It Is Not Growing Like A Tree Analysis

It is not growing like a tree

In bulk doth make Man better be;

Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,

To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:

A lily of a day

Is fairer far in May,

Although it fall and die that night—

It was the plant and flower of light.

In small proportions we just beauties see;

And in short measures life may perfect be.

.: :.

This poem once more reminds us of the truth universally acknowledged that literature is something universal. It is a common theme that having a short but beautiful life is much better than a long but ugly life. Ben Jonson by putting two images beside each other in a terse form leads to the creation of vast associations of each image in the reader’s imagination. Though the poem is short, it has an enduring effect on the reader. In effect the poem has become like a lily: it is short but beautiful and permanent in the mind.

| Posted on 2009-12-15 | by a guest

.: :.

The poem's message is a simple one: searching for beauty and perfection you have to look beyond the biggest, most notable that easily catches your eyes.
What is interesting is the way poet says what he wants to say; He begins his argument abruptly with a negation and goes into several adjectives to stablish his disapptroval. By using an old symbol of rootedness and steadfastness ,oak , he defies the notion that only the most stable and magnificent are praiseworthy. Here all the "b's" and "g's" are helping to add force to the speaker's disapproval and he intentionaly uses the adjectives which mostly focus on quantity rather than quality.
Then we have a sudden change in tone and language which becomes considerably softer and approving. Again we have another well-known symbol, lily which stands in sharp contrast with oak with its symbolic significances such as whiteness, purity, beauty , perfection and brevity of life as well as its attached attributes which are all suggestive of quality.
Finally in second two lines the poet sums up his view. Here by using "just" and "may" he shows a sort of moderation as if telling us although we all acknowledge magnificence of oak we should not overlook beauty of lily which is nothing short of it. The poet is in fact inviting us in a subtle way to a closer observation of our surroundings and discovery of beauties which are hidden from uneducated eyes.

| Posted on 2009-12-07 | by a guest

.: :.

The poem's message is a simple one: searching for beauty and perfection you have to look beyond the biggest, most notable that easily catches your eyes.
What is interesting is the way poet says what he wants to say; He begins his argument abruptly with a negation and goes into several adjectives to stablish his disapptroval. By using an old symbol of rootedness and steadfastness ,oak , he defies the notion that only the most stable and magnificent are praiseworthy. Here all the "b's" and "g's" are helping to add force to the speaker's disapproval and he intentionaly uses the adjectives which mostly focus on quantity rather than quality.
Then we have a sudden change in tone and language which becomes considerably softer and approving. Again we have another well-known symbol, lily which stands in sharp contrast with oak with its symbolic significances such as whiteness, purity, beauty , perfection and brevity of life as well as its attached attributes which are all suggestive of quality.
Finally in second two lines the poet sums up his view. Here by using "just" and "may" he shows a sort of moderation as if telling us although we all acknowledge magnificence of oak we should not overlook beauty of lily which is nothing short of it. The poet is in fact inviting us in a subtle way to a closer observation of our surroundings and discovery of beauties which are hidden from uneducated eyes.

| Posted on 2009-12-07 | by a guest

.: :.

The poet's son died in childhood, aged about 7 or 8. This poem is part of his grief for his beloved child's short life, and self-comfort that a life does not have to be a long one to have beauty and perfection.

| Posted on 2009-05-29 | by a guest

.: Analysis :.



It is not growing like a tree
In bulk doth make Man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night—
It was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in short measures life may perfect be

| Posted on 2007-12-05 | by a guest

.: thru my imperfect underst :.

i think the poem is about the temporariness of every beautiful thing. a human being does not neccessarily needs to have a long lasting life in order to see and enjoy the beuties of life. One can find beauty even in common trivial things around. It is your view point toward whatever you see which matters not the things which are already before your eyes.

Abbas Borhan

| Posted on 2007-10-18 | by a guest