A Tale of a Citizen and His Wife by John Donne (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions)

 

A Tale of a Citizen and His Wife

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

A Tale of a Citizen and His Wife

I saw a citizen, in London town,

Dull, fat, and bald, with eyes of watery brown;

He walked with wife, and child, and nurse behind,

A leash of griefs, and all of woman kind.

 

He saw me, and he knew me, and he said:

"Hey! who art thou that loiterest by the shed?

I knew thee in old days, when I was slim,

And thou didst bow and cap as to a limb

Of law or church or state, when I passed by—"

So I said: "Sir, I am I."

 

"Thou art not I," he said; "I know thee now,

A man of scrapes and shifts and broken vow,

And ever downward, like the crab, dost go,

Whilst I, forsooth, am Citizen and so

I look on such as thou with scorn and pride."

I smiled, but nothing said.

 

Then he cried: "Ho!

Wilt thou not speak? Hast thou no tale to show?

Hast thou no grief to hang thy heart upon?"

I said: "I loved a woman long agone,

And for her sake have left all else behind.

But thou hast wife, and child, and nurse in kind;

Thy life is full of chatter, pence, and stew—

Thou art not I, I say; and that is true."

 

Summary

The poem opens with the speaker describing a citizen he sees in London. This man is physically unimpressive—dull, fat, bald, with watery eyes. He walks through the city accompanied by his wife, child, and a nurse, suggesting a typical domestic life, though burdensome, as the poet refers to them as a "leash of griefs".

The citizen recognizes the speaker from the past. He recalls a time when he was slimmer and in better standing, and the speaker would respectfully bow to him, suggesting that the citizen once held some kind of authority or status.

The speaker responds briefly, simply identifying himself: "Sir, I am I."

The citizen rejects this identification, insisting that the speaker cannot be the same person he once knew. He accuses the speaker of having fallen in life, living by scrapes and shifts, breaking vows, and declining like a crab, meaning moving backwards in fortune. He contrasts this with his own rise, proudly declaring himself a “Citizen”, and thus better than the speaker.

Despite the citizen's pride and self-importance, the speaker remains calm and smiles silently, choosing not to argue.

The citizen grows frustrated with the speaker's silence and demands a story—something dramatic or sorrowful. He seems to want the speaker to admit failure or suffering.

The speaker finally explains that he once loved a woman deeply, and that this love caused him to leave all else behind. In contrast, he points out that the citizen has settled into a conventional life—concerned with family, money, and domestic concerns like food (a “stew”).

He closes by reaffirming the difference between them: while the citizen may judge him, they are not the same, and that, he says, is the truth.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

1. I saw a citizen, in London town,

→ I saw an ordinary man (a city dweller) walking in the streets of London.

 

2. Dull, fat, and bald, with eyes of watery brown;

→ He looked boring, overweight, bald, and had weak, watery brown eyes.

 

3. He walked with wife, and child, and nurse behind,

→ He was accompanied by his wife, child, and a nurse walking behind him.

 

4. A leash of griefs, and all of woman kind.

→ He seemed burdened by them all, like they were a set of troubles (especially the women).

 

5. He saw me, and he knew me, and he said:

→ He recognized me and began speaking to me.

 

6. "Hey! who art thou that loiterest by the shed?

→ "Hey! Who are you, standing idly near that shed?

 

7. I knew thee in old days, when I was slim,

→ I remember you from earlier days, when I was young and thin.

 

8. And thou didst bow and cap as to a limb

→ Back then, you would politely greet me, like bowing to someone important.

 

9. Of law or church or state, when I passed by—"

→ You treated me as if I were someone in a high position in law, religion, or government.

 

10. So I said: "Sir, I am I."

→ I replied simply, “Sir, I am myself.”

 

11. "Thou art not I," he said; "I know thee now,

→ “You’re not the man I used to know,” he said. “I recognize who you really are now.

 

12. A man of scrapes and shifts and broken vow,

→ You're a man who lives by tricks and quick fixes and who breaks promises.

 

13. And ever downward, like the crab, dost go,

→ And you’re constantly going backward in life, like a crab.

 

14. Whilst I, forsooth, am Citizen and so

→ Whereas I, of course, am a respectable citizen.

 

15. I look on such as thou with scorn and pride."

→ So I look down on people like you with contempt and feel proud of my life.

 

16. I smiled, but nothing said.

→ I smiled but chose not to say anything in response.

 

17. Then he cried: "Ho!

→ Then he shouted: “Hey!

 

18. Wilt thou not speak? Hast thou no tale to show?

→ Won’t you say anything? Don’t you have a story or reason for your condition?

 

19. Hast thou no grief to hang thy heart upon?"

→ Don’t you have some sorrow or regret to cling to?

 

20. I said: "I loved a woman long agone,

→ I replied: “I once loved a woman, a long time ago.

 

21. And for her sake have left all else behind.

→ And because of her, I gave up everything else in my life.

 

22. But thou hast wife, and child, and nurse in kind;

→ But you have your wife, child, and nurse all around you.

 

23. Thy life is full of chatter, pence, and stew—

→ Your life is filled with small talk, money matters, and food.

 

24. Thou art not I, I say; and that is true."

→ You are not me, I tell you—and that’s the truth.

