The Apparition by John Donne

Context

• The Apparition by John Donne was written during the late 16th or early 17th century, reflecting the poet's style within the metaphysical poetry movement.
• John Donne was known for his complex imagery and elaborate conceits, often blending themes of love, religion, and wit.
• The poem captures the intense emotions of a rejected lover, portraying a vengeful fantasy against the beloved who spurned him.

Structure and Form

Form, Meter, and Rhyme

• The poem consists of a single 17-line stanza.
• It employs an irregular meter, primarily iambic, but frequently shifts between iambic pentameter, trimeter, and tetrameter, reflecting the speaker's emotional instability.
• The rhyme scheme is ABBABCDCDCEFFEGGG, contributing to the erratic and turbulent tone of the poem.

Speaker and Setting

• The speaker is a scorned lover addressing the woman who has rejected him.
• The setting is imagined, taking place in the speaker's mind as he envisions himself haunting his beloved and her new lover as a ghost.

Poetic Devices

• Hyperbole**:** The speaker's declaration that he will die from heartbreak is exaggerated to convey his intense emotional pain.
• Metaphor**:** The beloved is metaphorically described as a "murd'ress", highlighting the perceived severity of her rejection.
• Allusion**:** References to "vestal" virgins and ancient Roman religious practices underscore the speaker's accusation of hypocrisy.
• Irony**:** The speaker's elaborate revenge fantasy ironically reveals his torment and obsession, rather than any real power over his beloved.

Key Themes

Rejection and Revenge

• The poem explores the bitterness and desire for revenge that can arise from unrequited love.

"When by thy scorn, O murd'ress, I am dead / And that thou think'st thee free / From all solicitation from me, / Then shall my ghost come to thy bed" (Lines 1-4)

Women's Hypocrisy and Male Jealousy

• The speaker accuses his beloved of pretending to be chaste while implying she will soon be with another man.

"And thee, feign'd vestal, in worse arms shall see" (Line 5)

Similar Poems

• "The Flea" by John Donne: Uses a conceit to explore themes of love and seduction with wit and irony.
• "The Sun Rising" by John Donne: Blends personal emotion with broader metaphysical themes, showcasing Donne's style.
• "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell: Addresses themes of love, seduction, and the passage of time with similar metaphysical wit.

Line by Line Analysis

Lines 1-3

When by thy scorn, O murd'ress, I am dead

And that thou think'st thee free

From all solicitation from me,

"When by thy scorn, O murd'ress, I am dead"

• The speaker accuses his beloved of metaphorically killing him with her rejection.

"And that thou think'st thee free / From all solicitation from me,"

• He suggests that she believes she will be free from his advances after his death.

Lines 4-5

Then shall my ghost come to thy bed,

And thee, feign'd vestal, in worse arms shall see;

"Then shall my ghost come to thy bed,"

• The speaker imagines haunting his beloved's bed as a ghost.

"And thee, feign'd vestal, in worse arms shall see;"

• He envisions her in the arms of another, less worthy man, accusing her of false chastity.

Lines 6-10

Then thy sick taper will begin to wink,

And he, whose thou art then, being tir'd before,

Will, if thou stir, or pinch to wake him, think

Thou call'st for more,

And in false sleep will from thee shrink;

"Then thy sick taper will begin to wink,"

• The candle by her bed will flicker uneasily, adding to the ghostly atmosphere.

"And he, whose thou art then, being tir'd before,"

• Her new lover will already be exhausted from previous activities.

"Will, if thou stir, or pinch to wake him, think / Thou call'st for more,"

• If she tries to wake him, he will pretend to be asleep, thinking she wants more sex.

"And in false sleep will from thee shrink;"

• He will move away from her, pretending to be asleep.

Lines 11-13

And then, poor aspen wretch, neglected thou

Bath'd in a cold quicksilver sweat wilt lie

A verier ghost than I.

"And then, poor aspen wretch, neglected thou"

• She will be left alone, trembling like an aspen tree.

"Bath'd in a cold quicksilver sweat wilt lie"

• She will lie in a cold sweat, resembling mercury in its fluidity and chill.

"A verier ghost than I."

• She will appear more ghostly than the speaker himself.

Lines 14-17

What I will say, I will not tell thee now,

Lest that preserve thee; and since my love is spent,

I'had rather thou shouldst painfully repent,

Than by my threat'nings rest still innocent.

"What I will say, I will not tell thee now,"

• The speaker withholds his planned words, suggesting their dreadfulness.

"Lest that preserve thee; and since my love is spent,"

• He fears revealing his words might cause her to take him back out of fear, rather than genuine remorse.

"I'had rather thou shouldst painfully repent,"

• He prefers that she suffer and regret her actions.

"Than by my threat'nings rest still innocent."

• He would rather she feel the pain of guilt than remain unscathed by his threats.