The Sun Rising
by John Donne
1. How does Donne address the sun at the beginning of “The Sun Rising”?
Ans: Donne, at the beginning of “The Sun Rising”, addresses the sun as unruly and busy old fool.
2. Why does the poet call the sun 'busy old fool'?
Ans: The poet calls the sun 'busy old fool' because it dares to disturb the lovers by entering the room, their love making zone, through windows and curtains.
3. How is the sun scolded in "The Sun Rising"? [NU 2014, 2017]
Ans: In "The Sun Rising", the sun is scolded by the poet as “Busy old fool, unruly sun”. He asks the sun to go and tell late schoolboys, apprentices, ants and hunters that it is dawn.
4. How could Donne eclipse the sun in the poem 'The Sun Rising'?
Ans: In the poem 'The Sun Rising' Donne could eclipse the sun with a wink.
5. What does the lover compare his beloved to in ‘The Sun Rising’?
Ans: The lover in ‘The Sun Rising’ compares his beloved to all states of the world.
6. What does the poet compare his bedroom to and why?
Ans: The poet compares his bedroom to a world because he represents all the states and his beloved represents all the princes of the world.
7. What is Donne’s view of love in the poem ‘The Sun Rising’?
Ans: Donne's view of love in "The Sun Rising" is a mixture of both Platonic and Freudian concepts of love. He is on behalf of attaining the spiritual stage of love through the gratification of the physical aspects of love.
8. What is Donne’s view on women in “The Sun Rising”?
Ans: Donne’s view on women in “The Sun Rising” is misogynistic. He compares his beloved to a field to be sown by him, and a country to be ruled by him.
9. What is the nature of true love according to Donne?
Ans: According to John Donne, the nature of true love is that it is not controlled by time and place; it is not run by the motion of the sun.
10. Why are the East and West Indies famous? [NU 2016]
Ans: The East Indies is famous for their spices and West Indies is famous for diamond and other mineral substances.
11. What is the theme of "The Sun Rising"?
Ans: The theme of the poem "The Sun Rising" is the self-contained nature of romantic love.
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