A Lecture upon the Shadow by John Donne Class 12 Kaleidoscope Poetry Section Poem 1

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Bernard McDonald
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1 POETRY AND ITS FORMS INTRODUCTORY 1) What is Poetry? Definitions given by various poets and writers a) Poetry, as per Samuel Johnson, is a metrical composition ; the art of uniting pleasure with truth by calling imagination to the help of reason. Its essence is invention. b) John Stuart Mill believes that poetry is but the thought and words in which emotion spontaneously embodies itself. c) Macaulay says that By poetry we mean the art of employing words in such a manner as to produce an illusion on the imagination, the art of doing by means of words what the painter does by means of colour. d) Carlyle declared that Poetry we will call Musical Thought e) P.B. Shelley says that Poetry in a general sense may be defined as the expression of the imagination and the passions. f) S. T. Coleridge Poetry is the antithesis of science, having for its immediate object, pleasure and not truth. He also gives the memorable phrase of a willing suspension of disbelief. g) Mathew Arnold: is simply the most delightful and perfect form of utterance that human words can reach. It is a criticism of life h) Poetry is a rhythmic creation of beauty : Edgar Allan Poe 10 x 10Learning TM Page 1

2 i) Sir Canon Doyle calls it dissatisfaction with what is present and close at hand 2. Divisions and grouping of poetry in its different forms is more theoretical than practical, but is done on basis of broad characteristics as Objective form and Subjective form. 10 x 10Learning TM Page 2

3 1. Objective forms 2. Subjective forms 1.1 Epics 1.2 Ballads 1.3 Drama 1.4 Dramatic Monologues 2.1 Sonnet 2.2 Elegy 2.3 Lyric 1.1 Epics can be Folk epics, Literary epics, Mock epics. 1.2 Ballads can be Popular ballads or Literary ballad 1.3 Drama can be a Tragedy, Comedy, Historical, Satirical. 1.4 Dramatic Monologue form used most successfully by Robert Browning. 2.1 Sonnet: two kinds Petrarchan ( Octave + Sestes) ( abba, abba, cde, cde) AND Elizabethan ( ) (abab ; cdcd; efef gg ) or ( abab ; bcbc; cdcd, ec) 2.2 Elegy: Traditional and Modern; Reflective elegies, Critical elegies, Pastoral elegies 2.3 Lyric : Musical, subjective, structure A Lecture Upon the Shadow 10 x 10Learning TM Page 3

4 1. John Donne ( ) is a representative poet of metaphysical poetry. Donne s Songs and Sonnets contain fifty four poems. Donne is metaphysical because his technique is overloaded with excessive use of elaborate metaphors drawn from remotest of sources. There is always a fusion of emotion and the intellect, 2. Another characteristic feature of Donne s metaphysical poetry is that the items compared in the imagery, are so distant and dissimilar, that the comparison shocks the reader. These are called Donne s metaphysical conceits as they are his original and exaggerated comparisons. For example of lovers being compared to a pair of compasses, or their leave taking described as the trepidation of the spheres. 3. A Lecture Upon the Shadow by John Donne is an example of his Song. Donne uses a variety of stanza forms in his songs, to give rhythmic effect and achieve poems of deep personal meditation. Questions at the end of the Poem: Q. 1. How do the shadows before noon differ from the shadows after noon? What do the two kinds of shadow represent? Answer. At noon the shadows are on the ground near the feet of the poet and his beloved. From morning to noon their love was in its infancy. The two shadows that walked along the two lovers represented the two children walking along their parents, clutching their hands. At noon the shadows had matured and had left their side and become almost one with the lovers. The two kinds of shadows represent the poet s infant love and his mature love, though the height of his love has not yet been attained. This is because if the Sun was directly overhead representing the highest point of their love, the shadows at their feet would also have disappeared. Q.2. Love is described as light. What makes the poet talk about shadows? 10 x 10Learning TM Page 4

5 Answer. Light forms shadows only when passing through solid objects. The light of love between the poet and his beloved is creating shadows because their love is genuine and solid. The poet is talking about shadows as something created by the couple walking in the light of love. That output cannot be separated from them. The shadows represent the lovers inseparable love for each other because the shadows never separate from the body. Therefore, though love is light, the poet is talking about shadows. Q. 3. Comment on the use of the image of the shadows for the idea that the poet wants to convey. Answer. The image of the shadows selected by the poet to represent his love for his beloved is very appropriate. The two lovers have walked in the light of love for three hours before noon, and for the entire period their shadows have walked along with them representing their infant love. Those who saw them walking together for so long, will gossip and talk about them as a couple, and also remember them as such. Therefore, even if they get separated in future, they will be remembered along with each other. The memory of their walk will remain attached to them like the shadows that cannot be touched by are also there. Q.4. The poet seems to be addressing his beloved in the poem. What is the message he wishes to convey to her? Answer. The message the poet is conveying to his beloved in the poem is that her name has for ever become attached with his name. The two are now like the shadows that cannot be separated. His love for her will remain forever in his memory. After the full maturity of his love at noon, the shadow will continue to grow behind them like memories from the past. They will grow longer towards the end of the day. The light of his love will die only after the shadows end at sunset. The sunset represents the death of the poet in this life. As such the poet is declaring his lifelong love for his beloved in this poem. 10 x 10Learning TM Page 5

6 Q 5 Instead of A Lecture upon Love the poet calls the poem A Lecture upon the Shadow. What is the effect that this has on our reading of the poem? Answer. The initial effect on the reader about the title of the poem is puzzling. The reader s curiosity is aroused as to why the poet is talking about shadows while addressing his beloved. This curiosity makes the poem more interesting. After one reading of the poem the reader gets to understand the context. Yet the depth of the meaning emerges only after repeated readings. Shadows are visible but cannot be touched or held in hand. They exist only in the presence of the light of love. Therefore, once the light of love is lit between couples, it continues with them for the rest of their lives. After maturity of their love at noon, the length of the shadows continues to grow behind them, and follows them like memories. 10 x 10Learning TM Page 6

Poetry Background. Basics You Should Know

Poetry Background. Basics You Should Know Poetry Background Basics You Should Know Types of Poetry Lyric subjective and reflective thoughts of a single speaker limited length regular rhyme scheme and meter single, unique impression Types of Lyrics