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

 

The Message

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

The Message

Send home my long strayed eyes to me,

Which, oh! too long have dwelt on thee;

Yet since they taught thee false,

To vex my soul at double rate,

They never shall relate

To court their own disgrace,

Return’d to me, they would their blindness see.

 

Send home my harmless heart again,

Which no unworthy thought could stain;

Which if it be taught by thine

To make jestings of an innocent flame,

And of the maiden’s shame,

I’ll not believe it: nay,

If then it beat, it shall not know for whom.

 

Send home my lifeblood, which in vain

Spent in thy service, doth complain;

It can’t be quiet, unless it be

Free from that slavery;

And thou, who hadst the heart, wilt find it dumb.

 

Summary

Stanza 1 Summary:

The speaker begins by asking the woman to send back his eyes, which he says have strayed and spent too much time looking at her.

He regrets that they were deceived by her beauty or appearance and, by doing so, caused pain to his soul.

Now, he says, even if his eyes were returned to him, he would not use them to look at her again.

If they did look at her again, they would only see how blind they had been before.

 

Stanza 2 Summary:

Now, the speaker asks for his heart back, claiming that it was once pure and unstained.

He says if her influence has taught his heart to mock true love or make fun of a woman’s emotional vulnerability, he won’t believe it.

Even if the heart still beats, he says, it should no longer beat for her or care about her.

 

Stanza 3 Summary:

Finally, he demands back his lifeblood—a symbol of his emotional energy or devotion.

He says it has been wasted serving her and now it complains (it is restless or unhappy).

It will never be at peace unless it is free from her control or influence.

He ends by saying that even though she once had his heart, she will now find it silent—it will no longer speak, beat, or react to her.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

Stanza 1:

1. Send home my long strayed eyes to me,

Give me back my eyes, which have wandered from me by looking at you too long.

 

2. Which, oh! too long have dwelt on thee;

They have looked at you far longer than they should have.

 

3. Yet since they taught thee false,

But since they were deceived by your appearance (thinking you were true or good),

 

4. To vex my soul at double rate,

They have caused my soul double pain.

 

5. They never shall relate

Ill never let them go back

 

6. To court their own disgrace,

To gaze at you again and bring shame upon themselves.

 

7. Return’d to me, they would their blindness see.

Once back with me, they would realize how blind and foolish they were.

 

Stanza 2:

8. Send home my harmless heart again,

Return my innocent and well-meaning heart to me,

 

9. Which no unworthy thought could stain;

A heart that was never filled with bad or unfaithful thoughts.

 

10. Which if it be taught by thine

If your heart has corrupted mine

 

11. To make jestings of an innocent flame,

To make fun of sincere love,

 

12. And of the maiden’s shame,

And mock a pure womans emotional vulnerability,

 

13. I’ll not believe it: nay,

I refuse to believe it. In fact,

 

14. If then it beat, it shall not know for whom.

Even if it still beats, it wont beat for you anymore.

 

Stanza 3:

15. Send home my lifeblood, which in vain

Give me back my passion and energy, which were wasted

 

16. Spent in thy service, doth complain;

It complains now because it was given to you for nothing in return.

 

17. It can’t be quiet, unless it be

It cant be at peace unless its

 

18. Free from that slavery;

Freed from being controlled by you.

 

19. And thou, who hadst the heart, wilt find it dumb.

And you, who once had my heart, will now find it silent and unresponsive.

 

Analysis in Detail

John Donne’s “The Message” is a short but scathing poem written in the voice of a betrayed lover who demands back everything he once gave emotionally—his eyes, his heart, and his life force (symbolized as “lifeblood”). The poem is marked by Donne’s trademark wit, sharp tone, and metaphysical conceits, showcasing a blend of emotional intensity and intellectual reasoning. The speaker renounces the woman who deceived him and refuses to allow his emotions to remain entangled with her.

 

Tone:

The tone of the poem is bitter, accusatory, and disillusioned. There is no trace of romantic nostalgia; instead, the speaker adopts a cold, detached attitude toward the woman. He speaks as someone who has gained painful clarity and now wants to sever all ties—not only physically but also emotionally and spiritually.

