Busy old fool, unruly sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?
Saucy pedantic wretch, go chide
Late school boys and sour prentices,
Go tell court huntsmen that the king will ride,
Call country ants to harvest offices,
Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime,
Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.
Thy beams, so reverend and strong
Why shouldst thou think?
I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink,
But that I would not lose her sight so long;
If her eyes have not blinded thine,
Look, and tomorrow late, tell me,
Whether both th’ Indias of spice and mine
Be where thou leftst them, or lie here with me.
Ask for those kings whom thou saw’st yesterday,
And thou shalt hear, All here in one bed lay.
She’s all states, and all princes, I,
Nothing else is.
Princes do but play us; compared to this,
All honor’s mimic, all wealth alchemy.
Thou, sun, art half as happy as we,
In that the world’s contracted thus.
Thine age asks ease, and since thy duties be
To warm the world, that’s done in warming us.
Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere;
This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere.
Explanation of the Poem
In this poem, the speaker is in bed with his lover when the sun rises and shines through the window. He gets annoyed and calls the sun a “busy old fool” for disturbing their private moment. He says, “Why are you bothering us? We are lovers—our time shouldn’t be controlled by your rising and setting.” He mocks the sun and says, “Go wake up schoolboys and workers, not us. Love doesn’t follow clocks, calendars, or seasons. True love is timeless.”
In the second stanza, he admits the sun is strong, but he says he could easily block its light just by closing his eyes. However, he doesn’t want to do that, because he would miss looking at his beloved’s beautiful face. He then says, “Her eyes are so bright, they should blind even you, Sun.” He tells the sun, “Go fly around the world if you want and see where the spices, gold, and kings are. But you’ll come back and find everything here in our bed—because we have it all. She is more precious than all the treasures and powerful people in the world.”
In the last stanza, the speaker says their bed is like the whole world. They don’t need to go anywhere, because everything important is right here. He calls their room the center of the universe and tells the sun to just revolve around them now. Their love is so deep and powerful that the sun itself should serve them, not the other way around.
In simple words, the poem is a bold and passionate celebration of love and sex. The speaker praises the beauty of his lover, the joy of their physical closeness, and the idea that real love makes time and the outside world completely unimportant.
Theme and Setting
John Donne’s “The Sun Rising” is a radiant love poem that captures the passionate, timeless world of two lovers lost in each other. Set within the intimate space of a bedroom, the poem transforms a simple moment—morning sunlight entering the room—into a grand declaration of love’s power over time, duty, and even the universe itself. The setting is physical and sensual, yet the emotions are deeply spiritual, metaphysical, and romantic. Let us explore its theme and setting with the tenderness and depth that love itself deserves.
Setting: A Lover’s Paradise
The entire poem takes place in a bedroom at dawn, where two lovers lie wrapped in each other’s arms. The rising sun becomes an uninvited guest, rudely intruding through the windows and curtains, trying to break the sacred silence of their intimate world. But for the speaker, the world outside—its seasons, its duties, its noise—holds no meaning anymore. Their room has become a paradise, their bed a kingdom, their love the center of existence. It is a private universe, sealed away from the rules of time and society.
Everything in the poem happens in this one space. And yet, that small room expands into the whole cosmos. The setting, though domestic and simple, grows magical through love. With his beloved beside him, the speaker feels no need to travel, to chase power, or to possess treasures. All that is truly rich, bright, and beautiful lies within the room—within her.
Theme: Love as a World Beyond Time
The central theme of the poem is that love is greater than time, duty, and even the sun itself. The speaker mocks the sun for trying to control their moment of passion. He calls it “a busy old fool” and asks, why must lovers follow its schedule? Schoolboys may need to rise, kings may need to ride, workers may need to harvest—but lovers live in a different realm. Their time flows not by the ticking of the clock but by the rhythm of their hearts.
In this poem, love is eternal, untouched by morning, unaffected by age, immune to society’s demands. Donne breaks the boundaries between the physical and the spiritual. Yes, the poem is filled with sensuality—the warmth of bodies in bed, the softness of curtains, the hunger of desire—but it also lifts that intimacy to something metaphysical. For the speaker, love doesn’t belong to this world. It exists in a divine space, where the sun should humble itself, not command.
