Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed by John Donne (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions)

 

Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed

Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers defy,

Until I labor, I in labor lie.

Dull sublunary lovers' love

(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit

Absence, because it doth remove

Those things which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refined,

That ourselves know not what it is,

Inter-assurèd of the mind,

Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,

Though I must go, endure not yet

A breach, but an expansion,

Like gold to airy thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so

As stiff twin compasses are two;

Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show

To move, but doth, if the other do.

And though it in the center sit,

Yet when the other far doth roam,

It leans and hearkens after it,

And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must

Like the other foot, obliquely run;

Thy firmness makes my circle just,

And makes me end where I begun.

 

Summary

The poem is a sensual and intimate invitation from the speaker to his mistress to undress and come to bed with him. It begins with the speaker expressing how all his energy and strength fail him until he has the physical labor of undressing and being with his lover.

He contrasts ordinary lovers—who rely mainly on physical senses and thus feel pain and longing when apart—with their own love, which is more refined and spiritual. Because their souls are deeply connected, physical absence does not diminish their love; instead, it expands and stretches like thin beaten gold.

The speaker uses the metaphor of a pair of compasses (the drawing tool) to describe their souls. He compares his lover’s soul to the fixed foot of the compass that stays steady, while his own soul moves around it, always connected and dependent. Even though he physically moves away, his soul leans toward hers and returns to the same point.

Finally, he tells his mistress that just as the fixed foot keeps the compass steady and allows the moving foot to trace a perfect circle, her firmness and presence make his journey complete. He ends by suggesting that their love, like a compass drawing a circle, returns to its starting point—symbolizing unity and completeness in their physical union.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers defy,

Come, my lady, come; I cannot rest or relax my energy.

 

Until I labor, I in labor lie.

I am restless, like a worker waiting to work until I put in effort.

 

Dull sublunary lovers' love

Ordinary earthly lovers’ love

 

(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit

(which is based only on physical feelings) cannot accept

 

Absence, because it doth remove

being apart, because absence takes away

 

Those things which elemented it.

the physical things that make up their love.

 

But we by a love so much refined,

But our love is more sophisticated and spiritual,

 

That ourselves know not what it is,

so much that even we don’t fully understand it,

 

Inter-assurèd of the mind,

secure and confident through mental connection,

 

Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

and don’t care if we miss seeing, touching, or kissing each other.

 

Our two souls therefore, which are one,

So, our two souls, which are united as one,

 

Though I must go, endure not yet

even though I must leave,

 

A breach, but an expansion,

do not break apart but rather stretch apart,

 

Like gold to airy thinness beat.

like gold that is hammered very thin and spreads out.

 

If they be two, they are two so

If they are actually two separate souls, they are like

 

As stiff twin compasses are two;

two stiff legs of a compass;

 

Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show

Your soul is the fixed leg, which doesn’t seem to move

 

To move, but doth, if the other do.

but it does move, just because the other leg moves.

 

And though it in the center sit,

Even though it stays in the center,

 

Yet when the other far doth roam,

when the other leg moves far away,

 

It leans and hearkens after it,

it leans toward and follows it,

 

And grows erect, as that comes home.

and stands upright again when the moving leg returns home.

 

Such wilt thou be to me, who must

You will be like that to me, while I

 

Like the other foot, obliquely run;

must move around you, like the moving leg of the compass;

 

Thy firmness makes my circle just,

Your steadiness makes my movement perfect and balanced,

 

And makes me end where I begun.

and makes me finish right where I started — with you.

 

Analysis in Detail

“Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed” is a bold and sensuous poem in which John Donne explores themes of physical desire, intimacy, and spiritual unity through metaphysical conceits and striking imagery.

 

1. Theme of Physical and Spiritual Love

At its core, the poem celebrates the physical act of undressing and sexual union between the speaker and his mistress. However, Donne’s treatment of love goes beyond mere physicality. He contrasts “dull sublunary lovers' love,” which depends solely on the senses and is disrupted by physical absence, with their own “refined” love, which is deeply spiritual and intellectual.

The speaker suggests their love transcends the physical because it is grounded in a union of minds and souls. This spiritual dimension allows their connection to endure absence without weakening; instead, it grows stronger, symbolized by the expansion of gold hammered thin.

