Go-and-Catch-a-Falling-Star.ppt

Song: Go and catch a falling star
Song
This poem chiefly concerns the lack of constancy in women.
The tone taken is one of gentle cynicism, and mocking.
Donne asks the reader to do the impossible, which pares with finding a constant woman, thus insinuating that such a woman does not exist.
The title, "Song", leads us to expect certain things: a lyrical element to the words, and a musical rhythm, which are fulfilled by this neatly crafted poem. It is also very ambiguous, not hinting at the subject matter of the poem.
The stanzas are slightly longer than might be expected, nine lines each, but this allows for the plex and abstract ideas, which are archetypal of metaphysical poetry.
Stanza 1
The 1st stanza is the most forceful, employing the imperative to achieve a sense mand, and implying that he is talking to one specific person.
Go and catch a falling star,
Get with child a mandrake root,
Tell me where all past years are,
Or who cleft the Devil's foot,
Teach me to hear mermaids' singing,
Or to keep off envy's stinging, And find What wind
Serves to advance an honest mind.
去吧,跑去抓一颗流星, 去叫何首乌肚子里也有喜, 告诉我哪儿追流年的踪影, 是谁开豁了魔鬼的双蹄, 教我听得见美人鱼唱歌, 压得住醋海,不叫它兴波, 寻寻看哪一番好风会顺水把真心推向前。
Stanza 1 Analysis
The 1st sentence is mand: “Go and catch a falling star”, and an impossible one, for how can one catch a star? The word “falling” suggests a gradual deterioration逐渐恶化, rather than fallen which would be irretrievable不可挽回的, there is a sense that there is a chance, but it is narrow.
It is interesting that Donne is using the conventionally按照惯例 romantic image of a star in defiance蔑视 of such a traditional idea as monogamy一夫一妻制. It could also be linked to the fourth line which references the devil, as Lucifer撒旦 was a fallen angel, and the stars are often symbolic of Angels and heaven, this devil imagery perhaps is an early suggestion 细微迹象of the duplicity表里不一 of women.
Stanza 1 Analysis cont.
Donne builds on this idea of the impossible in the second line, “Get with child