Introduction: “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
“The Good-Morrow” by John Donne was first published in 1633, seven years after his death, in a collection of his poems titled, Songs and Sonnets. This metaphysical poem is characterized by its intellectual depth, intricate conceits, and passionate exploration of love. Donne’s skillful use of language and imagery elevates mundane experiences into profound reflections on the nature of love and human connection, making “The Good-Morrow” an enduring masterpiece of metaphysical poetry.
Text: “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I
Did, till we loved? Were we not weaned till then?
But sucked on country pleasures, childishly?
Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers’ den?
‘Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be.
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee.
And now good-morrow to our waking souls,
Which watch not one another out of fear;
For love, all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room an everywhere.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown,
Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.
My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;
Where can we find two better hemispheres,
Without sharp north, without declining west?
Whatever dies, was not mixed equally;
If our two loves be one, or, thou and I
Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.
Annotations: “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
| Line | Annotation |
| I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I | The speaker is expressing curiosity about what they and their lover did before they fell in love. “Troth” is an archaic word for “truth” or “faith”. |
| Did, till we loved? Were we not weaned till then? | The speaker is suggesting that they and their lover were “weaned” from childish pleasures until they found each other. |
| But sucked on country pleasures, childishly? | The speaker is describing the pleasures they enjoyed before finding each other as “childish” and inferior to the love they now share. |
| Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers’ den? | The speaker is referencing the legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, who slept for 200 years. This line suggests that the speaker and their lover were in a state of spiritual slumber before finding each other. |
| ‘Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be. | The speaker is acknowledging that their past pleasures were fleeting and unimportant compared to their current love. |
| If ever any beauty I did see, | The speaker is reflecting on past experiences of beauty and desire. |
| Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee. | The speaker is suggesting that any past desires or beauties they experienced were only a shadow or anticipation of the love they now share with their lover. |
| And now good-morrow to our waking souls, | The speaker is greeting their lover and acknowledging that their love has awakened their souls. |
| Which watch not one another out of fear; | The speaker is suggesting that their love is not based on fear or possessiveness, but rather on mutual respect and trust. |
| For love, all love of other sights controls, | The speaker is asserting that their love is the dominant force in their lives, overriding any other desires or attractions. |
| And makes one little room an everywhere. | The speaker is suggesting that their love makes even a small, enclosed space feel expansive and infinite. |
| Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone, | The speaker is referencing explorers who have discovered new lands and oceans. |
| Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown, | The speaker is referencing the cartographers who have mapped these new discoveries. |
| Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one. | The speaker is suggesting that they and their lover have found their own world in each other, and that this love is the only true possession. |
| My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears, | The speaker is describing the way they see themselves reflected in their lover’s eyes. |
| And true plain hearts do in the faces rest; | The speaker is suggesting that their love is honest and straightforward, and that their hearts are at peace in each other’s presence. |
| Where can we find two better hemispheres, | The speaker is referencing the idea that their faces are two halves of a whole, and that they complement each other perfectly. |
| Without sharp north, without declining west? | The speaker is suggesting that their love is not subject to the fluctuations of time and direction. |
| Whatever dies, was not mixed equally; | The speaker is suggesting that anything that is not a perfect mixture of two things (like their love) is impermanent and will die. |
| If our two loves be one, or, thou and I | The speaker is asserting that their love is a single, unified force. |
| Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die. | The speaker is suggesting that their love is so strong and identical in both partners that it will never fade or die. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
1. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables.
- Example: “Were we not weaned till then?”
2. Anaphora: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
- Example: “Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone, / Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown”
3. Apostrophe: A figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing.
- Example: “And now good-morrow to our waking souls”
4. Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words or stressed syllables.
- Example: “If ever any beauty I did see“
5. Conceit: An extended metaphor that compares two vastly different things in surprising and ingenious ways.
- Example: The comparison of the lovers’ world to a microcosm, independent and complete in itself.
6. Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words or stressed syllables.
- Example: “My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears”
7. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or clause over a line break.
- Example: “Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.”
8. Hyperbole: Exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect.
- Example: “Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone”
9. Imagery: The use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental images.
- Example: “Which watch not one another out of fear”
10. Irony: The expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
- Example: The ironic contrast between the childish “country pleasures” and the mature love the speaker now experiences.
11. Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”
- Example: “My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears”
12. Paradox: A statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
- Example: “Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.”
13. Personification: The attribution of human characteristics to something nonhuman.
- Example: “Waking souls”
14. Rhetorical Question: A question asked for effect or to emphasize a point rather than to elicit an answer.
- Example: “Were we not weaned till then?”