 

Analysis in Detail

Overview

This poem by John Donne is a short satirical narrative that presents a brief but pointed encounter between the speaker (likely Donne himself or a poetic persona) and a smug London citizen. The citizen is proud of his domestic success and social respectability, while the speaker counters that his own life, though unconventional, is driven by deep emotion and personal choice.

 

Tone and Mood

The tone is dry, ironic, and gently mocking, especially toward the self-satisfied citizen. The speaker does not lash out with anger; instead, he calmly asserts his identity and personal integrity. The mood shifts from humorous detachment to quiet dignity by the end.

The citizen’s tone is boastful and accusatory, filled with self-importance.

The speaker’s tone is calm, self-assured, and subtly critical of shallow societal values.

 

Narrative Voice and Point of View

The poem uses a first-person narrative voice, offering the speaker’s perspective throughout. This voice is important—it makes the contrast between the inner richness of the speaker’s emotional life and the outwardly “respectable” but dull life of the citizen.

The speaker doesn’t argue loudly; instead, he lets the citizen’s arrogance speak for itself, creating dramatic contrast.

The final lines, especially “Thou art not I, I say; and that is true,” show a quiet but firm assertion of selfhood.

 

Characters and Contrast

The poem hinges on a sharp contrast between two types of men:

The Citizen – represents materialism, respectability, social success, but also mediocrity, conformity, and a lack of inner depth. His life is defined by routine, domestic obligations, and pride in being a “citizen.”

The Speaker – represents individuality, emotional depth, romantic sacrifice, and a kind of nobility that doesn’t align with societal standards. He has suffered but chosen a life of meaning over conformity.

This contrast serves as the central theme: true identity vs. social identity, or inner richness vs. outward respectability.

 

Themes

Individual Identity vs. Social Status

The poem challenges the idea that social status or public success defines a person. The citizen is proud of being a “Citizen,” but the speaker suggests that this title means little if it's not backed by emotional or spiritual authenticity.

 

Love and Sacrifice

The speaker declares that he once loved deeply and gave up everything for that love. This love, though it may have left him socially diminished, gives him a kind of inner nobility that the citizen lacks.

 

Conformity vs. Authenticity

The citizen has conformed to societal expectations: wife, child, nurse, family life. The speaker rejects this path, suggesting that living authentically—even with pain—is better than merely conforming.

 

Perception vs. Reality

The citizen perceives the speaker as a failure, but he fails to understand the speaker’s inner world. The poem implies that such external judgments are shallow and misleading.

 

Language and Diction

Donne uses plain and clear language, but with a sharp wit. The words used to describe the citizen—“dull, fat, and bald”—are unflattering, painting an image of physical and mental dullness. The phrase “leash of griefs” is clever and biting, reducing the citizen’s family (wife, child, nurse) to burdens.

The speaker’s own words are minimalistic and restrained—he speaks little, but when he does, the impact is strong. His short, final speech carries emotional weight.

 

Poetic Devices

Irony – The citizen considers himself successful, yet his life is portrayed as constrained and joyless. The speaker, though outwardly failed, seems emotionally free and dignified.

Contrast – The entire poem is structured around the contrast between the two characters’ lives and values.

Metaphor – “A leash of griefs” metaphorically likens the family to a burden or set of restrictions.

Allusion to crabs – “Ever downward, like the crab, dost go” paints the speaker as moving backward in life (a crab walks sideways or backward), but this is only the citizen’s shallow view.

Minimal dialogue – The speaker speaks very little, and that enhances the depth of his words. His silence is deliberate, suggesting quiet wisdom or emotional depth.

 

Conclusion

John Donne’s “A Tale of a Citizen and His Wife” is a brief but rich poem that subtly critiques materialism, societal pride, and shallow judgment. Through a simple conversation between two contrasting men, Donne explores deep ideas of identity, love, sacrifice, and what it truly means to live with integrity. The speaker’s restraint and calm wisdom elevate him, while the citizen’s self-satisfaction is gently exposed as narrow and hollow.

 

Possible Exam Questions

Describe the appearance of the citizen as portrayed in the opening lines of the poem.

 

What does the speaker mean by “a leash of griefs”?

 

How does the citizen recognize the speaker?

 

What is the citizen proud of in his life?

 

What kind of life does the speaker claim to have chosen?

 

How does the speaker respond to the citizen’s judgment?

 

What is the significance of the crab image in the line “ever downward, like the crab, dost go”?

 

Quote the line where the speaker asserts his individuality.

 

What role does irony play in the citizen’s speech?

 

What does the poem reveal about Donne’s attitude toward social respectability?

 

Compare and contrast the character of the citizen and the speaker in the poem.

 

Discuss how “A Tale of a Citizen and His Wife” presents the theme of individual identity versus social status.

 

How does John Donne use language and imagery to create satire in the poem?

 

What is the significance of the final statement: “Thou art not I, I say; and that is true”?

 

In what ways does the poem explore the idea of love as a transformative experience?

 

Examine the tone of the poem. How does Donne maintain it throughout the dialogue?

 

Write a critical appreciation of “A Tale of a Citizen and His Wife”, focusing on its narrative style, tone, and underlying themes.

 

How does Donne subtly critique conventional domestic life in this poem?

 

Examine the use of contrast and irony as key devices in the poem.

 

Evaluate the speaker’s character in terms of emotional strength, personal sacrifice, and philosophical depth.

 

Is the citizen truly successful? Justify your answer with evidence from the poem.