The Autumnal by John Donne (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions)

 

The Autumnal

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

The Autumnal

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace

As I have seen in one autumnal face.

Young beauties force our love, and that's a rape,

This doth but counsel, yet you cannot 'scape.

If 'twere a shame to love, here 'tis no shame;

Affections here take reverence's name.

Were her first years the golden age? That's true,

But now she's gold oft tried and ever new.

That was her torrid and inflaming time,

This is her tolerable tropic clime.

Fair eyes, who askes more heat than comes from hence,

He in a fever wishes pestilence.

Call not her shaddowes darknesse, when they mel

Such real fires as haire and cheeke excell.

No merrit now by youth, past it we praise,

When beauty's gone, that's now called vertuous days.

Shee's the rich banquet, with out gaudy light;

The broade age of the day; the calme of night.

A beauteous femme: whome no age could ever hit

A marke of praise, not only worth but wit.

The Autumn of the year, the evening of the day,

That leads us gently on the silent way.

She is more virtue than a face can show,

More wisdom than youth ever yet did know.

She’s stronger than a man, and better than

The best of women, her soul marks the span

Of great perfection, and though time has fled,

It leaves her lovelier now than when it led.

Such is her grace, whose beauty doth confer

More than the youth of spring can bring to her.

She is the harvest of the year’s delight,

The sun’s warm memory in the cooling night.

So let me love this Autumn face and form,

Riper than May, and richer far than storm.

Let others sing of April’s buds and dew—

I’ll praise the leaves that fall when love is true.

 

Summary

The poem praises the beauty found in autumn, comparing it to the usual admiration of spring and summer beauty. The speaker reflects on the face of a woman in her autumnal years—older than the youthful spring or summer but possessing a grace and charm that surpasses youthful beauty.

The poem begins by stating that no spring or summer beauty can compare to the woman’s autumnal face. While young beauty often forces love in an aggressive way, this woman’s beauty gently advises and invites love, which cannot be avoided. Loving her is not shameful; rather, the feelings it inspires carry respect and reverence.

The speaker acknowledges that her youth was like a golden age, full of passion and fiery energy. But now, in her autumn years, she has matured and become like gold that has been tested and refined, maintaining a fresh and lasting beauty.

Her current phase is described as calm and temperate, like a gentle climate, rather than the intense heat of youth. The poem suggests that eyes that seek more heat than this mature beauty provide are misguided, wishing for illness in a fever. The shadows of her face are not dark but glowing with a warmth that surpasses even the color of her hair and cheeks.

The poem continues by emphasizing that merit is no longer measured by youth alone. Now that youth has passed, virtue and other qualities shine forth more clearly. She is compared to a rich banquet without flashy colors, the broad daylight of the day, and the calm of the night — all symbols of fullness, maturity, and peace.

The woman is described as a beautiful woman whom no age can diminish, possessing both worth and wit. Her beauty is like the autumn of the year or the evening of the day—leading gently toward the quiet end of life.

She embodies more virtue than can be seen on her face and more wisdom than youth ever had. She is stronger than a man and better than the best of women, showing great perfection in her soul. Though time has passed, she is lovelier now than when she was younger.

Her grace and beauty bring more to the speaker than the freshness of spring. She is the harvest of the year’s delights, like the warm memory of the sun in the coolness of night.

The speaker concludes by affirming his love for this autumnal face and form, which is riper and richer than spring. While others may praise April’s youthful buds and dew, he chooses to praise the falling leaves of autumn, associating them with true love.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace

No beauty in spring or summer is as graceful

 

As I have seen in one autumnal face.

As the beauty I see in this woman’s autumn-aged face.

 

Young beauties force our love, and that's a rape,

Young women’s beauty often forces love on us, like an assault,

 

This doth but counsel, yet you cannot 'scape.

But her beauty gently suggests love, and you can’t avoid it.

 

If 'twere a shame to love, here 'tis no shame;

If loving was shameful, it is not shameful to love her;

 

Affections here take reverence's name.

Here, love is respectful and honorable.

 

Were her first years the golden age? That's true,

Was her youth like a golden age? Yes, that’s true,

 

But now she's gold oft tried and ever new.

But now she’s like gold refined by fire, still fresh and valuable.

 

That was her torrid and inflaming time,

Her youth was a hot, passionate time,

 

This is her tolerable tropic clime.

Now it’s a gentle, pleasant climate of maturity.

 

Fair eyes, who askes more heat than comes from hence,

Beautiful eyes that want more passion than she offers,

 

He in a fever wishes pestilence.

Are like a sick person in a fever wishing for deadly disease.

 

Call not her shaddowes darknesse, when they mel

Don’t call the shadows on her face darkness,

 

Such real fires as haire and cheeke excell.

Because they contain real warmth and glow like her hair and cheeks.

 

No merrit now by youth, past it we praise,

Now that youth is gone, we value other qualities more.

 

When beauty's gone, that's now called vertuous days.

When physical beauty fades, those days are called virtuous times.

 

Shee's the rich banquet, with out gaudy light;

She is like a rich feast, not flashy but deeply satisfying;

 

The broade age of the day; the calme of night.

Like the full midday or the peacefulness of night.

 

A beauteous femme: whome no age could ever hit

A beautiful woman whom time could never harm,

 

A marke of praise, not only worth but wit.

Worthy of praise for her value and intelligence.

 

The Autumn of the year, the evening of the day,

She is like autumn in the year, or evening in the day,

 

That leads us gently on the silent way.

Guiding us calmly toward the quiet end of life.

 

She is more virtue than a face can show,

She has more goodness than what appears on her face,

 

More wisdom than youth ever yet did know.

More wisdom than any young person has ever had.

