26 Questions
What is the speaker's request to the object of his affection in the poem?
To come live with him and be his wife
What is the indirect way the speaker describes the allure of his beloved?
Describing fish in pools and brooks
What will happen to the fish if the beloved enters the water?
They will follow her
How does the beloved attract others, according to the speaker?
Honestly, as her own bait
What does the poem show about Donne's ability?
His ability to take a standard form and apply it to a traditional spiritual metaphor
What is the traditional subject of a pastoral poem?
A shepherd or outdoorsman
What replaces sheep and green fields in Donne's poem?
Fish and sparkling water
What is the rhyme scheme of each stanza in the poem?
aabb
What is the speaker's attitude towards the beloved by the end of the poem?
Wiser than himself
What topic does the speaker shift to by the end of the stanzas?
Fishing hooks
What is the spiritual meaning of the conceit in the poem?
The beloved is Jesus, who is the fisher of men
What is the effect of the beloved's eyes in the second stanza?
They make the water 'Warm'd by thy eyes, more than the sun'
What do the fish represent on the physical level?
Men who are taken by the woman's beauty
What is the beloved's method of drawing in her prey?
Through her natural beauty
What is the poet's comparison of himself to?
A fish that is caught by the beloved's charms
What is the worldly analog to the false baits used by fishermen?
Promiscuous or deceitful women
What is the spiritual analog to the false baits used by fishermen?
Demagogues or false preachers who deceive or make false promises
What is the poet's conclusion about the beloved in the final stanza?
She needs no deceit to attract men
What is the poet's attitude towards the beloved at the end of the poem?
He is deeply in love with her
What is the tone of the poem?
Metaphysical and spiritual
What is the speaker's intention in using the metaphor of fishing?
To express the speaker's desire to be caught by the beloved
What is the significance of the 'live bath' in the poem?
A symbol of the beloved's inner beauty
What is the role of the 'inamor'd fish' in the poem?
They are captivated by the beloved's charm
What is the speaker's attitude towards the methods used by other fishermen?
Disdain for their deceitfulness
What is the significance of the line 'For thou thy selfe art thine owne bait'?
The speaker is saying that the beloved's beauty is the key to attracting others
What is the overall tone of the poem's language and imagery?
Sensual and seductive
Test your understanding of the poem's use of metaphors, symbolism, and imagery. Identify the speaker's intentions and the significance of the fish and water in the poem.
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