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Poet's aim: to make a social comment/declaration/express feeling towards a particular event.

To understand what aim is, need to look at context in which poem is written. Can interpret poem simply by consideration of scenario presented, but without knowledge of context, reader can overlook other messages of the poet.

'The Sunne Rising'

Simply: presents love as the miraculous feeling unaffected by time.

Geocentric view made Earth centre of the universe. Thomas Digges in 1576 based on Copernicus' theory drew universe which made the sun centre. In 1608/1609, Galileo confirmed this theory which was socially rejected. He was prosecuted for heresy.

How did Donne feel about this? Deep depression and anxiety in loss of system.

Hence, rejection of theory in poem. Sun = 'Busie old foole', 'pedantique wretch' intruding on lovers. 'walls' connote no. 4 and hence the elements invisible fire, water, air and earth which were believed to make up the world which revolves around Earth. Sun is intruding by trying to become central body (trying to take power of Earth). Persona rejects sun (theory) by commanding (power) Sun to go 'chide schoole boyes, and sowre prentices'. Everything around bed (earth) is reduced to nothing. Therefore 'school boyes' and 'sowre prentices' are beyond earth, represent other stars and planets revolving around Earth.

'This bed thy center is, these walls, thy spheare'

bed=centre=Earth. Pity for sun...it has to fulfil duties (revolve around earth). Persona invites sun to shine on bed (earth) to taste power but the earth is centre in perfect place, can't change that.

Written after Donne's marriage to Ann More, minor daughter of wealthy family. Married secretly and his act was a "serious breach of the social code" . At the time, "it was a deeply held social principle that families were participants in the

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