightest, the shadows are not evidently visible. Everything seems to be bright
and clear with no trace of darkness. This noon time symbolizes that duration in
the lives of the lovers when their love shines to its brightest level. The love
of the lovers at this stage is at its peak and the lovers seem to be completely
engrossed in their state of deep love. The poet then continues to say that
while their infant love, that is , their initial love , continued to grow , the
shadows also continued to flow and change in their appearance . These shadows
are a reflection of the different stages of love in the life of the lovers. For
instance, the morning shadows are a representation of the initial stage of love
in the life of the lovers.
2. From us, and our cares; but now 'tis
not so.
That love has not attain'd the high'st
degree,
Which is still diligent lest others see.
Explanation: The poet then continues to
say that although the lovers feel that they have reached the zenith (highest peak)
of their love, yet the love shared by them keeps growing diligently (that is,
the love between the lovers keeps growing actively and industriously).
According to Donne, the love between the lovers keeps growing constantly so that
others may not mock at the lovers.
3. Except our loves at this noon stay,
We shall new shadows make the other way.
As the first were made to blind
Others, these which come behind
Will work upon ourselves, and blind our
eyes.
If our loves faint, and westwardly
decline,
To me thou, falsely, thine,
And I to thee mine actions shall
disguise.
Explanation: The poet then presents a
condition and proclaims that if our (that is, the lovers) love will continue to
prosper, then we will together create new shadows of our love and we will impart
new definitions and meanings to our love. Further, the poet says that the noon
shadows that will be created by us will blind us, that is, only we will be able
to truly understand the depth and meaning of our love. The poet here is trying
to convey that noon shadows are not only symbolic of the loss of physical charm
but also the persistence of the care and feelings that the lovers have towards
each other even after losing their physical attractiveness. In this way, their
love will continue to enhance and prosper. The poet continues to present a
second condition. According to this condition, if the love between him and his
beloved declines just like the decline (or setting) of sun in the west (which
is an established fact as the sun always sets in the west) , then, in that case
, he and his beloved will not remain true to each other. Hence, both the lovers
will become oblivious to each other.
4. The morning shadows wear away,
But these grow longer all the day;
But oh, love's day is short, if love
decay.
Love is a growing, or full constant
light,
And his first minute, after noon, is
night.
Explanation: Finally, the poet says that
there is an initial stage or a beginning in the lives of the lovers which is
symbolized by the morning shadows and then their love goes through the duration
of noon in which their love is at its zenith. Moreover, when they begin to form
shadows at the noon, then they begin to lose their physical charm but according
to the poet, love between the lovers shall continue to prosper if they are
engrossed in a state of togetherness beyond physicality. However, the moment
the lovers become indifferent and disloyal to each other, their love will go
through decay and gradually, their love is bound to come to an end. Towards the
closure of the poem, Donne highlights love as a “growing and full constant
light”, that is love keeps enhancing and growing in intensity. Donne says that
if there is any decline in the light of this love, then there is end of the day
of love and the lovers are compelled to go through the death of their love.
This makes the lovers confront night which is symbolic of the darkness that
comes in the lives of the lovers due to the death of their love.
A Lecture Upon the Shadow By John Donne
2. Answer the following questions in
15-20 words each:
(a)
What does shadow mean in this poem?
Answer: In this poem shadow means the duality in the lovers’
personality, the secrets they keep from each other and their distrust of each
other.
(b) “We do those shadows tread.” What does
this line symbolize?
Answer: After getting maturity in love and a better
understanding of the relationship the lovers overcome their distrust of each
other and merge their identities and become one.
(c)
What do you understand by “Disguise”?
Answer:
At the initial stage of love the
lovers keep ‘distrust of each other’ and ‘secrets to each other’; this false
behavior is called “Disguise” by the
poet.
(d)
How will shadows blind the eyes?
Answer:
Shadows refers to duality in the love
and that does not allow the lovers to see mutuality in love. Thus shadows blind
the eyes i.e. obstructs the ability to see growing love between the lovers.
(e)
“The morning shadows wear away.” What
does morning shadows refer to?
Answer:
Morning
shadows refer to differences and
distrust between at the initial stages of the growing love between lovers. Morning shadows stand for immaturity in
love relation in the beginning of the love relationship.
3. Answer the following questions in
30-40 words each:
(a)
How do the shadows before noon differ from the shadows of afternoon?
Answer:
The shadows before noon represent
growing love between the lovers, thus the shadows are constantly growing
shorter. At noon, the shadows completely vanish. It means the love between the
two lovers has gained maturity. But after noon, the shadows begin to grow
larger; it means there is a decline in the love. The love grows, reaches a
peak, and then quickly begins to decline.
(b)
Love is described as light. What makes the poet talk about shadows?
Answer:
True love is not confined to mere
carnal love. That’s why it is a constant light. But we know it is prone to be
shrouded by shadows. If lovers cannot keep their love in absolute state, it is
destined to gradual decline and finally fades away. The poet emphasises the
temporal nature of love and brings home the fact that there is a need of
conscience efforts to keep love permanent.
(c)
According to the poet what is the nature of true love?
Answer:
True love is not confined to mere
carnal love. True love also begins with immaturity of the lovers but finally
attains its peak. It is also prone to decline if the lovers cannot keep it
absolute. But being beyond the physical attraction gives it permanency; a
pre-requisite to make it immortal and infallible. We must remember that the
true love goes through all the ups and downs if a growing relationship; but wit
and intellect of lovers makes it sublime and eternal.
(d)
What do you understand by ‘Westwardly decline’?
Answer: ‘Westwardly decline’ expresses the poet’s apprehension that love is prone to gradual decline due to growing infidelity between the lovers. If lovers fail to sustain their love in the absolute state it will fade away permanently. If their love were metaphorically compatible with the day, it would inevitably come down to an end. It will prove that their love was not genuine.
4. Answer the following questions in 100
words each:
(a)
What is the central idea of the poem? Explain.
OR Explain the
central idea of the poem ‘A Lecture Upon Shadow’.
Answer:
The central idea or subject of the
poem ‘A Lecture Upon Shadow’ is
blossoming relationship between two lovers but which is prone to decline if the
absolute state of the love is not sustained diligently. As the day proceeds, ‘shadows’ enshroud the lovers ‘love’ with ‘infidelity’. Love grows, reaches a peak, and then begins to
decline, as does the sun in its daily course.
However, Donne is hopeful of the survival of ‘love’ as the poet uses repeatedly words ‘except’ and ‘if’. Love
passes through various stages; same as shadows growing longer from shorter. It
seems that love has to pass a litmus test to prove its genuineness.
The poet uses intellect and wit against
feeling and emotion to bring forth the fact that love is a constant light.
(b)
Critically appreciate the poem ‘A
Lecture Upon Shadow’.
Answer:
The poem ‘A Lecture Upon Shadow’ is a
fine example of metaphysical poetry.
Theme
of the poem: The poem brings forth
need of diligent efforts to sustain ‘love’
which is by nature ‘temporal’.
The poet uses the sun’s movement to describe the longevity of love. The morning
belongs to beginning of the love, noon stands for maturity in love, and after
noon an inevitable decline is predicted.
Form
and Poetic Devices: A variety of
poetic devices are employed in this poem. ‘Alliteration’
is demonstrated in the phrases ‘stand,
still, these three disguises did’. Figurative language such as imagery
expressed through metaphor is persistent: ‘walking
here, two shadows’ are the lies or insecurities in the relationship. Most
notably is his use of conceits. This entire poem is a conceit where the
depictions of light and shadows present a complex metaphor for the beginning,
gaining maturity and decline of a relationship.
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