"Air and Angels" by John Donne is a metaphysical poem that explores the nature of love and its relationship with the spiritual and physical realms. The poem delves into the complexities of love, drawing parallels between human love and divine love, while also addressing the limitations of human perception and understanding.
"Air and Angels Line by Line Explanation " by John Donne
Twice or thrice had I lov'd thee,
I have loved you intensely before (in platonic and spiritual sense)
Before I knew thy face or name;
This love was before I knew your face or name (metaphorically it implies spiritual or platonic love fails even at true identification of beloved)
So in a voice, so in a shapeless flame
I was in love with your voice, and just an unknown feeling (since flame connotes feeling in context, shapeless implies unknown or alienating.)
Angels affect us oft, and worshipp'd be;
Initial stage of love is sublime as angels and lover worships the beloved in this stage.
Still when, to where thou wert, I came,
But still I was drawn to you whereever you were, at whatever time
Some lovely glorious nothing I did see.
(at initial stage of love) I saw nothing but glory in you.
But since my soul, whose child love is,
But my love springs from my soul, so my love is child of my soul
Takes limbs of flesh, and else could nothing do,
And as human child without arms, hands, feet and other organs love can not exist. (just like spirit needs flesh, love is also an idea like spirit that also needs physical expression to exist. In short, without physical intimacy love can not exist in spirit)
More subtle than the parent is
Love is more sublime or refined than parent, that is to say, spirit
Love must not be, but take a body too;
So, surely, love can not exist in spirit alone without physical expression
And therefore what thou wert, and who,
And therefore who or what you were was the question
I bid Love ask, and now
that I used to ask from Love but now
That it assume thy body, I allow,
since our love has reached its stage of physical intimacy, I can now identify
And fix itself in thy lip, eye, and brow.
and place my love in your physical aspects as your lips, eyes, and brow
Whilst thus to ballast love I thought,
Thereby I compare love to the ballast ( Ballast means heavy material which is added to a ship's bottom compartment for stability and balance.)
And so more steadily to have gone,
And for more stability and balance of our relationship
With wares which would sink admiration,
I filled it with better things than mere admiration (Things so good that they would sink the mere admiration in comparison)
I saw I had love's pinnace overfraught;
Just to realise that spiritual/platonic love had overloaded the pinnace (small boat: our relationship) and it was about to sink
Ev'ry thy hair for love to work upon
Every aspect of spiritual love made it difficult for love to function
Is much too much, some fitter must be sought;
the load was too much, something more suitable must be found
For, nor in nothing, nor in things
Because if it is nothing (spiritual love alone) or only things (physical love alone)
Extreme, and scatt'ring bright, can love inhere;
Both extremes disintegrate love, and love can not exist permanently in essence, in such context.
Then, as an angel, face, and wings
Therefore, just like an angel, his face, and his wings
Of air, not pure as it, yet pure, doth wear,
made out of air, though air is not entirely as pure as angels (this implies complexities in human love)
So thy love may be my love's sphere;
Your love must become environment for my love, so close
Just such disparity
though it will have humanly complexities
As is 'twixt air and angels' purity,
as there are minute differences between purity of air (your love) and purity of angels (my love). (To my understanding it implies beloved's love impure because she has not still understood Donne's theory of physical love to the extent, since physical love completes spiritual love as this poem implies)
'Twixt women's love, and men's, will ever be.
There will always be this difference between the way men and women love. (Implying women prefer spiritual love over physical love without understanding that spiritual love incomplete without physical intimacy)
Summary
The Preexistence of Spiritual Love
John Donne's "Air and Angels" delves into the profound nature of love, encompassing both the spiritual and physical dimensions. It begins by highlighting a deep spiritual love that exists prior to any physical recognition. This love underscores that connections can form without tangible attributes, like a voice, transcending physicality.The Angelic Phase of Love
In the subsequent lines, Donne likens the early stages of love to the sublime nature of angels. During this phase, the lover holds the beloved in reverence, akin to angelic adoration. This stage is characterized by a sense of transcendence and divine connection, even in the absence of physical presence.The Transition to Physical Expression
Donne then explores the notion that love, originating from the soul, necessitates physical expression for its true existence. It implies that love cannot thrive solely in the spiritual realm; it requires a physical form, just as the soul requires a body. This transition from spiritual to physical love is a central theme in the poem.The Nuances of Human Love
The poem also delves into the nuances of human love, depicting it as a merging of both spiritual and physical elements. It emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between these aspects to nurture a complete and stable relationship.Comparing Spiritual Love to Angels
Lastly, Donne draws a comparison between the purity of spiritual love and that of angels. He suggests that the differences in how men and women perceive love stem from their interpretations of these diverse facets of love.In essence, "Air and Angels" is a reflective exploration of love's multifaceted nature, transcending appearances and societal norms. It encourages readers to contemplate the profound connections that can develop between individuals on both spiritual and physical levels.
Critical Analysis
John Donne's "Air and Angels" explores the complexities of love, challenging the traditional separation of spiritual and physical aspects. It presents the notion that love extends beyond mere physical attraction, existing on a more profound and less tangible level.The poem's examination of the shift from spiritual to physical love is particularly intriguing. It suggests that authentic love necessitates both spiritual and physical dimensions, with the physical serving as a vessel for the spiritual. This concept challenges conventional views of love and underscores the intricacies of human emotions.
Donne's comparison of love to angels adds an element of reverence to the poem. It portrays love as a divine force that can elevate human experiences. However, it also acknowledges the difficulties of harmonizing these different facets of love, symbolized by the overloaded ship.
The poem's closing remarks highlight the variations in how men and women perceive and encounter love. This prompts readers to consider how societal norms and expectations influence our comprehension of love.
In summary, "Air and Angels" is a poem that encourages readers to delve into the intricate dimensions of love, free from limitations imposed by physical appearances or societal standards. It encourages us to ponder the profound connections that can develop between individuals on both spiritual and physical planes.
Themes
- The Nature of Love: The poem explores the transformative nature of love, from a spiritual and abstract concept to a physical and tangible experience.
- Purity and Balance: The speaker emphasizes the importance of finding a balance in love and suggests that an excess of physical attributes can impede its purity.
- Spirituality and the Physical World: The poem grapples with the relationship between the spiritual and physical aspects of love, highlighting the tension between these two realms.
- Human Perception: The poem touches on the limitations of human perception and understanding, suggesting that love may exist beyond the scope of human comprehension.
Attitudes/Feelings
- Longing: The poem conveys a sense of longing as the speaker reflects on the complexities of love and the desire to find balance and purity in it.
- Acceptance and Transformation: The speaker accepts the transformation of love from the spiritual to the physical and allows love to take on a bodily form.
- Perplexity: The poem reveals a sense of perplexity as the speaker grapples with the multifaceted nature of love and its relationship with the spiritual and physical realms.
Literary Devices
- Metaphor: The poem uses metaphors to compare love to angels and to describe love as a ship overloaded with attributes.
- Parallelism: The poem employs parallelism to emphasize the contrast between the spiritual and physical aspects of love and between angels and the beloved.
- Alliteration: Alliteration is used in phrases such as "loved thee" and "pure as it" to create rhythm and emphasis in the poem.
Discussion Question
How does John Donne explore the transformation of love from the spiritual to the physical in "Air and Angels"? What role does balance and purity play in the speaker's understanding of love?