15. Rhyme Scheme: The ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse.
- Example: ABABCCC (in each stanza)
16. Simile: A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as.”
- Example: None in this poem
17. Symbol: A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.
- Example: The “hemispheres” symbolize the lovers’ perfect union.
18. Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.
- Example: “Eye” and “face” represent the entire person
19. Tone: The general character or attitude of a piece of writing.
- Example: Passionate, confident, and celebratory
20. Volta: The turn of thought or argument in a poem.
- Example: The volta occurs in the second stanza, where the speaker shifts from reflecting on the past to celebrating their present love.
Themes: “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
- The transformative power of love: Donne illustrates how love awakens individuals from a state of naivete and worldly pleasures. The speaker questions their past experiences before love, suggesting a lack of fulfillment and true awareness. The line “Were we not weaned till then?” implies a childish dependency on superficial joys. Love, however, ushers in a profound shift in perception, where the mundane transforms into the extraordinary.
- Unity and interconnectedness: The poem celebrates the profound union of two souls in love. The speaker and their lover become one entity, a unified “world” where individual boundaries dissolve. The imagery of their faces reflecting in each other’s eyes and the metaphor of “two better hemispheres” without imperfections emphasize the harmonious blending of their identities.
- Transcendence of time and space: Love transcends the limitations of the physical world, creating a timeless and boundless realm for the lovers. The speaker dismisses the allure of exploration and new worlds, as their love encompasses everything they desire. The lines “Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone, / Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown” contrast with the contentment found in their shared existence.
- Immortality through love: Donne suggests that genuine love, characterized by equality and unwavering devotion, defies mortality. The final lines propose that if their love remains unified and balanced, it will endure even death. The concept of two loves becoming one, where “none do slacken, none can die,” alludes to the eternal nature of love that transcends physical limitations.
Literary Theories and “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
- Metaphysical Poetry Theory
- Metaphysical poetry is characterized by its use of complex metaphors, imagery, and philosophical themes. “The Good-Morrow” is a prime example of metaphysical poetry, as it explores the theme of love as a unifying force that transcends the physical world.
- Example: “Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone, / Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown, / Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.” (lines 9-11)
- These lines use the metaphor of exploration and mapping to describe the speaker’s desire to possess a single, unified world with their lover.
- Feminist Theory
- Feminist theory can be applied to “The Good-Morrow” by analyzing the power dynamics between the speaker and their lover. The poem presents a relationship where the speaker and their lover are equals, with no hint of patriarchal dominance.
- Example: “My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears, / And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;” (lines 13-14)
- These lines suggest a mutual gaze, where both partners see themselves reflected in each other’s eyes, indicating a relationship of equals.
- Psychoanalytic Theory
- Psychoanalytic theory can be applied to “The Good-Morrow” by analyzing the speaker’s desire for unity and wholeness with their lover. The poem can be seen as an expression of the speaker’s desire for a return to a pre-Oedipal state of unity with the mother figure.
- Example: “Whatever dies, was not mixed equally; / If our two loves be one, or, thou and I / Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.” (lines 17-19)
- These lines suggest a desire for a perfect mixture of two loves, which can be seen as a desire for a return to a state of unity and wholeness.
Critical Questions about “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
- How does Donne challenge traditional notions of love and beauty in “The Good-Morrow”?
- Donne rejects the conventional Petrarchan idealization of unattainable beauty and instead celebrates a love grounded in mutual affection and spiritual connection. The lines “If ever any beauty I did see, / Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee” suggest that previous experiences of beauty were mere shadows compared to the transcendent love he now shares with his partner.
- What is the significance of the geographical imagery used in the poem?
- The geographical imagery serves to emphasize the vastness and completeness of the lovers’ world. The lines “Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone, / Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown” contrast with the lovers’ contentment in their self-contained universe. Their love becomes a microcosm, rendering external exploration unnecessary.
- How does Donne explore the concept of identity and unity in the poem?
- The poem suggests that true love dissolves individual boundaries and creates a unified entity. The imagery of their faces merging in each other’s eyes and the metaphor of “two better hemispheres” without flaws symbolize the harmonious blending of their identities. The line “Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one” reinforces the idea of a shared existence where they are both individuals and a single unit.
- What is the significance of the metaphysical conceit of the “waking souls” in the poem?
- The “waking souls” represent a spiritual awakening brought about by love. The speaker contrasts their previous state of ignorance and illusion with the clarity and enlightenment they now experience. This awakening allows them to perceive the true nature of love and its transformative power, leading to a deeper understanding of themselves and their connection to the world
Topics, Questions, and Thesis Statement about “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
- Love as a Unifying Force
- Question: How does Donne use imagery and metaphor to convey the idea that love is a unifying force that transcends the physical world?
