Love's+Deity

"Love's Deity" By: John Donne I long to talk with some old lover's ghost, Who died before the god of love was born. I cannot think that he, who then loved most, Sunk so low as to love one which did scorn. But since this god produced a destiny, And that vice-nature, custom, lets it be, I must love her, that loves not me.

Sure, they which made him god, meant not so much, Nor he in his young godhead practiced it. But when an even flame two hearts did touch, His office was indulgently to fit Actives to passives. Correspondency Only his subject was; it cannot be Love, till I love her, that loves me.

But every modern god will now extend His vast prerogative as far as Jove. To rage, to lust, to write to, to commend, All is the purlieu of the god of love. O! were we wakened by this tyranny To ungod this child again, it could not be I should love her, who loves not me.

Rebel and atheist too, why murmur I, As though I felt the worst that love could do? Love might make me leave loving, or might try A deeper plague, to make her love me too; Which, since she loves before, I'am loath to see. Falsehood is worse than hate; and that must be, If she whom I love, should love me.

__** Translation ** __

I long to talk with the ghost of some lover of olden times, who died before the god of love was born (invented). I refuse to imagine that the most intense of lovers then could have sunk so low as to love a woman who scorned him. But since the god of love now determines a lover’s fate, and accepted practice, custom, which is second nature allows it, I am forced to love her who does not love me.

Surely those who made love a god did not intend love to work like this. Nor did he when he was a new (young) god enforce such a perversity. Rather, when a like flame moved two hearts his role was to fit the active agent (the man?) to the passive agent (the woman?). His objective was to unite hearts that corresponded in their feelings. In that case it would not be Love, unless I loved a woman who also loved me. But every modern god has now extended his sovereign rights to cover the same extent as Jupiter’s. The god of love now extends his domain over rage, lust, love-letters and flattery, all beyond his original remit. Oh if only we were roused by this tyranny of his to take away his divinity again, then in that case I would not be forced to love her who does not love me. Why do I, a rebel against unrequited love, and an unbeliever as regards love’s divinity, complain so much, as though I had felt the worst that love could do to me? For love could indeed do worse, and make me stop loving her, or inflict a greater suffering, and make her pretend to love me too, which since she already loves another would be a torment to see. Deceit is worse than hate, and she would be deceiving me if she, whom I love, pretended to love me.

__** John Donne's Bibliography **__
 * January 22, 1572- March 31, 1631
 * Forced to join Anglican Church after brother died
 * Born Catholic
 * Metaphysical Poet
 * Ability to startle reader and coax new perspective through paradoxical images, subtle argument, inventive syntax, imagery from art, philosophy, and religion using an extended metaphor known as a conceit
 * Married Anne More, niece of Lady Egerton

Use of "god"
 * Element ||= Example from Text ||= Explanation/Impact/Effect ||
 * = Theme ||= * Unrequited love
 * Love before God
 * Sadness/Happiness ||=  ||
 * = Imagery ||= **Visual Imagery-** "old lover' ghost"


 * Auditory Imagery-** "why murmur I"


 * Figurative Language**
 * Repetition
 * Contrast
 * Allusion ||= * The old lover's ghost could symbolize that they may have dated before
 * God could represent his powerless feelings or the love e feels


 * The auditory imagery shows how the man has given up on "god" ||
 * = Meter ||= **Form-** Iambic Pentameter

Repetition
 * Structure-** 4 stanzas with seven lines each


 * Rhyme Scheme-** ABABCCC ||=  ||
 * = Emotion ||= **Tone**
 * Spiteful
 * Irritated
 * Condescending


 * Mood**
 * Somber
 * Freeing

"deeper plague" "scorn" "tyranny" "to rage, to lust" ||= * Meant to show unhappiness and unattainability of love || //John Donne The Songs and Sonnets//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. .
 * Diction-** "died"
 * ** Works Cited **

//Loe's Deity//. New York Times, 13 May 2007. Web. 19 Mar. 2015. .

//Poet John Donne//. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. .