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

 

The Curse

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

The Curse

Whoever guesses, thinks, or dreams he knows

Who is my mistress, wither by this curse;

Him, only for his purse

May some dull whore to love dispose,

And then yield unto all that are his foes;

May he be scorn'd by one whom all else scorn,

Forswear to others, what to her he hath sworn,

With fear of missing, shame of getting torn.

Madness his sorrow, gout his cramps may prove,

And his only reward for his love be love.

 

Summary

The speaker begins by addressing anyone who tries to guess, think, or even dream that they know who his mistress is. To such a person, he pronounces a curse.

The curse he lays is this:

The person may be loved only for his money by a dull, unworthy woman—a whore, as the speaker harshly puts it. This means he will be deceived in love, experiencing only shallow or transactional affection.

This woman, who is with him only for his wealth, will then betray him by giving herself to all of his enemies. So, not only is her love false, but it is also dangerous and humiliating for him.

He will be mocked and scorned by a woman who is already despised by others. Despite that, he will still foolishly make promises to others based on what he has sworn to her, showing that he is blinded by false loyalty.

The fear of losing her will haunt him, and the shame of being with her will torment him. His emotional suffering will become physical too—his sorrow will turn into madness, and his body will be afflicted by pain such as gout and cramps.

In the end, the only "reward" he will get for loving her will be more love—not the true kind, but the painful, consuming kind that only adds to his torment.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

Original Line

Whoever guesses, thinks, or dreams he knows

Who is my mistress, wither by this curse;

 

Paraphrase

Anyone who believes—or even imagines—that he knows who my lover is, let this curse fall upon him:

 

Him, only for his purse

May some dull whore to love dispose,

 

Let a boring, unworthy woman pretend to love him only for his money.

 

And then yield unto all that are his foes;

 

Let her give herself sexually to all his enemies, betraying him.

 

May he be scorn'd by one whom all else scorn,

 

Let him be mocked and rejected by a woman whom everyone else already despises.

 

Forswear to others, what to her he hath sworn,

 

Let him make promises to others based on what he’s already falsely promised to her—continuing in deceit and delusion.

 

With fear of missing, shame of getting torn.

 

Let him be afraid of losing her and also feel ashamed of being with her—trapped in inner conflict.

 

Madness his sorrow, gout his cramps may prove,

 

Let his grief drive him insane, and may his body be afflicted with painful diseases like gout and cramps.

 

And his only reward for his love be love.

 

And may the only return he gets for his misguided love be more love—but the kind that brings him more pain and misery.

 

Analysis in Detail

John Donne’s “The Curse” is a powerful expression of anger, betrayal, and emotional revenge. The speaker, deeply wounded—likely by betrayal in love—lashes out against anyone who dares to speculate about the identity of his mistress. Rather than just defending her privacy, he goes a step further, wishing a series of deeply humiliating and painful fates upon such a person. This signals not just hurt but also a desire to protect his own dignity and perhaps punish those who gossip or pry.

The tone is sharp, bitter, and vengeful. The poem opens by setting a clear boundary: the speaker wants no one to presume knowledge of his private affairs. Those who do are immediately targeted with a curse, and this curse is not vague—it is specific and merciless. He wishes that the cursed man be loved only for his wealth, a shallow and hollow affection, and that the woman he loves will betray him by being with his enemies. This reflects a deep distrust in love and a view that relationships can be transactional, false, and even politically destructive.

Donne’s use of the term “dull whore” is intentionally jarring. It adds to the tone of contempt and reveals how lowly the speaker wishes the cursed man’s lover to be—both unworthy and disgraceful. The speaker also wishes that this woman be despised by everyone, and yet the cursed man will still be captivated by her. This creates an image of someone who is so blinded by infatuation that he cannot see her true nature, leading to humiliation and emotional chaos.

As the curse continues, the emotional pain is transformed into physical suffering. The speaker wishes the man to experience madness from sorrow and be afflicted by bodily diseases like gout and cramps, further emphasizing the depth of his curse. This physical torment parallels the emotional torment the speaker may have gone through himself, suggesting that love, when betrayed or false, can lead not only to heartbreak but also to the disintegration of one's entire well-being.

Finally, the poem ends with a piercing irony: the cursed man’s only reward for his love is more love. But in the context of the poem, this “love” is not a blessing—it is a curse in itself, because it brings more betrayal, more shame, and more suffering. It becomes a vicious cycle where love is no longer redemptive or joyful but destructive and punishing.

Donne employs his signature metaphysical style in this poem—combining intense emotional themes with vivid, sometimes shocking imagery and compact, forceful phrasing. The use of enjambment and tight rhyme adds to the breathless, almost uncontrollable flow of bitterness, reflecting the speaker’s emotional state.

In conclusion, “The Curse” is a dark, powerful poem in which Donne channels the pain of betrayal and bitterness into a scathing curse. It reflects the volatile nature of love, pride, and revenge, and showcases Donne’s mastery of using poetry to express raw human emotions in a compelling and memorable way.

 

Possible Exam Questions

Who is the speaker addressing in the poem “The Curse”?

 

What kind of woman does the speaker wish upon the man he curses?

 

What physical afflictions does the speaker include in his curse?

 

What is the tone of the poem?

 

What is the final "reward" the cursed man receives, according to the speaker?

 

Why does the speaker wish to curse someone in “The Curse”?

 

How does Donne contrast love and suffering in the poem?

 

What does the poem suggest about the nature of false love and betrayal?

 

Explain the meaning of the line: “And his only reward for his love be love.”

 

How does the speaker use imagery to emphasize the depth of his anger?

 

Discuss how John Donne uses metaphysical conceits in “The Curse”.

 

Analyze the structure and rhyme scheme of the poem and its effect on tone.

 

How does Donne’s use of harsh, bitter language reflect the theme of emotional revenge?

 

Examine the use of irony in the poem “The Curse.”

 

In what ways does “The Curse” reflect Donne’s typical themes and style as a metaphysical poet?

 

Discuss “The Curse” as a poem of emotional intensity and psychological torment.

 

How does John Donne portray love as a destructive force in “The Curse”?

 

Comment on the use of satire and exaggeration in the poem.

 

How does “The Curse” differ from conventional love poetry?

 

Explore the psychological profile of the speaker in “The Curse”. What does his curse reveal about his emotional state?