Introduction
The Anniversary is written by John Donne, an influential English poet, preacher, and essayist, best known for his metaphysical poetry. The Anniversary is a poem that explores the complex nature of love and the passage of time. It is addressed to the speaker's beloved, celebrating the anniversary of their relationship. In the poem, Donne reflects on the temporal nature of human existence and compares it to the enduring nature of their love. He acknowledges the inevitability of aging and the changes that occur over time, but asserts that their love transcends these earthly limitations. Let's see the lines before further explanations.
The Text:
All Kings, and all their favourites,
All glory of honours, beauties, wits,
The sun itself, which makes times, as they pass,
Is elder by a year now than it was
When thou and I first one another saw:
All other things to their destruction draw,
Only our love hath no decay;
This no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday,
Running it never runs from us away,
But truly keeps his first, last, everlasting day.
Two graves must hide thine and my corse;
If one might, death were no divorce.
Alas, as well as other Princes, we
(Who Prince enough in one another be)
Must leave at last in death these eyes and ears,
Oft fed with true oaths, and with sweet salt tears;
But souls where nothing dwells but love
(All other thoughts being inmates) then shall prove
This, or a love increasèd there above,
When bodies to their graves, souls from their graves remove.
And then we shall be throughly blessed;
But we no more than all the rest.
Here upon earth we’re Kings, and none but we
Can be such Kings, nor of such subjects be;
Who is so safe as we? where none can do
Treason to us, except one of us two.
True and false fears let us refrain,
Let us love nobly, and live, and add again
Years and years unto years, till we attain
To write threescore: this is the second of our reign.
Summary
The speaker begins by stating that all the power, fame, beauty, and intellect of kings and their favorites are subject to decay and destruction over time. However, the love of the speaker and his beloved remains untouched by the passage of time. It has no beginning or end, never running away from them, but rather preserving their love as eternal. The speaker addresses his beloved, stating that all the riches, power, and beauty in the world are transient and subject to decay, except for their love, which remains constant and everlasting. The speaker emphasizes that their love exists outside the constraints of time, having no past or future and never diminishing. He compare their love to the sun, which ages as time passes but their love remains timeless.
The speaker acknowledges that eventually, he and his beloved will die. He expresses the idea that if both of them were buried together in the same grave, it would signify a union even in death. He compares themselves to princes who, like other mortals, must leave behind their senses and emotions. He believes that their love transcends worldly boundaries and is superior to that of other princes and nobles. However, he believes that their souls, where love is the sole resident, will prove the continuity and strength of their love even in the afterlife.
The speaker envisions a state of thorough blessedness beyond death, although he recognizes that he is no more entitled to it than anyone else. He feels secure in his love, as no one can betray him except one of the two of them. They urge each other to refrain from both true and unfounded fears, to love each other nobly, and to live and continue adding more years to their lives. The mention of "threescore" refers to the number sixty, symbolizing old age. The speaker views their current stage of love as the second phase of their reign, implying a lasting and steadfast relationship.
Ultimately, he acknowledges that their love is not more blessed than that of others but cherish the special bond they share. Overall, the lines express the eternal nature of love in the face of mortality, the uniqueness of their bond, and the desire to cherish and nurture their love until old age.
Now, let's analyze the individual stanzas for more insight.
Analysis
Stanza 1:
All Kings, and all their favourites,
All glory of honours, beauties, wits,
The sun itself, which makes times, as they pass,
Is elder by a year now than it was
When thou and I first one another saw:
All other things to their destruction draw,
Only our love hath no decay;
This no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday,
Running it never runs from us away,
But truly keeps his first, last, everlasting day.
In this stanza, the speaker establishes that all the power, fame, and beauty associated with kings and their favorites, as well as the passing of time represented by the sun, have aged by a year since the first meeting of the speaker and his beloved. While everything else in the world is subject to decay and destruction, their love remains unaffected. Their love exists outside the constraints of time and continues to endure without diminishing.
Stanza 2:
Two graves must hide thine and my corse;
If one might, death were no divorce.
