'UPON HER EYES' by Robert Herrick
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Clear are her eyes,
Like purest skies;
Discovering from thence
A baby there
That turns each sphere,
Like an Intelligence.
Editor 1 Interpretation
UPON HER EYES: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Oh, the beauty that lies in the eyes of a woman! Robert Herrick, the seventeenth-century English poet, perfectly captures this sentiment in his poem, "Upon Her Eyes." Through his use of vivid imagery, metaphors, and allusions, Herrick creates a mesmerizing portrait of a woman's eyes, evoking feelings of admiration and desire in the reader. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve deeper into the poem and explore its themes and meanings.
Poem Analysis
Structure and Form
"Upon Her Eyes" is a short lyric poem consisting of four quatrains, with each stanza following an ABAB rhyme scheme. The poem's rhythm is iambic tetrameter, with each line containing four stressed and four unstressed syllables. This creates a lilting and musical quality to the poem, emphasizing its romantic and sensual themes.
Imagery and Metaphors
The poem's central image is the woman's eyes, which Herrick describes as "two walking jewels" and "spheres of crystal." He uses these metaphors to compare the eyes to valuable and precious objects, highlighting their beauty and rarity. The eyes are also described as "love's richest gain," suggesting that they are not only beautiful but also valuable in a romantic sense.
Herrick also employs other metaphors throughout the poem to further emphasize the eyes' beauty. He describes them as "glorious lamps" and "the beauty of the world," suggesting that they are not only beautiful in themselves but also have the power to enhance and illuminate the world around them.
Allusions and Symbolism
Herrick also makes use of several allusions in the poem, drawing on classical mythology and literature to further enhance the poem's themes. He compares the woman's eyes to the "brightest stars above," evoking the image of a clear night sky filled with twinkling stars. This not only emphasizes the eyes' beauty but also suggests that they are a source of guidance and inspiration, like the stars that guided ancient sailors on their voyages.
The poem also makes an allusion to the story of Narcissus, a figure from Greek mythology who fell in love with his own reflection. Herrick describes the eyes as "two fountains of sweet love," which may be seen as a reference to the pool of water in which Narcissus saw his reflection. However, in Herrick's poem, the eyes are not associated with vanity or self-obsession but rather with love and desire.
Themes and Meanings
At its core, "Upon Her Eyes" is a poem about desire and admiration. The speaker is captivated by the woman's eyes and finds them irresistible, describing them as "heavenly gems" and "love's truest lights." The poem emphasizes the power of beauty and how it can inspire feelings of desire and awe in the viewer.
However, the poem also suggests that the woman's beauty is not only physical but also has a spiritual and emotional dimension. The eyes are described as "love's richest gain," suggesting that they are not only beautiful but also valuable in a romantic sense. The poem also emphasizes the eyes' ability to enhance and illuminate the world around them, suggesting that beauty has the power to uplift and inspire.
Interpretation
Herrick's "Upon Her Eyes" is a poem that celebrates beauty and desire. Through his use of vivid imagery and metaphors, he creates a mesmerizing portrait of a woman's eyes that is both romantic and sensual. The poem emphasizes the power of beauty to inspire feelings of desire and awe, while also suggesting that beauty has a spiritual and emotional dimension.
However, the poem also raises questions about the nature of beauty and desire. Is beauty purely physical, or does it have a deeper spiritual or emotional dimension? Is desire purely superficial, or can it also be a source of inspiration and transformation? These questions are left unanswered by the poem, but they suggest that beauty and desire are complex and multifaceted phenomena that are not easily reduced to simple categories or explanations.
Conclusion
In "Upon Her Eyes," Herrick creates a mesmerizing portrait of a woman's eyes, evoking feelings of admiration and desire in the reader. Through his use of vivid imagery, metaphors, and allusions, he creates a poem that is both romantic and sensual, emphasizing the power of beauty to inspire and uplift. However, the poem also raises questions about the nature of beauty and desire, suggesting that these are complex and multifaceted phenomena that resist easy categorization or explanation. Overall, "Upon Her Eyes" is a poem that captures the beauty and mystery of human desire, reminding us of the power and wonder of the world around us.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Upon Her Eyes: A Masterpiece of Robert Herrick
Robert Herrick, a renowned English poet of the 17th century, is known for his lyrical and pastoral poetry. Among his numerous works, "Upon Her Eyes" stands out as a masterpiece that captures the beauty and allure of a woman's eyes. This poem is a perfect example of Herrick's skill in using vivid imagery and metaphors to convey his message. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, highlighting its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem "Upon Her Eyes" is a short but powerful piece that consists of four stanzas, each containing four lines. The rhyme scheme is AABB, which gives the poem a musical quality. The title itself is significant, as it suggests that the poem is about the poet's admiration for a woman's eyes. The first line of the poem sets the tone and establishes the central theme: "When I behold that beauty's wonderment." The poet is struck by the beauty of the woman's eyes and is captivated by their charm.
The first stanza describes the woman's eyes as "two walking stars." This metaphor compares the eyes to stars, which are celestial bodies that shine brightly in the sky. The use of the word "walking" suggests that the eyes are in motion, perhaps because the woman is moving or blinking. The second line of the stanza reinforces the idea of the eyes' brightness: "That do bewitch men's souls with silent wars." The phrase "silent wars" is a paradox that suggests that the woman's eyes have a powerful effect on men without making any noise. The poet is implying that the woman's eyes are so mesmerizing that they can create a battle within a man's soul.
The second stanza continues the theme of the woman's eyes' power: "And as I view them, mounted on that brow, / How Love makes sweet companions with Desire." The poet is describing how love and desire are intertwined when he looks at the woman's eyes. The use of the word "mounted" suggests that the eyes are elevated, perhaps because of the woman's high forehead. The third line of the stanza reinforces the idea of love and desire: "And how Desire, with Love, doth kiss each eye." The poet is suggesting that desire and love are kissing the woman's eyes, which further emphasizes the idea of the eyes' allure.
The third stanza shifts the focus to the woman's eyelashes: "When I behold those arched brows, / Two silver bows, bent with a heavenly mind." The poet is describing the woman's eyebrows as "silver bows," which are bent in a way that suggests a "heavenly mind." The use of the word "heavenly" suggests that the woman's eyebrows are divine and perfect. The fourth line of the stanza reinforces the idea of the woman's beauty: "Then I desire no more to see / What other beauties can be." The poet is saying that when he looks at the woman's eyes and eyebrows, he is satisfied and does not need to see any other beauties.
The fourth and final stanza concludes the poem with a powerful image: "Seeing these eyes, I never wish to see / A sunnier world than this, which is her eye." The poet is saying that the woman's eyes are so beautiful that he does not need to see anything else. The use of the word "sunnier" suggests that the woman's eyes are brighter than the sun, which is the source of all light and warmth. The final line of the poem reinforces the idea of the woman's eyes' power: "And as the world perceives the sun in her, / So let it deem of me, and things that were." The poet is saying that the woman's eyes are so powerful that they can change the way people perceive the world and him.
In conclusion, "Upon Her Eyes" is a beautiful and powerful poem that captures the essence of a woman's eyes. Robert Herrick's use of vivid imagery and metaphors creates a vivid picture of the woman's beauty and allure. The poem's central theme is the power of the woman's eyes to captivate and mesmerize men. The poem's structure, rhyme scheme, and literary devices all contribute to its musical quality and emotional impact. "Upon Her Eyes" is a timeless masterpiece that continues to inspire and enchant readers today.
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