The Bait - Poem Analysis
The Bait - DIDLS Analysis
The Bait, a poem written by metaphysical poet, John Donne, during the early seventeenth century, tells the story of a woman whose physical attractiveness and coquettish behaviour prove destructive as they succeed in ruining her chances of finding a pure and meaningful relationship. This poem is recounted from the point of view of a man whom, amongst many other men, has pursued this woman and become emotionally hurt in the process as he finds her actions, in response to his affections, to be heartless and insensitive. Throughout this poem, Donne uses elevated diction, contrasting imagery, influential details, metaphysical conceit, both figurative and seditious language, and elongated sentence structure in order to carry out the many shifts in tone throughout the poem, as well as to amplify its overall tone of seduction and sexuality. Within the first stanza of The Bait, Donne makes use of a metaphysical conceit, comparing the act of making and seeking love to fishing. This conceit is employed through the image “...we will some new pleasures prove Of golden sands, and crystal brooks, With silken lines and silver hooks.” This particular conceit is both crucial and instrumental, for it introduces the idea upon which the poem is principally based; that this woman views the manipulation of men’s fate as a mere jest. The image, through which this conceit is employed, helps to set the light and pleasant tone of the first and second stanzas by causing the reader to imagine the beautifully picturesque scenery with which the speaker is tempting his mistress. This image also adds to the overall tone of seductiveness throughout the poem, for within it are made references to objects of finery such as gold, “crystal”, silk, and “silver”. The mention of these objects is instrumental, for, although they are being used as descriptors, it is as if the speaker were using the adjectives themselves as physical trinkets with which he might seductively
The Bait, a poem written by metaphysical poet, John Donne, during the early seventeenth century, tells the story of a woman whose physical attractiveness and coquettish behaviour prove destructive as they succeed in ruining her chances of finding a pure and meaningful relationship. This poem is recounted from the point of view of a man whom, amongst many other men, has pursued this woman and become emotionally hurt in the process as he finds her actions, in response to his affections, to be heartless and insensitive. Throughout this poem, Donne uses elevated diction, contrasting imagery, influential details, metaphysical conceit, both figurative and seditious language, and elongated sentence structure in order to carry out the many shifts in tone throughout the poem, as well as to amplify its overall tone of seduction and sexuality. Within the first stanza of The Bait, Donne makes use of a metaphysical conceit, comparing the act of making and seeking love to fishing. This conceit is employed through the image “...we will some new pleasures prove Of golden sands, and crystal brooks, With silken lines and silver hooks.” This particular conceit is both crucial and instrumental, for it introduces the idea upon which the poem is principally based; that this woman views the manipulation of men’s fate as a mere jest. The image, through which this conceit is employed, helps to set the light and pleasant tone of the first and second stanzas by causing the reader to imagine the beautifully picturesque scenery with which the speaker is tempting his mistress. This image also adds to the overall tone of seductiveness throughout the poem, for within it are made references to objects of finery such as gold, “crystal”, silk, and “silver”. The mention of these objects is instrumental, for, although they are being used as descriptors, it is as if the speaker were using the adjectives themselves as physical trinkets with which he might seductively