The Apparition - John Donne

The Apparition - John Donne

1. The speaker is arguing that his lover rejected him and she didn't have sex with him, but she'll make love with another man.

   • The lady has killed the speaker by denying him any love, thus the speaker will come to haunt her after he dies.
     • Theme - the idea of revenge and if you break someone's heart, they are never truly gone. They will come back to haunt you and make you repent.
     • This poem is different compared to others because, by the end the speaker isn't pleading for the woman to take him back but is in fact saying that she made a mistake and must live with it.

2. Language / Literary

   • Donne uses extended metaphor, symbolism and imagery to emphasize the intensity of the situation. The metaphor is that he was "killed" by his ex-lover, and referring to himself as a ghost.
     • "Aspen wretch" is a metaphor because aspen is a tree, which shakes and is fragile.
   • The diction of the poem gives off a rather disturbing tone in its threatening manner. It reveals the hatred of the speaker, "murderess", "poor aspen wretch".
   • Hyperbole - Donne over-exaggerates in this poem and is highly melo-dramatic, "O murdresse, I am dead".
   • "Whose thou art then, being tyr'd before" - this is humorous because she thinks if she wakes her new man up, he'll think she wants more sex so he pretends to sleep.

3. Form

   • Petrarchan sonnet - the lover will die of unrequited love.
     • Anti-Petrarchan - his bitterness towards the lady, causing her to suffer.
   • Informal register, but recognises the sonnet form. The form tries to change, reflecting his emotions.

4. Structure

   • The poem is 17 lines, with an odd rhyme scheme and rhythm.
     • A-B-B-A B-C-D-C-D-C E-F-F-E G-G-G
   • The meter varies, but it is mainly iambic pentameter.
   • The tone of the poem is angry and hateful. The speaker clearly seeks revenge upon the woman for breaking his heart.
     • The tone never really change throughout the poem. This is significant to the poem because they reveal the incredible intent in the speaker towards the woman, meaning his mind will not be changed.
   • Sentence structure - the sentences are long, revealing that he is angry and weak.
   • There is only one stanza, depicting the rush of pure emotion.