On My First Daughter

On My First Daughter

1. WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

   • This is a tragic epitaph for Jonson’s infant child, Mary, who died when she was six months old. In the poem Jonson tries to come to terms with her death and consoles himself that she now rests in heaven and all her innocence and purity will remain intact for eternity placing her amongst the most divine residents of heaven.

2. THEMES

   • Parental Love
   • Morality

3. INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR

   • The background to this poem is heartbreaking. In 1593 when he was just 21, his wife gave birth to their first child – a daughter named Mary. However, Mary died at around 6 months old. Tragedy was to strike Jonson again with his first son also dying in his youth, having contracted the bubonic plague at 7 years old

4. DEVICES

   • 6 rhyming caplets
     • I consider it represents the young death of the duaghter, only 6 months old.
   • Metaphor
     • ‘heaven’s gift
       • Comparing his daughter to this gives the impression of her being divine and special.
   • Word "First" in the title
     • I Consider this word to be very significant as the author expresses his pain from the beginning. While losing a loved one is always going to be heartbreaking, this is their first child (only child at the time) and as such the most important person in Jonson’s world