 

2. Use of Metaphysical Conceits

Donne famously employs metaphysical conceits — extended metaphors that link seemingly unrelated ideas — to illustrate abstract concepts vividly and intellectually.

Gold Beaten to Thinness: The idea that their souls expand and stretch like gold hammered into thin sheets suggests flexibility and endurance. The love can extend over distance without breaking, showing resilience beyond physical constraints.

The Compass Metaphor: The most famous conceit in the poem compares the lovers’ souls to the two legs of a compass. The mistress’ soul is the fixed foot that remains steady in the center, while the speaker’s soul is the moving foot that traces a circle around it. This metaphor emphasizes both the unity and the distinctiveness of their souls, showing that even though they may be apart physically, their connection remains constant and purposeful.

 

3. Interplay of Sensuality and Intellect

Unlike straightforward erotic poetry, Donne’s poem combines physical desire with intellectual reflection. The poem’s tone shifts between the erotic and the philosophical, illustrating that sensual love need not be separated from spiritual and mental unity.

For example, the opening lines express impatience and physical longing, but by the middle and end of the poem, the tone becomes more meditative, focusing on the nature of the souls’ connection and the perfection of their union.

 

4. Tone and Style

The poem has a playful yet earnest tone. The speaker’s invitation to the mistress to undress is direct and seductive, but the use of elevated metaphors lends a seriousness to their relationship, indicating that their physical love is part of a larger spiritual bond.

The language mixes colloquial and classical elements, which is typical of Donne’s style — mixing everyday speech with learned references, creating a layered and complex texture.

 

5. Symbolism

Undressing: The act of undressing the mistress symbolizes shedding worldly constraints and barriers, leading to a deeper intimacy.

Gold and Compass: Both symbolize the nature of true love — precious, enduring, exact, and balanced. The compass especially symbolizes the idea of unity in diversity, where two distinct entities form a perfect whole.

Circle: The compass draws a perfect circle, symbolizing completeness and eternity in their love — a love that has no beginning or end, always returning to its origin.

 

6. Broader Context

Donne wrote this poem during the early 17th century, a time when metaphysical poetry flourished. His poetry is marked by intellectual playfulness and emotional intensity. The poem’s frank discussion of sexuality was daring for its time, blending religious and sensual imagery in a way that challenged conventional boundaries.

In summary, “Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed” is a rich and complex poem that celebrates sexual love as an expression of a deeper spiritual and emotional bond. Donne uses striking metaphors to explore the union of souls, portraying love as both a physical act and a metaphysical connection that transcends space and time.

 

Possible Exam Questions

What is the central theme of “Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed”?

 

Explain the metaphor of the compass used in the poem.

 

How does John Donne contrast ordinary lovers’ love with the love he describes?

 

Identify one example of a metaphysical conceit in the poem.

 

What does the phrase “gold to airy thinness beat” symbolize in the poem?

 

Describe the tone of the poem. Is it playful, serious, or something else?

 

How does the poem combine sensuality with spirituality?

 

What does the “fixed foot” of the compass represent in the poem?

 

Discuss how John Donne uses metaphysical conceits to express love and intimacy in “Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed.”

 

Analyze the use of imagery and symbolism in the poem. How do these literary devices enhance the poem’s meaning?

 

Compare and contrast the portrayal of love in “Elegy XIX” with that in a typical Renaissance love poem.

 

How does Donne blend the physical and spiritual aspects of love in the poem? Provide examples from the text.

 

Examine the significance of the compass metaphor in illustrating the relationship between the speaker and his mistress.

 

What role does absence play in the poem, and how does the speaker address the idea of separation in love?

 

How does the poem reflect the characteristics of metaphysical poetry?

 

If you were to interpret “Elegy XIX” from a modern perspective, how might its themes of love and intimacy resonate today?

 

How does Donne’s use of scientific imagery (like the compass) affect your understanding of the relationship described in the poem?

 

In what ways does “Elegy XIX” challenge or conform to the social and cultural norms about love and sexuality of its time?

 

Explore the idea of unity and duality in the poem. How does Donne portray the paradox of being two souls yet one?