The Good-Morrow by John Donne summary

I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I

Did, till we loved? Were we not weaned till then?

But sucked on country pleasures, childishly?

Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers’ den?

’Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be.

If ever any beauty I did see,

Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee.

And now good-morrow to our waking souls,

Which watch not one another out of fear;

For love, all love of other sights controls,

And makes one little room an everywhere.

Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,

Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown,

Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.

My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,

And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;

Where can we find two better hemispheres,

Without sharp north, without declining west?

Whatever dies, was not mixed equally;

If our two loves be one, or, thou and I

Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.

The speaker begins with a reflective question, expressing wonder about the state of their relationship. "Troth" is an archaic term for truth or loyalty. The speaker wonders that life before their love was totally unmatured, they did not transform or accustom yet. The speaker compares their pre-love state to childish indulgence in simple, rural pleasures. This implies that life before love was immature and lacking the depth and significance that love brings.

The reference to the Seven Sleepers, a legendary group who slept in a cave for centuries, suggests a state of indolence before love. The speaker questions whether they were in a state of hibernation, oblivious to the profound experiences of love.

The speaker acknowledges that their previous experiences were indeed like those mentioned, but now, in contrast, they see that all other pleasures were mere fantasies in comparison to the reality of their love.

The speaker reflects on past experiences of beauty, suggesting that if he perceive  any beauty. Even when the speaker desired and obtained beauty in the past, it is considered as a mere dream.

The tone shifts as the speaker greets the present moment with optimism. "Good-morrow" is a greeting used in the morning, and here it symbolizes a new beginning in the speaker's awakened understanding of love. The awakened souls are no longer vigilant or watchful out of fear. This suggests a deep trust and security in the love shared between the speaker and the beloved.  Love, being the dominant force, controls and surpasses all other attractions or interests. The focus on the beloved blocks everything else.  Love expands the speaker's perception, turning a confined space into a limitless one. The idea is that love makes every moment and place significant and profound. The speaker dismisses the achievements of sea explorers, suggesting that their discoveries are insignificant compared to the discovery of love. Similarly, the speaker minimizes the significance of geographical exploration through maps, emphasizing that their shared world of love is more meaningful than any external discoveries.

The speaker asserts that each lover possesses their own world, and together they create a unified world through their shared love. The repetition of "one" reinforces the idea of unity. The imagery becomes intimate as the speaker describes a reflection of each other's faces in their eyes. This metaphor suggests a profound connection and mutual reflection in their shared gaze.

The truth and sincerity of their love are reflected in their hearts, which find rest and affirmation in the faces of each other.The speaker considers their hearts as hemispheres, emphasizing the completeness and perfection of their love. The speaker describes their love as perfect hemispheres without any negative qualities or influences. The absence of a "sharp north" or "declining west" suggests a lack of coldness or fading in their love.

The speaker introduces a philosophical idea that anything imperfect or unbalanced cannot endure. The notion of being "mixed equally" suggests harmony and balance, crucial for the endurance of love.

The speaker poses a crucial question, pondering whether their two loves are truly one. The unity of their love is central to its endurance and strength.

The poem concludes with the idea that if their love is so similar and harmonious that neither slackens (weakens) nor dies, then it is indeed enduring and eternal. The symmetry and equality of their love ensure its perpetual nature.

The Good-Morrow is a typical love poem as it deals with the transformative thoughts take place in the mind of a lover.  Donne delves into the depths of the speaker's consciousness, contrasting the before-and-after experiences of love, and ultimately celebrating the enduring, balanced, and eternal nature of true love.