The famous lines "But suck'd on countrey pleasures, childishly? Or snorted we in the seven sleepers den?" describe the lovers' unawareness before experiencing true love.
What Is the Meaning of "But suck'd on countrey pleasures, childishly? Or snorted we in the seven sleepers den?"
These lines are quoted from "The Good-Morrow", written by John Donne, the celebrated exponent of the Metaphysical School of Poetry. Through these rhetorical questions, the poet portrays the complete unawareness of the lovers before their spiritual awakening.
These lines occur in the first stanza of the poem. The speaker expresses genuine surprise at the realization that they had already been in love long before they became consciously aware of it.
Pro Tip: Notice how John Donne contrasts past unconsciousness with present enlightenment. Just as classical verse often contrasts physical passage of time—seen in lines like And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd;—Donne focuses on the dramatic intellectual shift from spiritual sleep to love's awakening.
The Metaphysical Conceit: The Seven Sleepers Legend
There is a prominent metaphor and metaphysical conceit present in these lines. The unawareness of the lovers is compared directly to the subconscious state of the legendary seven brothers who slept for two hundred years.
| Element | Poetic Representation |
|---|---|
| Country Pleasures | Childish, simple, and unawakened pastimes. |
| Seven Sleepers' Den | A deep, centuries-long slumber representing spiritual unawareness. |
These seven brothers were Christians living in Ephesus, a city ruled by the non-Christian Emperor Decius. In 251 AD, the Emperor declared a death sentence against the seven brothers. To save themselves, they fled and hid inside a cave.
The entrance of the cave was blocked up he seven brothers slept there for about two hundred years. When they finally emerged during the reign of the younger Theodosius, they remained remarkably young.
Why Donne Uses This Conceit
This elaborate conceit clearly displays Donne's interest in ancient learning. The comparison functions effectively to show that the lovers were completely oblivious to their condition, living in a prolonged state of sleep until true love awakened them.
Key Takeaways
- The lines come from the opening stanza of John Donne's metaphysical masterpiece, "The Good-Morrow".
- They highlight the lovers' prolonged state of childishness and mutual unawareness.
- Donne utilizes a historical and religious allusion to the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus to construct a striking metaphysical conceit.
- The imagery reflects Donne's characteristic style of weaving scholarly, ancient lore into intimate romantic poetry.
Quick Practice
Test your understanding of the poem's themes by answering in the comments below:
- Which historical emperor declared the death sentence on the seven brothers referenced in Donne's conceit?
- In which stanza of "The Good-Morrow" do these quoted lines appear?
Frequently Asked Questions
What poem contains the line "Or snorted we in the seven sleepers den?"
This line is from the poem "The Good-Morrow" by John Donne, a prominent leader of the Metaphysical School of Poetry.
Who were the Seven Sleepers mentioned by John Donne?
The Seven Sleepers were Christian brothers in Ephesus who hid in a sealed cave in 251 AD to escape persecution by Emperor Decius, sleeping for roughly two hundred years before waking up.
What does the word "childishly" suggest in these lines?
It illustrates that before discovering mutual love, the lovers led immature, unawakened lives comparable to infants feeding on simple rustic pleasures.