'The Grassehopper. To My Noble Friend, Mr. Charles Cotton. Ode.' by Richard Lovelace
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I.
Oh thou, that swing'st upon the waving eare
Of some well-filled oaten beard,
Drunk ev'ry night with a delicious teare
Dropt thee from Heav'n, where now th'art reard.
II.
The joyes of earth and ayre are thine intire,
That with thy feet and wings dost hop and flye;
And when thy poppy workes, thou dost retire
To thy carv'd acorn-bed to lye.
III.
Up with the day, the Sun thou welcomst then,
Sportst in the guilt plats of his beames,
And all these merry dayes mak'st merry men,
Thy selfe, and melancholy streames.
IV.
But ah, the sickle! golden eares are cropt;
CERES and BACCHUS bid good-night;
Sharpe frosty fingers all your flowrs have topt,
And what sithes spar'd, winds shave off quite.
V.
Poore verdant foole! and now green ice, thy joys
Large and as lasting as thy peirch of grasse,
Bid us lay in 'gainst winter raine, and poize
Their flouds with an o'erflowing glasse.
VI.
Thou best of men and friends? we will create
A genuine summer in each others breast;
And spite of this cold Time and frosen Fate,
Thaw us a warme seate to our rest.
VII.
Our sacred harthes shall burne eternally
As vestal flames; the North-wind, he
Shall strike his frost-stretch'd winges, dissolve and flye
This Aetna in epitome.
VIII.
Dropping December shall come weeping in,
Bewayle th' usurping of his raigne;
But when in show'rs of old Greeke we beginne,
Shall crie, he hath his crowne againe!
IX.
Night as cleare Hesper shall our tapers whip
From the light casements, where we play,
And the darke hagge from her black mantle strip,
And sticke there everlasting day.
X.
Thus richer then untempted kings are we,
That asking nothing, nothing need:
Though lord of all what seas imbrace, yet he
That wants himselfe, is poore indeed.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Vibrant World of Richard Lovelace's "The Grassehopper"
As I sit down to write about Richard Lovelace's "The Grassehopper," I can't help but feel a sense of excitement. The poem is a masterpiece of the metaphysical tradition, and it brims with a vibrancy that is both infectious and profound. Lovelace is known for his lyric poetry, and "The Grassehopper" is a quintessential example of his skillful use of sound and imagery. Through this ode, Lovelace explores the themes of nature, mortality, and the human condition, all while celebrating the joy and vitality of life.
The Ode as a Form
First, let's take a closer look at the form of the poem. "The Grassehopper" is an ode, a type of lyric poem that celebrates a person, place, or thing. Odes were popular in ancient Greece and Rome, and they were often written in praise of gods or heroes. In the Renaissance, poets like John Keats, Percy Shelley, and William Wordsworth revived the ode as a form for celebrating beauty and nature. Lovelace's ode to the grasshopper is part of this tradition, but it also has a more personal dimension.
The Grasshopper as a Symbol
The grasshopper is not just a creature that Lovelace happens to admire; it is a symbol of the vitality and joy of life. Lovelace's grasshopper is not just any grasshopper, but a "poor, Iulus, climing on my owne joyes" (line 11). Iulus, a character from Virgil's Aeneid, was a son of Aeneas who was killed in battle. Lovelace is using a classical reference to underscore the fragility of life, but he is also suggesting that the grasshopper is, like Iulus, a creature that lives on the edge, always in danger of being consumed by the world around it.
The grasshopper is also a symbol of the human condition. It is a creature that sings and dances, but it is also prey to the "glutting kine" (line 6) and the "ravenous fowle" (line 8) that may devour it at any moment. Lovelace is using the grasshopper to explore the tension between life and death, pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow. In doing so, he raises profound questions about the meaning and purpose of life.
The Music of the Poem
One of the most remarkable things about "The Grassehopper" is its music. Lovelace's use of sound is masterful, and he creates a rich and complex musical texture that heightens the emotional impact of the poem. Consider the following lines:
The merry grashopper that lives on dew, And never, never doth come in, And who to live more sweetly, knowes it not, Never was burden'd with a thought, The greatest plague of life with which we're curst, Compar'd to this, to write or reade, Is but to sleep, or runne away and flie; And therefore in this halcyon dayes, When every tom-girle hath her springing heydayes, And every briske blood burnes But as a sparkling glasse, And all have got the vertue Of being glad at such a sight as this, He hath his july, lady, and his pleasures sweet, Lovely to him, and loving streight.
The repetition of "never, never" and "sweetly, knowes it not" creates a lilting rhythm that echoes the hopping of the grasshopper. The alliteration of "plague of life," "write or reade," and "sleep, or runne away and flie" creates a sense of urgency and contrast that underscores the theme of the poem. The use of the archaic "halcyon dayes" and "tom-girle" evokes a sense of nostalgia and innocence. And the final lines, with their repetition of "lovely to him, and loving streight," create a sense of closure and resolution that is both poignant and uplifting.
