A Lecture Upon the Shadow by John Donne

Name: A Lecture Upon the Shadow
Author: John Donne

A speaker addresses Love, telling him to stand still so that a lecture in Love's philosophy may be read to him. Over the three hours they have walked together, two shadows accompanied them, cast by themselves, but now that the sun stands directly overhead, they tread on those shadows, and all things are reduced to a brave clearness. The speaker likens this to how, while their infant loves were growing, disguises and shadows flowed from the lovers and their cares, but this is no longer so. He states that a love has not attained its highest degree if it remains diligent lest others see it. Unless the two lovers' loves stay fixed at this noon point, new shadows will be made the other way. The first shadows were made to blind others; these coming shadows will work upon the lovers themselves and blind their own eyes. If their loves faint and decline westwardly, each will falsely disguise their actions to the other. The morning shadows wear away, but these later shadows grow longer all through the day; yet love's day is short if love decays. The speaker concludes that love is either a growing light or a full, constant light, and that its short minute, after noon, is night.

By John Donne · First published 1633 · Genre: Metaphysical Poetry, Love Poetry, Lyric Poetry · 294 words

First lines

Stand still, and I will read to thee / A lecture, Love, in Love's philosophy. / These three hours that we have spent, / Walking here, two shadows went / Along with us, which we ourselves produced. / But, now the sun is just above our head, / We do those shadows tread, / And to brave clearness all things are reduced. / So whilst our infant loves did grow, / Disguises did, and shadows, flow, / From us and our cares; but now 'tis not so.

That love has not attain'd the highest degree, / Which is still diligent lest others see.

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A Lecture Upon the Shadow is listed on Textopian as a poem by John Donne, dated 1633 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: John Donne
Date: 1633 CE
Language: English
Genres: Metaphysical Poetry, Love Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Philosophical Poetry, Dramatic Monologue
Length: 294 words
Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Metaphysical Poetry — The poem exemplifies the metaphysical mode through its elaborate conceit—the extended metaphor of shadows representing love's disguises and self-awareness. Donne's intellectual wit and paradoxical exploration of abstract concepts are hallmarks of metaphysical verse.
Love Poetry — Love is the central subject and theme throughout the poem. The work directly addresses the nature, conditions, and development of romantic love between two people.
Lyric Poetry — The poem is a personal, emotionally expressive work composed in verse, characterized by introspection and the speaker's direct address to an intimate audience (the beloved or Love itself).
Philosophical Poetry — The poem systematically philosophizes about love's nature, particularly the tension between concealment and revelation, growth and decay, and the conditions required for love's highest form.