To Mr. C. B. by John Donne (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis)

 

To Mr. C. B.

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis) 

To Mr. C. B.

Thy friend, whom thy deserts to thee enchain,

Urged by this unexcusable occasion,

Thee and the saint of his affection,

Leaving behind, doth of both wants complain.

And let the love I bear to both sustain

No blot nor maim by this division.

Strong is this love which ties our hearts in one,

And strong that love pursued with amorous pain;

But though besides thyself I leave behind

Heaven’s liberal, and the thrice fair sun,

Going to where stern winter aye doth wonne,

Yet love’s hot fires which martyr my sad mind

Do send forth scalding sighs, which have the art

To melt all ice, but that which walls her heart.

 

Summary

The speaker begins by addressing his dear friend, identified only as “Mr. C. B.”, expressing sorrow for having to leave both him and the woman he loves. The reason for his departure is unavoidable, yet he regrets being separated from these two significant people in his life. He acknowledges the deep bond of friendship between them, and assures his friend that his affection will remain untouched and undamaged despite the separation.

He then emphasizes the power of love—both platonic (for his friend) and romantic (for the woman he loves). These bonds are strong and enduring, and although he is physically leaving them behind, his emotional attachment remains intact.

He notes that even though he is going to a place far away—perhaps a cold or unwelcoming region (described metaphorically as where “stern winter ever dwells”)—his inner passion and longing continue to burn. His love causes him to sigh with heat and intensity, as though these sighs could melt any ice—except for the emotional coldness or indifference of the woman he loves.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

1. Thy friend, whom thy deserts to thee enchain,

Your friend (me), whom your good qualities have bound to you in friendship,

 

2. Urged by this unexcusable occasion,

Is being forced to leave by an unavoidable and unfortunate reason,

 

3. Thee and the saint of his affection,

Leaving both you and the woman he deeply loves,

 

4. Leaving behind, doth of both wants complain.

And in doing so, feels the painful absence of both and laments it.

 

5. And let the love I bear to both sustain

Let the love I feel for both of you

 

6. No blot nor maim by this division.

Remain unharmed and untainted by this physical separation.

 

7. Strong is this love which ties our hearts in one,

Our friendship is a strong bond that unites our hearts,

 

8. And strong that love pursued with amorous pain;

And equally strong is the romantic love I pursue, though it brings me heartache.

 

9. But though besides thyself I leave behind

Although I am not only leaving you behind,

 

10. Heaven’s liberal, and the thrice fair sun,

But also the generous beauty of heaven and the glorious sun,

 

11. Going to where stern winter aye doth wonne,

As I travel to a place where harsh winter always dwells,

 

12. Yet love’s hot fires which martyr my sad mind

Still, the burning fires of love torment my sorrowful mind

 

13. Do send forth scalding sighs, which have the art

And these fiery sighs rise from within me, capable

 

14. To melt all ice, but that which walls her heart.

Of melting any coldness—except for the cold, unfeeling barrier around her heart.

 

Analysis in Detail

This poem is one of John Donne’s verse letters, a form of poetic correspondence popular during the Renaissance. Addressed to “Mr. C. B.” (possibly Christopher Brooke or Charles Blount), the poem blends personal reflection, emotional expression, and classical poetic devices. It is written in a single 14-line stanza, resembling a sonnet, and uses iambic pentameter with a rhyme scheme roughly following: abbaabba cddcee, aligning with a Petrarchan sonnet form.

 

Themes

1. Separation and Loss

The speaker is grieving a double separation—from a dear friend and a beloved woman. He expresses the emotional burden of leaving both behind due to an unavoidable reason. The pain of parting is central, and the poem captures the heartache of being distanced from people who form his emotional world.

 

2. Friendship and Love

Donne draws a parallel between two types of love: the platonic love for a friend and the romantic love for a woman. He does not prioritize one over the other; both are intense, binding forces in his life. The poem highlights the depth of male friendship in the Renaissance context, where such bonds were often seen as deeply emotional and vital.

 

3. Emotional Conflict

There is an internal struggle between duty (or circumstance) and desire. The speaker must leave but doesn't want to. His mind is tortured, especially by unrequited or distant romantic love. The metaphor of burning sighs and frozen hearts portrays this emotional pain vividly.

 

4. Unrequited Love and Emotional Coldness

The woman he loves appears emotionally distant. The speaker imagines that his passionate sighs could melt any ice—except the coldness of her heart. This reflects the classic theme of frustrated desire, and perhaps Donne’s own experience of unattainable love.

 

Tone and Language

The tone is intimate and sorrowful, yet composed and reflective. Donne’s language is highly figurative, employing metaphors, alliteration, and antithesis. For example:

"scalding sighs" and "love’s hot fires" symbolize inner torment.

“Ice” represents the emotional resistance of the beloved.

The contrast between fire and ice, or sun and winter, reflects emotional extremes—a common device in Renaissance poetry.

 

Imagery and Symbolism

Fire and Ice: These opposites symbolize the speaker’s passion versus the beloved’s indifference.

Winter: Suggests loneliness, barrenness, and emotional desolation—where the speaker is going.

Sun and Heaven: Represent warmth, beauty, and joy—everything he's leaving behind.

 

Structure and Sound

The poem's sonnet-like structure lends it both discipline and elegance. The rhyming couplet at the end—“To melt all ice, but that which walls her heart”—drives home the central irony and emotional pain. Donne’s use of enjambment (where lines flow into the next without pause) adds to the poem’s natural, conversational tone.

 

Conclusion

“To Mr. C. B.” is a personal meditation on absence, love, and emotional resilience. Donne’s speaker struggles with distance, both physical and emotional. His attachment to two beloved figures—his friend and his romantic interest—forms the core of the poem. Through richly emotive language, philosophical undertones, and symbolic imagery, Donne captures the complexities of love, loyalty, and longing in a tightly structured poetic letter.