Theme: The Lover’s Universe
Another important theme is the idea that the lovers themselves become the center of the universe. Donne reverses the traditional idea of the sun being at the center of creation. He tells the sun, “You’re not the center anymore. We are.” The speaker says the sun can do its job—only now it should revolve around their bed, because their love contains all the wealth, beauty, and power that the outside world pretends to offer.
This makes the poem a celebration of both emotional and physical love. It speaks of kisses and glances, but also of power and pride. The speaker feels like a king, because his queen lies beside him. Their love is not small; it is not shy. It is bold, full of light, and confident enough to challenge the sun itself.
Romantic Mood and Poetic Tone
The tone of the poem is at once playful, proud, and deeply passionate. There’s a sweet teasing in how the speaker scolds the sun, a tender arrogance in how he declares his lover to be brighter than the morning itself. The poem flows with warmth, like sunbeams falling gently across two lovers still in bed. Every line pulses with the heartbeat of romance.
Donne, being a metaphysical poet, uses clever comparisons—like lovers being richer than India’s treasures, or a bedroom being more important than kingdoms—but beneath all the wit lies a powerful message: real love makes everything else small. Time, rules, work, and distance vanish in the presence of love. Lovers don’t just share a bed—they create a world of their own.
In the end, “The Sun Rising” is not just about love—it is love itself, speaking through poetry. It is the voice of a man so lost in the beauty of his beloved that even the mighty sun seems a mere servant. The setting may be a room, but through love, it becomes a kingdom. The theme may be time, but through passion, it becomes eternity.
Poetic Devices in The Sun Rising
- Apostrophe
“Busy old fool, unruly Sun,”
– The speaker addresses the sun directly, as if it were a person. - Personification
“Through windows, and through curtains call on us?”
– The sun is described as if it can call and disturb like a human. - Metaphor
“She is all states, and all princes I.”
– The lover is compared to the whole world, and the speaker to a ruler. - Hyperbole
“All here in one bed lay.”
– An exaggerated claim that the entire world lies in their bed. - Paradox
“Thou, Sun, art half as happy as we.”
– The mighty sun is claimed to be less happy than the lovers—a meaningful contradiction. - Conceit (Metaphysical Conceit)
“This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere.”
– The lovers’ bed is compared to the center of the universe—an extended, surprising metaphor. - Alliteration
“Saucy pedantic wretch,”
– Repetition of the ‘s’ and ‘p’ sounds creates musical rhythm. - Assonance
“Go tell court huntsmen that the king will ride,”
– Repetition of vowel sounds adds musical quality to the line. - Enjambment
“Through windows, and through curtains call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?”
– A sentence continues beyond one line, showing natural flow of thought. - Imagery
“Th’ Indias of spice and mine / Be where thou left’st them…”
– Sensory-rich language evokes images of distant lands and treasures. - Irony
“Saucy pedantic wretch,”
– The speaker mocks the powerful sun, ironically treating it like an annoying servant. - Symbolism
– The sun represents time, order, and worldly duty.
– The bed symbolizes love, intimacy, and a private world above time. - Tone
– The tone is playful, bold, romantic, and proud of the power of love over time and nature.
Long Answers
Q1. Explain how Donne challenges the authority of time and nature through the sun in the poem “The Sun Rising.”
Answer:
In The Sun Rising, John Donne presents a bold and rebellious tone by directly addressing the sun and challenging its power over human life, especially over lovers. From the very first line, “Busy old fool, unruly Sun,” Donne mocks the sun for disturbing him and his lover. Instead of respecting the sun as a symbol of time, power, and nature, Donne treats it like a nosy intruder.
He questions why lovers should follow the motions of the sun and time. He says, “Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?” This line boldly suggests that true love is beyond the rules of time, day or night, season or climate. For Donne, love exists in its own timeless world. He even tells the sun to go bother others—“Go chide late schoolboys and sour prentices”—implying that time rules over ordinary people, but not over lovers.
Donne elevates his love to the status of a universe in itself. When he says, “She is all states, and all princes I,” he means that his lover is the whole world and he is its ruler. In this metaphysical conceit, he transforms a simple bedroom into a universe and reduces the sun’s job to just warming that space.
Thus, through wit, irony, and strong imagery, Donne challenges the sun’s authority and declares that love is more powerful than time and nature.