- Thesis Statement: In “The Good-Morrow,” Donne employs imagery and metaphor to depict love as a unifying force that supersedes the boundaries of space and time, creating a singular, all-encompassing world for the lovers. This unity is exemplified through the speaker’s desire to possess a single world with their lover, highlighting the all-encompassing nature of their love.
- The Power Dynamics of Love
- Question: How does the poem portray the relationship between the speaker and their lover, and what does this reveal about the power dynamics of love?
- Thesis Statement: Through the use of mutual gaze and reciprocal language, Donne’s “The Good-Morrow” presents a relationship of equals, challenging traditional patriarchal power structures and suggesting a more balanced and harmonious dynamic in love. The speaker’s use of “thou” and “I” emphasizes the mutual respect and equality in the relationship.
- The Nature of Desire
- Question: How does the poem explore the speaker’s desires and what do these reveal about the human experience?
- Thesis Statement: In “The Good-Morrow,” Donne’s speaker reveals a desire for unity, wholeness, and transcendence, reflecting fundamental human longings and highlighting the capacity of love to fulfill these desires. The speaker’s desires also reveal a deep-seated need for connection and understanding.
- The Intersection of Spirituality and Sexuality
- Question: How does the poem navigate the relationship between spiritual and sexual love, and what implications does this have for our understanding of human connection?
- Thesis Statement: Through its use of sensual imagery and spiritual metaphor, “The Good-Morrow” blurs the boundaries between spiritual and sexual love, suggesting that these two forms of human connection are intimately intertwined and essential to a fulfilling relationship. The poem’s use of religious language to describe sexual love highlights the sacred and transcendent nature of human connection.
Literary Works Similar to “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
- “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell – This poem, like Donne’s work, explores themes of love, time, and the transience of life.
- “The Sun Rising” by John Donne – Another poem by Donne, “The Sun Rising” shares a similar tone and explores themes of love and the insignificance of worldly affairs compared to the love between the speaker and their beloved.
- “The Flea” by John Donne – Yet another poem by Donne, “The Flea” is a metaphysical poem that uses wit and clever argumentation to persuade a lover to engage in physical intimacy.
- “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” by John Donne – This poem, like “The Good-Morrow,” is a metaphysical poem that explores the depth of love and the spiritual connection between two lovers.
- “Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” by William Shakespeare – Though a sonnet rather than a longer poem, Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18” shares themes of love and the passage of time, similar to “The Good-Morrow.”
Suggested Readings: “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
- Donne, John. “The Good-Morrow.” Songs and Sonnets, 1633. Poetry Foundation, [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44104/the-good-morrow].
- Sherwood, Terry Grey. Fulfilling the Circle: A Study of John Donne’s Thought. University of Toronto Press, 1984.
- Smith, A.J., ed. John Donne: The Critical Heritage. Routledge, 1983.
- Sullivan, Ceri. The Rhetoric of the Conscience in Donne, Herbert, and Vaughan. Oxford UP, 2008.
- McAvoy, Spencer, and James Cooper, eds. “The Good-Morrow Study Guide.” GradeSaver, 9 Nov. 2020, https://www.gradesaver.com/the-good-morrow/study-guide/summary-the-good-morrow.
Representative Quotations from “The Good-Morrow” by John Donne
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I / Did, till we loved?” | The speaker is reflecting on what they and their lover did before they fell in love. | Feminist Theory: The speaker’s use of “troth” (a archaic word for “truth” or “faith”) highlights the mutual respect and equality in the relationship. |
| “But sucked on country pleasures, childishly?” | The speaker is describing the pleasures they enjoyed before finding each other as “childish” and inferior to their current love. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The speaker’s description of their past pleasures as “childishly” suggests a desire for a return to a pre-Oedipal state of unity with the mother figure. |
| “Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone, / Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown, / Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.” | The speaker is using the metaphor of exploration and mapping to describe their desire to possess a single, unified world with their lover. | Metaphysical Poetry Theory: The speaker’s use of metaphor and imagery highlights the idea that love is a unifying force that transcends the physical world. |
| “My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears, / And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;” | The speaker is describing the mutual gaze between them and their lover, and how their hearts are at peace in each other’s presence. | Feminist Theory: The speaker’s use of mutual gaze and reciprocal language emphasizes the equality and mutual respect in the relationship. |
| “Whatever dies, was not mixed equally; / If our two loves be one, or, thou and I / Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.” | The speaker is asserting that their love is a single, unified force that will never die. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The speaker’s desire for a perfect mixture of two loves suggests a desire for a return to a state of unity and wholeness. |