AnalysisofJohnDonne’sPoem“TheSunRising”onMetaphor

张飏 杨佳璇 李玲芳

【Abstract】As the representative of metaphorical school， John Donnes poems are full of wonderful conceits.“The Sun Rising” is a love poem in which numerous shocking and surprising images are given by metaphor.

【Key words】John Donne； The Sun Rising； metaphor

1.Introduction

Among numerous metaphorical poets， John Donne is the most representative.He was quite famous for his “masculine， ingenious style that is characterized by abrupt openings， paradoxes， dislocations， argumentative structure， and ‘conceits—images which yoke things seemingly unlike.” One characteristic of metaphorical poem is that it is always a mixture of concentration， passion and unusual thoughts in the form of metaphysical conceits.Another characteristic of metaphorical poem is the color of religion.

2.Analysis of the poem “The Sun Rising” on metaphor

In the first stanza， the poet describes the sun as a “Busy old fool， unruly sun” which is quite different from the traditional image of sun.In this line， we can see that the sun works in a habitual motion which lacks judgment and discipline.The poet then tells the sun to move rudely towards truant “school boys” and unpleasant gloomy and sourer apprentices.In this analogy， the poet is the employer， and the sun is the “sour prentice”.Finally the poet urges the sun to awaken “Court-huntsmen” and to “Call country ants to harvest offices”.Here country ants harvest duties are establishing their nests around the outdoor gardens and yards， destroying vegetation rather than benefiting the nature.While those ants do not invade houses and rooms and interrupt peoples life as the sun does.By juxtaposing， usurping and manipulating images and ideas， the analogy indicates that the sun destroys life rather than creates life.In the end， Donne rebukes the sun because it disturbs the loverssweet dream.In their eyes， love is eternal not affecting by “hours， days， months” and all “the rags of time”.When a couple find perfect love together they become all-sufficient to each other， forming an eternal world.

In the second stanza， the poet continues challenging the authority of the “might” sun.Although the sun flatters itself to be mighty， the poet drives it away by closing his eyes in a wink.Then the poet compares his lover‘s beauty to “Indias of spice” In the end， the poet leaves an order to the sun—“Ask for those kings whom you sawst yesterday， and you will here， all here in one bed lay.” In this way， the poet tells the sun that all kings will prefer their beloved in bed to the mighty position.So it is reasonable to say that the beloved is above any treasure.

In the third stanza， the poet has a conversation with the sun.According to the poet， neither honor nor wealth is as real as what he has in bed with his beloved.The lovers not only own the bed of their love， but also control the whole world of eternal love.In the following part， the poet complains that in order to perform duties of warming the world， the sun needs only to warm the lovers， because they represent the earth.In this way， the poet has successfully given readers a corresponding feeling of expansiveness moving from the external to the internal world of the soul.And the poem comes to a perfect and reasonable conclusion which seems exaggerative if in desolated parts.

3.Conclusion

John Donnes poems are full of wonderful conceits which makes him the most outstanding metaphoric poet.In the poem—“The Sun Rising”， Donne gives readers a triangle system of picture by numerous shocking and surprising images with marvelous imagination.

References：

[1]Zuo-liang，WANG ed.An anthology of English literature.Beijing： The Commercial Press， 1983.

[2]Qiaofeng Yu.“Review on the conceits used in‘The Sun Rising”， Sino-US English Teaching.Mutipurpose Diplomacy， VOL.4（2007）： 593-599.

[3]Brooks， Cleanth and Robert Penn Warren.Understanding Poetry.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press， 2004.

作者简介：

张飏（1985.11-），女，河北衡水人，西安工业大学北方信息工程学院专职教师，助教，2012级硕士，研究方向：英语语言文学、英语教学。

杨佳璇（1987.5-），女，陕西渭南人，西安工业大学北方信息工程学院专职教师，助教，2012级硕士，研究方向：英语教学。

李玲芳（1982.11-），女，陕西凤翔人，西安工业大学北方信息工程学院专职教师，讲师，2013级硕士，研究方向：教学法。