Q2. How does Donne express the greatness of love in “The Sun Rising”?
Answer:
John Donne glorifies love in The Sun Rising by portraying it as powerful, eternal, and independent of worldly limits. The entire poem is a celebration of romantic and physical love, expressed with both passion and intellect.
Donne begins by scolding the sun for disturbing him and his lover, calling it a “busy old fool.” He implies that love does not follow time; it has its own clock and space. In a sarcastic tone, he tells the sun to go wake up schoolboys or workers, because lovers do not need to obey its laws.
He then asserts that lovers create their own world. When he writes, “She is all states, and all princes I,” he places himself and his beloved above kings and countries. He claims that the power of their love surpasses all political power or worldly wealth. He even mocks the sun, saying that it shines only to see them: “Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere.”
By turning the lovers’ bedroom into the center of the universe, Donne suggests that love is the most important reality. Their physical intimacy, emotional connection, and unity are enough to make the rest of the world meaningless.
Thus, love in this poem is not weak or sentimental; it is proud, rich, and self-sufficient. Donne’s witty comparisons and bold voice lift love above time, space, and even the sun, presenting it as the strongest force in existence.
Q3. Discuss the use of metaphysical elements in “The Sun Rising.”
Answer:
The Sun Rising is a brilliant example of metaphysical poetry, full of intellectual wit, unusual comparisons (conceits), and a blend of passion with philosophy. John Donne, the leading figure of this poetic school, uses metaphysical elements to elevate the theme of love and challenge conventional ideas.
One of the strongest metaphysical features in the poem is the conceit, or extended metaphor. Donne compares the lovers’ bed to the center of the universe: “This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere.” This is not a typical romantic idea; it is a bold and philosophical claim that true love turns a small physical space into an entire cosmos.
Another metaphysical element is argumentative structure. Donne’s poem reads like a logical debate. He begins by accusing the sun, questions its authority, and finally concludes that the sun should adjust itself to their love, not the other way around.
Irony and wit also define metaphysical poetry. Donne mocks the sun and laughs at the world’s priorities. He tells the sun to go serve the king or country folk, while he and his lover enjoy a private, richer world.
Lastly, philosophical depth is clear in the poem. Donne reflects on the idea that love is above time, weather, and even social duty. He breaks the boundary between physical love and spiritual love, combining both into one experience.
In sum, Donne’s poem is a beautiful mixture of intellect, passion, and creativity. Through clever metaphysical techniques, he shows that love is not just a feeling—it is a universe of its own.
Short Answers
- Who is the speaker addressing in the poem?
The speaker addresses the sun directly, as if it were a person. He talks to the sun to complain that it is interrupting his time with his lover and mocking its authority over their private world of love. - Why does the speaker call the sun a “busy old fool”?
The speaker calls the sun a “busy old fool” because it disturbs him and his lover by shining too early and forcing them to end their intimate time. He criticizes the sun for being controlling and unnecessary in their timeless love. - What does the line “Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime” mean?
This line means that true love is beyond all natural limits like seasons, weather, or time. Love does not follow clocks or calendars; it is eternal and unchanging, unaffected by the passing of days or months. - What is the tone of the poem?
The poem’s tone is playful, bold, and confident. The speaker teases the sun, mocks its power, and proudly celebrates the strength of love that transcends time, nature, and worldly rules. - How does Donne describe his lover in the poem?
Donne describes his lover as the entire world itself, saying, “She is all states.” To him, she is as powerful and important as any kingdom or empire, making their love the center of the universe. - What is the central theme of the poem?
The main theme is that love is stronger than time, nature, and worldly duties. Love exists beyond the sun’s control and creates its own timeless universe where lovers rule over everything else. - How does the speaker diminish the sun’s power at the poem’s end?
By the end, the speaker claims the sun’s only real role is to shine on their bed, which is the entire world to them. This reverses the sun’s usual importance and makes it serve the lovers, not control them.
