The Good-Morrow Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Questions
Q: Who is the author of “The Good-Morrow”?
A: The author of “The Good-Morrow” is John Donne.
Q: What is the main theme of “The Good-Morrow”?
A: The main theme of “The Good-Morrow” is the transformative power of love.
Q: What does the speaker reflect on in the poem?
A: The speaker reflects on their past and their profound love in the present.
Q: What does “weaned” metaphorically represent in the poem?
A: “Weaned” metaphorically represents a transition from one state of being to another.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “sea-discoverers” and “new worlds”?
A: “Sea-discoverers” and “new worlds” serve as metaphors for people seeking new experiences or adventures.
Q: What does “one world” represent in the poem?
A: “One world” represents the shared love and life between the speaker and their beloved.
Q: What does the speaker see when they look into each other’s eyes?
A: The speaker sees their own reflection when they look into each other’s eyes.
Q: What does “sharp north” and “declining west” represent in the poem?
A: “Sharp north” and “declining west” represent harshness and decline, respectively.
Q: What does the speaker suggest about anything that dies?
A: The speaker suggests that anything that dies was not mixed equally, implying a lack of balance or harmony.
Q: What is the tone of “The Good-Morrow”?
A: The tone of “The Good-Morrow” is reflective and celebratory.
Q: What form does “The Good-Morrow” take?
A: “The Good-Morrow” is generally considered a sonnet, even though it stretches to twenty-one lines rather than the traditional fourteen.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “sucked on country pleasures, childishly”?
A: The speaker means that they indulged in simple, I, or immature joys before they experienced profound love.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “And makes one little room an everywhere.”?
A: The speaker means that their love transforms their perception of space, making a small room feel as vast as the universe.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,”?
A: The speaker means that they see themselves in each other, suggesting a deep connection and understanding.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;”?
A: The speaker means that their true, sincere hearts are reflected in their faces.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “Where can we find two better hemispheres,”?
A: The speaker is rhetorically asking where they could find two better halves than themselves and their beloved.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “If our two loves be one, or, thou and I Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.”?
A: The speaker means that their love is so strong and balanced that it cannot slacken (weaken) or die.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown,”?
A: The speaker means that there are countless other experiences, adventures, and discoveries out there in the world, but they feel no desire to pursue them because their world is complete with their love.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “For love, all love of other sights controls,”?
A: The speaker means that their love for each other controls or surpasses any love or appreciation they might have for other sights.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “Whatever dies, was not mixed equally;”?
A: The speaker means that if a relationship or love ‘dies’ or ends, it could be because there was not an equal give and take, or a balanced mutual effort from both parties.
Short Answer Questions
Q: How does John Donne use metaphysical conceits in “The Good-Morrow”?
A: John Donne uses metaphysical conceits, or extended metaphors, throughout “The Good-Morrow” to express complex ideas about love and existence. For example, he compares the lovers to two hemispheres forming a perfect world, suggesting that their love is complete and self-sufficient.
Q: What does the speaker mean when he says “If ever any beauty I did see, Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee”?
A: The speaker is expressing that any beauty he has ever desired and obtained in the past was merely a dream or a reflection of his beloved. This suggests that his beloved embodies all the beauty he has ever sought, emphasizing the depth of his love.
Q: How does the speaker’s perception of the world change after falling in love?
A: After falling in love, the speaker’s perception of the world changes dramatically. He sees the world as complete and fulfilling within the confines of their love. He no longer desires to explore or seek new experiences, as his world is complete with his beloved.
Q: How does the speaker describe his past before falling in love?
A: The speaker describes his past before falling in love as childishly indulging in simple pleasures. He suggests that his life began in earnest only when he fell in love, indicating that his past activities seem almost meaningless in comparison to his current state of love.
Q: How does the speaker use the metaphor of “weaning” in the poem?
A: The speaker uses the metaphor of “weaning” to represent a transition from one state of being to another. In the context of the poem, it signifies the speaker’s transition from a state of childish infatuation or lust to a mature, profound love.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “one little room an everywhere”?
A: By saying “one little room an everywhere”, the speaker means that the space they share with their beloved feels as vast and fulfilling as the entire world. This underscores the idea that their love is all-encompassing and self-sufficient.
Q: How does the speaker view the world outside of their love?
A: The speaker views the world outside of their love as insignificant and uninteresting. They express a lack of desire for worldly exploration or experiences outside of their love, suggesting that their love is so fulfilling that it leaves no room for anything else.
Q: How does the speaker use the metaphor of “two better hemispheres” in the poem?
A: The speaker uses the metaphor of “two better hemispheres” to represent himself and his beloved. This suggests that they complement each other perfectly, just like two halves of a sphere, and together they form a complete and perfect world.
Q: What does the speaker mean by “Whatever dies, was not mixed equally”?
A: By saying “Whatever dies, was not mixed equally”, the speaker suggests that anything that ends or dies lacked balance or equality. In the context of love, this could mean that a love that ends was not based on mutual feelings or efforts.
Q: How does the speaker express the idea of love’s transformative power in the poem?
A: The speaker expresses the idea of love’s transformative power by describing how their love has changed their perception of the world. They suggest that their love has made their past activities seem almost meaningless and has made their shared space feel as vast as the entire world. This underscores the idea that love can transform one’s life and perception of the world.