Alas, as well as other Princes, we
(Who Prince enough in one another be)
Must leave at last in death these eyes and ears,
Oft fed with true oaths, and with sweet salt tears;
But souls where nothing dwells but love
(All other thoughts being inmates) then shall prove
This, or a love increasèd there above,
When bodies to their graves, souls from their graves remove.
Here, the speaker contemplates mortality and the inevitability of death. He suggests that two graves will be necessary to bury their bodies, implying a desire for their physical remains to remain together even in death. The speaker acknowledges that, like other princes, they too must eventually depart from this world, leaving behind the senses that were nourished by their shared experiences and emotions. However, he believes that in the afterlife, where only love exists, their souls will experience an even greater love than before, surpassing the limitations of the physical realm.
Stanza 3:
And then we shall be throughly blessed;
But we no more than all the rest.
Here upon earth we’re Kings, and none but we
Can be such Kings, nor of such subjects be;
Who is so safe as we? where none can do
Treason to us, except one of us two.
True and false fears let us refrain,
Let us love nobly, and live, and add again
Years and years unto years, till we attain
To write threescore: this is the second of our reign.
The speaker envisions a state of complete bliss and blessings that they will attain once they have passed away. However, he humbly acknowledges that their love is no more special than that of others. He perceives themselves as kings while still alive on Earth, with no one else capable of being such kings or having such devoted subjects. He feels safe and secure in their love, as the only threat to their bond would be betrayal by one of them. The speaker advises against succumbing to baseless fears and instead encourages the couple to love nobly and continue adding years to their lives until they reach old age. He views their journey together as a reign, with each year representing a new stage of their love.
Overall, the poem explores the timeless nature of true love, the inevitability of mortality, and the profound connection shared by the speaker and his beloved. It portrays their love as an eternal and unbreakable bond that transcends the temporal world and continues to thrive in the realm of the soul.
Literary Devices
The Anniversary is a poem abound of an exquisite set of literary devices. Let's uncover few of them.
1. Metaphor: The prime example is the lines that employ metaphorical language to compare the speaker and his beloved to kings. He asserts that "Here upon earth we’re Kings," symbolizing the special and powerful nature of their love.
2. Personification: The sun is personified in the line "The sun itself, which makes times, as they pass." It is attributed the ability to age and become "elder" as time progresses. This personification adds depth and vitality to the imagery.
3. Repetition: The phrase "All other things" is repeated to emphasize the contrast between the ephemeral nature of worldly possessions and the eternal nature of their love. The repetition creates a rhythmic effect and reinforces the central idea.
4. Paradox: The lines contain paradoxical statements, such as "This no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday," which suggests that their love exists outside the boundaries of time and is not constrained by past or future.
5. Alliteration: There are instances of alliteration, such as "sweet salt tears," where the repetition is of the "s" sound, "false fears", where the repetition is of the sound "f". Such repetitions create a musical and rhythmic effect.
6. Symbolism: The idea of two graves hiding the bodies of the speaker and his beloved symbolizes their desire to remain together even in death, representing the eternal union of their souls.
7. Imagery: The lines "Oft fed with true oaths, and with sweet salt tears" create vivid imagery by describing the emotional nourishment provided by their shared experiences, conveyed through oaths and tears.
8. Allusion: The reference to "other Princes" alludes to the fact that even royalty and those in positions of power cannot escape the inevitability of death.
These are just a few examples of the literary devices employed in the poem. John Donne's poetry often showcases intricate wordplay, metaphysical conceits, and vivid imagery to convey deep emotions and philosophical ideas.
Conclusion
In The Anniversary, Donne uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey his ideas. He also employs natural imagery, such as the sun, to symbolize the cycles of time and the constancy of their love. The poem explores the theme of physical and spiritual union, emphasizing the connection between the lovers' bodies and souls. Donne suggests that their love is not merely based on physical attraction but also on a deep spiritual bond that unites them. The Anniversary is a contemplative and passionate poem that showcases Donne's skill in combining intellectual depth with emotional intensity. It explores the complexities of love and the power it holds to transcend the limitations of time and mortality.
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