 

Structure and Style:

The poem is written in three stanzas, each focusing on a symbolic element the speaker wants returned:

Eyes (representing perception and attraction)

Heart (representing love and innocence)

Lifeblood (representing deep commitment and vitality)

Donne’s use of direct address (“Send home...”) gives the poem a confrontational style, almost like a formal demand or declaration. The rhythmic flow is smooth but contains emotional spikes, especially when the speaker expresses scorn for how he was misled.

 

Themes:

1. Disillusionment in Love:

The central theme is the painful realization that the love the speaker had was misplaced. What he once believed to be pure and worthy is now exposed as false and manipulative.

 

2. Retracting Emotional Investment:

The speaker metaphorically asks for the return of his emotional faculties—his eyes, heart, and blood—because he no longer wants them associated with someone who deceived him. It’s an emotional “undoing” or retrieval of selfhood.

 

3. Identity and Autonomy:

By asking for his faculties back, the speaker is reclaiming his identity. The betrayal has not only hurt him emotionally but has also caused a loss of self-control and dignity. His plea is an effort to regain independence from a toxic bond.

 

4. Corruption of Innocence:

The speaker implies that his heart was once “harmless” and “unstained,” but contact with the woman has possibly tainted it. He fears that even his heart has learned to mock love and shame, which horrifies him.

 

Literary Devices:

1. Metaphysical Conceits:

Donne employs complex and extended metaphors (a hallmark of metaphysical poetry). For example:

Eyes aren’t just organs of sight—they are agents of emotional betrayal.

Heart is a symbol of innocence and moral integrity.

Lifeblood becomes the essence of emotional sacrifice.

 

2. Apostrophe and Direct Address:

The speaker talks directly to the woman, even though she never responds. This dramatic monologue adds urgency and intimacy to his rejection.

 

3. Personification:

The eyes “taught her false”—as if they had agency.

The heart “learns to jest”—as if capable of moral corruption.

The lifeblood “complains” and desires “freedom”—as if it’s a slave.

 

4. Irony:

There is a strong ironic undercurrent. The speaker once gave these elements (eyes, heart, blood) freely in love, but now speaks as if they were stolen or misused. His “polite” demand is laced with sarcasm.

 

Emotional Progression:

Across the three stanzas, there is an emotional escalation:

Stanza 1 (Eyes): The speaker begins with regret for ever being deceived.

Stanza 2 (Heart): He deepens his accusation, hinting that the woman has the power to corrupt even innocence.

Stanza 3 (Lifeblood): He ends with a rejection so complete that even if she still had his heart, it would no longer respond to her.

This progression shows not just anger, but also a deep moral revulsion and desire for liberation.

 

Conclusion:

John Donne’s “The Message” is more than just a break-up poem; it’s a declaration of emotional and moral emancipation. Through metaphysical wit and strong imagery, the speaker renounces the false lover with sharp clarity. Rather than lingering in sorrow, he takes action—demanding back all that was once his. The poem stands out as a powerful assertion of self-respect in the face of betrayal.

 

Possible Exam Questions

Who is the speaker addressing in the poem The Message?

 

What does the speaker want returned in the first stanza of the poem?

 

Why does the speaker call his heart “harmless”?

 

What does the speaker say about his “lifeblood”?

 

What is meant by the phrase “court their own disgrace”?

 

How does the speaker describe his emotional state by the end of the poem?

 

Name any one metaphor used in the poem and explain its meaning briefly.

 

Discuss the theme of betrayal in John Donne’s The Message. How does the speaker express his disillusionment?

 

Examine how Donne uses metaphysical conceits in The Message. Illustrate your answer with examples.

 

How does the structure of the poem contribute to its emotional intensity? Discuss with reference to all three stanzas.

 

Compare the tone of The Message with that of other poems by John Donne (e.g., The Apparition, The Canonization). What makes The Message uniquely bitter and dismissive?

 

Critically analyze the speaker’s demand for emotional detachment in The Message. What does this reveal about his personality and experience of love?

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