Analysis on The Relic by John Donne?

Answer 1

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THE RELIC

By John Donne

When my grave is broke up again

Some second guest to entertain,

-For graves have learned that woman-head,

To be to more than one a bed-

And he that digs it, spies

A bracelet of bright hair about the bone,

Will he not let us alone,

And think that there a loving couple lies,

The first stanza is about death and undying love. The persona speaks of the exhumation of his and his lover's grave through which the exhumer spot's a "bracelet of bright hair" on the persona somewhere to which is thought to be that of his lover. In the second stanza Mary Magdalen is mentioned and the reader may be made to think that it is her whom lies beside the persona in the grave as she was always depicted with long, golden hair which may be reiterated by the use of "bright" when the persona speaks of his lover's hair. The persona goes on then state that the gravedigger should realise that "there a loving couple lies" and that he should leave them be. Images of death are enforced through the use of words such as "grave" and "bone" and the person is able to indicate that he and his lover have been dead and buried for quite a while giving a sense of time.

Who thought that this device might be some way

To make their souls at the last busy day

Meet at this grave, and make a little stay?

In this part of the first stanza is the persona talking about his spiritual connection to his lover and how he thinks that the device (lock of hair) which he holds will help him to find his lover in the afterlife, so that their souls may meet again for a "little stay".

If this fall in a time, or land,

Where mis-devotion doth command,

Then he that digs us up will bring

Us to the bishop or the king,

To make us relics; then

Thou shalt be a Mary Magdalen, and I

A something else thereby;

All women shall adore us, and some men.

And, since at such time miracles are sought,

I would have that age by this paper taught

What miracles we harmless lovers wrought.

The second stanza is about religion and identity. The persona is suggesting that their bodies may be mistaken for holy relics- the lover beside him may be Mary Magdalen, the Saint, which makes him "a something else thereby", or one of her lovers. If their bodies were mistaken for holy relics, then they would be taken to "a bishop or a king" where everyone would adore them and consider them to be miracles.

First we loved well and faithfully,

Yet knew not what we loved, nor why;

Difference of sex we never knew,

No more than guardian angels do;

Coming and going we

Perchance might kiss, but not between those meals;

Our hands ne'er touched the seals,

Which nature, injured by late law, sets free.

These miracles we did; but now alas!

All measure, and all language, I should pass,

Should I tell what a miracle she was.

The couple were in love and knew not why, they were faithful to God. In the second stanza the persona speaks of "mis-devotion…command[ing]" which may be indicating that he and his lover followed their hearts and did not put God first. They did not display their relationship "between meals" which may refer to religious connotation between Mary Magdalen, Jesus and Jesus' disciples having supper which in turn may indicate that the persona is Jesus. "Our hands ne'er touched the seals, which nature, injured by late law, sets free" is saying that love should not be trapped by laws and marriage, it should be free. The couple's time together is a miracle and the persona cannot describe in any language what a miracle "she" was.

This is both a religious and a love poem through which Donne displays love which is exclusively spiritual.

Answer 2

"The Relic" by John Donne is a metaphysical poem that explores themes of love, death, and the passage of time. The poem describes a lover examining the remains of a deceased person, reflecting on the transience of life and the enduring power of love. Donne uses vivid imagery and complex metaphors to convey the speaker's emotions and philosophical musings.