MCQs
1. Who is the speaker addressing in The Sun Rising?
a) The moon
b) The sun
c) His lover
d) The king
Answer: b) The sun
2. What is the tone of the poem?
a) Sad and mournful
b) Angry and harsh
c) Playful and confident
d) Fearful and anxious
Answer: c) Playful and confident
3. What does the speaker call the sun in the first line?
a) Gentle friend
b) Busy old fool
c) Bright king
d) Silent watcher
Answer: b) Busy old fool
4. The sun is described as:
a) Powerful and wise
b) Unruly and foolish
c) Gentle and kind
d) Distant and cold
Answer: b) Unruly and foolish
5. According to the poem, the sun interrupts the speaker and his lover by:
a) Bringing rain
b) Calling through windows and curtains
c) Making loud noises
d) Shining too dimly
Answer: b) Calling through windows and curtains
6. What does the speaker say lovers’ seasons must not follow?
a) The sun’s motions
b) The moon’s phases
c) The king’s orders
d) The ocean tides
Answer: a) The sun’s motions
7. The speaker tells the sun to go chide:
a) Late schoolboys and sour prentices
b) The king and his court
c) The animals in the forest
d) The flowers in the garden
Answer: a) Late schoolboys and sour prentices
8. What does the speaker compare his lover to?
a) A goddess
b) All states and princes
c) A precious jewel
d) The stars
Answer: b) All states and princes
9. What does the phrase “Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime” mean?
a) Love is affected by the weather
b) Love has no seasons or climates
c) Love changes like seasons
d) Love fades with time
Answer: b) Love has no seasons or climates
10. What is the central theme of the poem?
a) The inevitability of time
b) The power of love over time and nature
c) The beauty of nature
d) The sorrow of separation
Answer: b) The power of love over time and nature
11. What literary device is used when the speaker talks directly to the sun?
a) Simile
b) Metaphor
c) Apostrophe
d) Hyperbole
Answer: c) Apostrophe
12. What kind of poem is The Sun Rising?
a) Sonnet
b) Ballad
c) Metaphysical poem
d) Elegy
Answer: c) Metaphysical poem
13. The speaker says the sun should tell the court huntsmen:
a) That the king will hunt
b) To stop their work
c) To prepare a feast
d) To rest for the day
Answer: a) That the king will hunt
14. What does the speaker say the lovers’ bed represents?
a) A place of rest
b) The center of the universe
c) A temporary shelter
d) A prison
Answer: b) The center of the universe
15. Which poetic device is evident in “Saucy pedantic wretch”?
a) Alliteration
b) Onomatopoeia
c) Personification
d) Assonance
Answer: a) Alliteration
16. What does the speaker mean by “Th’ Indias of spice and mine / Be where thou left’st them”?
a) He is telling the sun to go shine on faraway lands
b) He is listing places to visit
c) He is describing a treasure hunt
d) He is referring to his dreams
Answer: a) He is telling the sun to go shine on faraway lands
17. What literary device is “This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere”?
a) Metaphor (Conceit)
b) Simile
c) Hyperbole
d) Irony
Answer: a) Metaphor (Conceit)
18. The poem’s setting is mainly:
a) A royal court
b) A battlefield
c) A bedroom
d) A garden
Answer: c) A bedroom
19. What feeling does the speaker express toward the sun?
a) Respect and admiration
b) Frustration and mockery
c) Fear and submission
d) Indifference
Answer: b) Frustration and mockery
20. What does the speaker imply about time in the poem?
a) It is cruel and unforgiving
b) It does not affect true love
c) It controls everything
d) It is the enemy of life
Answer: b) It does not affect true love
21. What does the speaker mean by “Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime”?
a) Love is seasonal and changes with climate
b) Love is the same everywhere and not limited by time
c) Love dies in certain seasons
d) Love is affected by weather
Answer: b) Love is the same everywhere and not limited by time
22. How does the speaker view his love compared to the sun?
a) Less important
b) Equal in power
c) More powerful and happy
d) Insignificant
Answer: c) More powerful and happy
23. What does the sun symbolize in the poem?
a) Love and passion
b) Time and worldly duty
c) Nature’s beauty
d) Death and decay
Answer: b) Time and worldly duty
24. What type of rhyme scheme does the poem follow?
a) ABAB
b) AABB
c) ABCB
d) AAAA
Answer: a) ABAB
25. Which line best shows the speaker’s belief that love is beyond time?
a) “Busy old fool, unruly Sun,”
b) “Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?”
c) “Thou, Sun, art half as happy as we,”
d) “Go tell court huntsmen that the king will ride,”Answer: b) “Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?”