Question

Read the following poem, “The Sun is Rising,” by John Donne. Which set of lines contains an example of a metaphysical conceit? Busy old fool, unruly sun, Why dost thou thus, Through windows, and through curtains call on us? Must to thy motions lovers' seasons run? Saucy pedantic wretch, go chide Late school boys and sour prentices, Go tell court huntsmen that the king will ride, Call country ants to harvest offices, Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime, Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time. Thy beams, so reverend and strong Why shouldst thou think? I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink, But that I would not lose her sight so long; If her eyes have not blinded thine, Look, and tomorrow late, tell me, Whether both th' Indias of spice and mine Be where thou leftst them, or lie here with me. Ask for those kings whom thou saw'st yesterday, And thou shalt hear, All here in one bed lay. She's all states, and all princes, I, Nothing else is. Princes do but play us; compared to this, All honor's mimic, all wealth alchemy. Thou, sun, art half as happy as we, In that the world's contracted thus. Thine age asks ease, and since thy duties be To warm the world, that's done in warming us. Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere; This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere.

Answer 1

Metaphysical conceit is a concept associated to Metaphysical poets of the XVII century. It´s an intellectual device that sets an analogy between an entity in the physical world and one in the spiritual one. Thus, there´s reference to something inexistent or somehow uncommon, but necessary for the main idea.

In this poem, this rhetorical device can be seen:

-In the first lines “Busy old fool unruly sun, Why dost thou thus, Through windows, and through curtains call on us? Must to thy motions lovers' seasons run?” . Here, the writer directly addresses the Sun, asking him questions and pretending to have a conversation. This is typical of metaphysical poetry, as it is one-way conversation, the Sun can not answer.  

-In the line “ Thy beams so reverend and strong”, he is venerating the Sun´s rays making reference to religious aspects, typical of metaphysical poetry.

-In the line “ Must to thy motions lover´s season run?” we see the allusion to philosophical issues, such as Death, Love,etc. The sun marks time and season as we live on Earth.    

Answer 2

Answer:

Busy old fool, unruly sun,

Why dost thou thus,

Through windows, and through curtains call on us?

Must to thy motions lovers' seasons run?