Lecture notes
John Donne- The Ecstasy
- Institution
- CCEA
This is a comprehensive analysis of John Donne's poem 'The Ecstasy.' It provides information on the context, form and structure and language and imagery of the
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By: alythomsxn • 6 year ago
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THE ECSTASYFORM AND STRUCTURE
- This is a 19 stanza poem, made up of quatrains
- The poem is made up of alternate rhyming lines (ABAB); however, some is half rhyme rather
than full rhyme. Rhythms of natural speaking voice
- The poem is iambic tetrameter, however some lines don’t follow this patter
- The elongated nature of the poem depicts the out-of-body experience of the lovers and
suggests how genuine and fulfilling the ecstatic experience was. It allows the poet to chart
the spiritual experience and return to the body. This is emphasised by the repetition of “All”
- The sustained use of enjambment creates connectivity between the stanzas
- The poem has a three part structure
1. Stanza 1-5: sets the scene- opens with a description of the setting of the lovers
2. Stanza 6-12 (lines 21-48: Uses witty device of hypothetical onlooker / observer to
communicate what is happening
3. Stanza 13-19: The speaker of the poem rationalises why their souls must return to their
bodies. The only way they can understand love is through their physical, earthly relationship.
They also must exist on earth to act as role models for lesser lovers
*Sometimes this poem is formatted as a continuous verse to emphasise the protracted nature of the
devoted moment of their relationship*
LANGUAGE AND IMAGERY
Title
- An ecstasy is a well-charted moment of devotion in religious writing
- It refers to the temporary departure of the soul from the body
- It is not normally associated with sensuous feelings or love
- Through ecstatic experiences, humans acquire divine insight and have heavenly mysteries
revealed to them
- In the poem, the nature of their love is revealed through the ecstatic experience
Body of Poem
Stanza 1
- Line 1: The opening of the poem is atypical. It is not a dramatic opening but a tranquil,
muted descriptive opening. Although a dramatic situation is presented, it is not abrupt. The
homily simile, “like a pillow on a bed” suggests the sensual quality of the earth.
- Line 2: The images of the fecundity and fertility of nature, “pregnant bank swell’d up”
evokes the rural, pastoral, bucolic setting. The consonance creates a gentle aural effect
- Line 3: The “violet” is associated with fidelity. The personification, “violet’s reclining head”
idealises the setting in a stylistic fashion. This is much more descriptive than Donne’s usual
metaphysical verse. Through the suggestive use of personification and imagery, the poet
elevates the presentation of their love.
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