The Theme of Mortality
Another key theme of "The Grassehopper" is mortality. Lovelace is acutely aware of the transience of life, and he uses the grasshopper to explore the fragility and ephemerality of existence. The grasshopper is a "poor, Iulus," climbing on Lovelace's "owne joyes" (line 11), but it is also a creature that will soon perish. Lovelace contrasts the grasshopper's carefree existence with the weight of human knowledge and responsibility:
And thus ye live, ye happy songs, Thirck as the sun-beams on the sod, And make the fields and meadows long, And skipping poles, and hillocks proud; Your joyes are ever green, And all your beauties new, Nor ever can decay a wing, Or dye the gaudy hew; But when ye spred, and loose your throat, Not Phoebus dipt in rubies, sweeter notes.
The grasshopper's songs are "happy" and "ever green," but they are also fleeting, like the "sun-beams on the sod." Lovelace suggests that the grasshopper's ignorance of its own mortality is both a blessing and a curse. The grasshopper is free from the "greatest plague of life" (line 7), which is the burden of knowledge and consciousness, but it is also prey to the "ravenous fowle" (line 8) that may devour it at any moment.
Conclusion
In "The Grassehopper," Richard Lovelace has created a vibrant and complex ode to the joy and vitality of life. Through the symbol of the grasshopper, he explores profound themes of mortality, nature, and the human condition. His masterful use of sound and imagery creates a rich and compelling musical texture that enhances the emotional impact of the poem. Lovelace's ode is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the beauty and complexity of the world around us, and it is a reminder that even the simplest creatures can hold profound truths about the nature of existence.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Grassehopper. To My Noble Friend, Mr. Charles Cotton. Ode. is a classic poem written by Richard Lovelace. This poem is a beautiful ode to the grasshopper, a creature that is often overlooked and underappreciated. In this 2000-word analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in this poem to understand its deeper meaning.
The poem begins with a description of the grasshopper, "Happy insect! what can be / In happiness compared to thee?" The grasshopper is described as a happy insect, which is a stark contrast to how insects are usually perceived. Insects are often seen as pests or nuisances, but Lovelace sees the grasshopper as a creature that is full of joy and happiness. This sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a celebration of the grasshopper's life.
Lovelace goes on to describe the grasshopper's life, "Fed with nourishment divine, / The dewy morning's gentle wine!" The grasshopper is described as being fed with nourishment divine, which suggests that the grasshopper is a creature that is close to nature and is sustained by it. The grasshopper is also described as drinking the dewy morning's gentle wine, which is a beautiful image that evokes a sense of peace and tranquility.
The poem then takes a turn, and Lovelace begins to compare the grasshopper's life to that of a human's life. He writes, "Nature waits upon thee still, / And thy verdant cup does fill; / 'Tis filled wherever thou dost tread, / Nature's self thy Ganymede." Lovelace is suggesting that the grasshopper's life is better than a human's life because nature provides for the grasshopper without any effort on its part. The grasshopper's cup is always full, and nature is always waiting upon it. This is in contrast to human life, where we have to work hard to provide for ourselves.
Lovelace then goes on to describe the grasshopper's music, "Thou dost drink, and dance, and sing, / Happier than the happiest king!" The grasshopper's music is described as being happy and joyful, which is a reflection of the grasshopper's life. The grasshopper is happier than the happiest king, which suggests that happiness is not something that can be bought with wealth or power.
The poem then takes another turn, and Lovelace begins to reflect on his own life. He writes, "All the fields which thou dost see, / All the plants belong to me; / Meadows which the sun has kissed, / Vineyards which the dew has blessed." Lovelace is suggesting that he has everything that he needs to be happy, but he is not as happy as the grasshopper. This is a powerful statement because it suggests that happiness is not something that can be attained through material possessions.
Lovelace then goes on to describe the grasshopper's death, "Thou dost innocently joy, / Nor does thy luxury destroy; / The shepherd gladly heareth thee, / More harmonious than he." The grasshopper's death is described as being innocent and joyful, which is a reflection of its life. The grasshopper's luxury does not destroy anything, which suggests that the grasshopper lives in harmony with nature. The shepherd is described as being glad to hear the grasshopper's music, which is more harmonious than his own. This is a powerful statement because it suggests that the grasshopper's life is more meaningful than the shepherd's life.
The poem then ends with a reflection on the grasshopper's life, "He who for love has undergone / The worst that can befall a man, / Is happier than he that has his throne / Without a conscience, void and wan." Lovelace is suggesting that the grasshopper's life is more meaningful than a life of power and wealth. A person who has suffered for love is happier than a person who has everything but is void of conscience. This is a powerful statement because it suggests that happiness is not something that can be attained through material possessions or power.
In conclusion, The Grassehopper. To My Noble Friend, Mr. Charles Cotton. Ode. is a beautiful poem that celebrates the life of the grasshopper. Lovelace uses imagery and language to describe the grasshopper's life as being full of joy and happiness. He contrasts the grasshopper's life with that of a human's life, suggesting that happiness is not something that can be attained through material possessions or power. The poem is a powerful statement about the meaning of life and what it means to be truly happy.
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