The country pleasures which John Donne mentioned in The Good Morrow is an example of the physical pleasures which the poet seeks to satisfy in physical activities.
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Introduction
In Donne's poetry, individual desire operates on two levels: on one level, it is the desire which is born out of the lower self and seeks gratification in the pleasures of the senses. On another level desire is spiritual and it seeks to transcend the physical. The "country pleasures" which John Donne mentioned in "The Good Morrow" is an example of the physical pleasures which the poet seeks to satisfy in physical activities. However such kinds of pleasures are only mere illusions, that is, "fancies". The desire to love is felt like an inner urge in the poet. It is a spiritual force which transcends the physical to meet at a higher level and brings about a unity of souls. His only desire was to be united with his beloved: "If ever any beauty I did see, Which I desired, and got, 'twas but a dream of thee". The strong urge of the desire to love is enacted effectively by the tone of the last two lines in the first stanza of "The Good Morrow". The caesuras after "see" in line 6 of the first stanza and in line 7 of the first stanza enacts forcefully the inner urge which the poet feels. The "desire" starts in a dream to have a "beauty" and that desire is fulfilled majestically. ...read more.
Middle
"Repair" implies that damages have occurred and the reasons for these damages are sins. Desires can thus lead to sin and the individual is constantly being tempted. It is a test of character which the individual is undergoing in this terrestrial life and without the support of God, the poet will not be able to sustain himself for even one hour. The desire to be forgiven and the desire for divine grace is expressed with a lot of fervour. In sonnet 5, the poet once again expresses his desire for salvation. The same fervour and zeal is present as in Holy Sonnet I and the poet asks God to endow him with the capacity to weep so that he can drown his sins in tears. The overall desire in this sonnet is the desire for sincere repentance so that the poet can save his soul. There is the realisation that without divine grace, the poet will lose both his lower self as well as his higher self, that is, his soul. In "A hymn to Christ", the poet's desire is to be a born Christian again: "... and make me anew". The desire to be born again is like another chance to be given to sinners so that they can lead a life in conformity with the teachings of Christ, the saviour of humanity. ...read more.
Conclusion
He thinks himself to be a prisoner of his own soul as someone would be imprisoned in a "usurped town". Though the sonnet contains many sexual metaphors like "o'erthrow me, and bend / Your force", "ravish", and "enthrall", the sonnet aims also at the new start of a spiritual life. The poet asks God to "make me new". This is in a sense the inner self calling out to the poet that the way he has been living his life was not appropriate. He therefore needs spiritual renewal to be able to come closer to God. The metaphor "or break that knot again" is "more as an apology and plea for forgiveness"4 when an individual is forgiven by God he is like a new born child that has never ever committed sins. This is what the poet is seeking in this sonnet- to be as pure once again as a new born child. So, individual desire in Donne's poetry is more of a spiritual kind. Desire for the poet was not only sensual but rather more associated with God. He is trying in a sense to attain a very high level of spirituality in his life and desires salvation and the eternal bliss, which is paradise. The spiritual height that the poet wants to attain is due to his realization of his sins he committed all through his life. Now he needs to be cleansed. ...read more.
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