Busy old fool, unruly sun, by John Donne — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

Busy old fool, unruly sun, Why dost thou thus, Through windows, and through curtains call on us? Must to thy motions lovers' seasons run? Saucy pedantic wretch, go chide Late school boys and sour prentices, Go tell court huntsmen that the king will ride, Call country ants to harvest offices, Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime, Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time. Thy beams, so reverend and strong Why shouldst thou think? I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink, But that I would not lose her sight so long; If her eyes have not blinded thine, Look, and tomorrow late, tell me, Whether both th' Indias of spice and mine Be where thou leftst them, or lie here with me. Ask for those kings whom thou saw'st yesterday, And thou shalt hear, All here in one bed lay. She's all states, and all princes, I, Nothing else is. Princes do but play us; compared to this, All honor's mimic, all wealth alchemy. Thou, sun, art half as happy as we, In that the world's contracted thus. Thine age asks ease, and since thy duties be To warm the world, that's done in warming us. Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere; This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere.

Translation (English)

You old and foolish sun, why are you bothering us? Why do you call on us through windows and curtains? Do lovers have to follow your schedule? You rude, bossy creature, go bother schoolboys and apprentices. Tell the court huntsmen the king will ride today, And call the country ants to their harvest duties. Love doesn't follow seasons or climates, Nor does it care about hours, days, or months, which are just time's leftovers. Your beams are so respected and strong, Why do you think that? I could block them with a wink, But I don't want to miss seeing her for that long. If her eyes haven't blinded you, Look, and tomorrow tell me, If the riches of the East Indies are still there, Or if they are here with me. Ask about the kings you saw yesterday, And you'll hear they are all here in bed with us. She is all countries, and I am all princes, Nothing else matters. Princes just imitate us; compared to this, All honor is fake, all wealth is like alchemy. Sun, you are only half as happy as we are, Because the world is smaller now. Your old age needs rest, and since your job is To warm the world, that's done by warming us. Shine on us here, and you are shining everywhere; This bed is your center, these walls, your universe.

About the Poet

John Donne (Metaphysical poetry, early 17th century)

John Donne (1571 or 1572 – 1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier, and cleric in the Church of England. Known for his metaphysical poetry, Donne's works are noted for their metaphorical and sensual style. He served as Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Metaphysical poetry
When Written: Early 17th century
Background: John Donne's poem 'The Sun Rising' is a metaphysical poem that reflects his complex relationship with love and the natural world. It was written during a time when Donne was exploring themes of love, religion, and the human condition, often using elaborate metaphors and conceits.

Sources: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44129/the-sun-rising, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donne

Detailed Explanation

John Donne's 'The Sun Rising' is a metaphysical poem that challenges the authority of the sun, a symbol of time and order, by asserting the supremacy of love. The speaker, addressing the sun as a 'busy old fool,' questions why it disrupts lovers by marking the passage of time. He suggests that love transcends time and space, rendering the sun's duties irrelevant. The poem employs hyperbolic metaphors, likening the lovers' bed to the center of the universe, and dismisses worldly honors and wealth as mere illusions compared to the richness of love. Donne's use of witty conceits and dramatic monologue reflects his mastery of metaphysical poetry, where intellectual playfulness and emotional intensity converge. The poem ultimately celebrates the idea that love creates its own universe, independent of external forces.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
unruly	disobedient	difficult to control	uhn-roo-lee
dost	do	old-fashioned 'do'	dust
thou	you	old-fashioned 'you'	thou
thy	your	old-fashioned 'your'	thigh
saucy	cheeky	impudently bold	saw-see
pedantic	overly concerned with rules	overly concerned with minor details	puh-dan-tik
wretch	miserable person	a very unhappy person	retch
prentices	apprentices	people learning a skill	pren-tis-ez
clime	climate	a region with a particular climate	klahym
reverend	respected	deserving respect	rev-er-uhnd
eclipse	block	to cover or block	ih-klips
alchemy	magic-like transformation	a magical process of transformation	al-kuh-mee
sphere	area	a round shape or area	sfeer