 

She’s stronger than a man, and better than

She is stronger than a man and better than

 

The best of women, her soul marks the span

The finest women; her soul shows the full measure

 

Of great perfection, and though time has fled,

Of true excellence, and though time has passed,

 

It leaves her lovelier now than when it led.

She is more lovely now than when she was young.

 

Such is her grace, whose beauty doth confer

Her grace is such that her beauty gives

 

More than the youth of spring can bring to her.

More than youthful spring beauty ever could.

 

She is the harvest of the year’s delight,

She is the fruitful harvest at the end of the year,

 

The sun’s warm memory in the cooling night.

Like the sun’s warm glow remembered on a cool evening.

 

So let me love this Autumn face and form,

So let me love this mature face and figure,

 

Riper than May, and richer far than storm.

More mature than May’s youth and deeper than a storm.

 

Let others sing of April’s buds and dew—

Others may sing about the fresh buds and dew of April—

 

I’ll praise the leaves that fall when love is true.

But I will praise the autumn leaves, because that is true love.

 

Analysis in Detail

John Donne’s “Elegy: The Autumnal” is a meditation on the beauty and value found in maturity and aging, contrasting it with the often celebrated but fleeting beauty of youth. The poem elevates the autumnal phase of life, symbolized through the image of a mature woman whose beauty, grace, and wisdom have deepened rather than faded.

 

Theme of Beauty Beyond Youth

Donne challenges the conventional idea that only youth is beautiful and worthy of admiration. He acknowledges that spring and summer—the typical symbols of youth and early life—have their beauty, but he argues that the “autumnal” beauty of a mature woman is richer and more graceful. This beauty is not about bright, flashy attraction but about a deep, tested, refined loveliness. The metaphor of gold refined by fire captures this idea perfectly: just as gold becomes purer after being tried by heat, so too does a person’s beauty and worth grow through experience and time.

 

Respectful, Mature Love

The poem also contrasts different kinds of love. Young beauty “forces our love,” described almost as a violent act (“rape”), implying a passionate but sometimes reckless or shallow desire. In contrast, the love inspired by the autumnal beauty is more respectful, mature, and reverent. This love is guided by affection that “takes reverence’s name,” suggesting a spiritual or dignified quality rather than mere physical attraction.

 

Use of Seasonal and Time Imagery

Donne skillfully uses seasonal imagery to reflect stages of life. Spring and summer symbolize youth and passion, full of energy and sometimes overwhelming intensity. Autumn represents maturity, calmness, and fulfillment—the “tolerable tropic clime” where things settle into a comfortable balance. The poem even compares the woman to the “evening of the day,” a metaphor for the later stages of life leading “gently on the silent way,” or death, but with peace and dignity.

 

Complex Imagery of Light and Warmth

The poem’s imagery around light and warmth is layered and subtle. Shadows on the woman’s face are not dark or negative but contain “real fires” that surpass even the brightness of her hair and cheeks. This suggests an inner warmth and vitality that doesn’t rely on youthful glow but on a deeper, enduring energy. The poem encourages readers not to mistake this shadow for loss but to see it as a sign of true warmth and life.

 

Wisdom and Virtue Outshine Youth

Donne emphasizes that the woman’s virtue and wisdom now outshine her physical beauty. When youth fades, “that’s now called vertuous days,” meaning that society rightly values the moral and intellectual qualities that come with age. The woman is praised not just for her physical form but also for her soul, which “marks the span of great perfection.” She embodies strength, intelligence, and moral excellence, qualities the poet values above mere youthful beauty.

 

Tone and Mood

The tone is admiring, respectful, and contemplative throughout. Donne approaches aging and maturity with reverence and affection, rejecting any cultural prejudice against older women or the older phases of life. The mood is calm and peaceful, emphasizing acceptance and celebration of life’s natural progression rather than resistance or regret.

 

Structure and Language

The poem’s structure is fluid and lyrical, fitting the contemplative nature of an elegy. Donne’s language is rich in metaphor and contrast, using classical allusions (like “gold” and “tropic clime”) and natural imagery to elevate his subject. The balanced contrasts between youth and age, heat and calm, light and shadow help to reinforce the poem’s central theme that true beauty deepens over time.

 

Final Message

Ultimately, Donne’s “Elegy: The Autumnal” invites readers to reconsider their assumptions about beauty and love. It celebrates the richness of maturity and suggests that true love and admiration grow deeper with time. The closing lines emphasize that while many praise the freshness of youth (“April’s buds and dew”), the speaker chooses to honor the authenticity and fullness of love symbolized by autumn’s falling leaves.

 

Possible Exam Questions

What season does the poem compare to the mature woman’s beauty? How is this season described?

 

How does the poem contrast the beauty of youth with the beauty of maturity?

 

What kind of love does the poem suggest is inspired by the “autumnal” beauty?

 

Identify two images used in the poem to describe the woman’s face and explain their significance.

 

What does the poet mean by saying “gold oft tried and ever new”?

 

Explain how John Donne uses seasonal imagery to convey his theme about aging and beauty.

 

What does the poem suggest about society’s usual attitude toward youth and aging?

 

Discuss the significance of light and shadow in the poem. How do these images contribute to its meaning?

 

How does the tone of the poem reflect the poet’s attitude toward aging? Provide examples from the text.

 

In what ways does the poem challenge conventional ideas of beauty and love?

 

Discuss the metaphor of gold in the poem. How does it relate to the idea of maturity?

 

How does the poem reflect Renaissance ideas about virtue, wisdom, and physical beauty?

 

The poem describes the woman as “stronger than a man, and better than the best of women.” What is the significance of this statement?

 

How does Donne use contrast throughout the poem to emphasize his message? Give examples.

 

Compare and contrast the depiction of love inspired by youth and the love inspired by autumnal beauty in the poem.