The Parting by Michael Drayton, Introduction to English Literature, 1st Year 1st Semester B.A English Literature, University of Madras

 BA ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST YEAR - SEMESTER I

CORE I – INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

UNIT II - POETRY

2.2 The Parting by Michael Drayton

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About Author:

            Michael Drayton (1563 – 1631), was an English poet, the first to write odes in English in the style of Horace. Drayton's sonnets were first published in 1594-fifty-three in number. After revision, elimination, and addition, the folio of 1619 contained sixty-three sonnets. Drayton's sonnets are entitled Idea. He employs the term often from 1593 to 1619. It is in his eclogues, sonnets, odes, the Barons' Wars, and Poly-Olbion.

            In 1591 he produced his first book, The Harmony of the Church, a volume of spiritual poems. In 1596 Drayton published his long and important poem, Mortimerades, which deals with the Wars of the Roses. The last of Drayton's voluminous publications was The Muses' Elizium in 1630. He died in London, was buried in Poet’s Corner at Westminster Abbey.

            Michael Drayton’s ‘The Parting’ (Sonnet 61) is published in his collections ‘Idea’s Mirror’ in 1594, contains 63 sonnets and again published in ‘Poems’ (1619).

            It is a poem about the breakup of the relationship between the poet and his companion. This sonnet has a very strict form and the poet has been cautious in composing his poetry, to assure that it fits the design constraints. In short, the first eight lines describe the ending of a love affair, that final kiss and exchange before an amicable parting, never to cross paths again. The final six lines use personification in an attempt to alter the situation at the last moment and revivify love.

Text:

SINCE there 's no help, come let us kiss and part—

Nay, I have done, you get no more of me;

And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart,

That thus so cleanly I myself can free.

Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,

And when we meet at any time again,

Be it not seen in either of our brows

That we one jot of former love retain.

Now at the last gasp of Love's latest breath,

When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,

When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,

And Innocence is closing up his eyes,

—Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,

From death to life thou might'st him yet recover.

Summary:

            The poem touches on the themes of love, passion, faith, innocence. Drayton’s theme is the sad and tender love of a true lover for an unresponsive lady love. It shows a soft but deepest sense of farewell. The poem is in the Elizabethan sonnet form having rhyme scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, gg. The poem is in iambic pentameter. The poem is arranged into three quatrains and one couplet.

The poet expresses his strong emotions with regard to his farewell from his beloved. There is the atmosphere of sadness. The poet shows his willingness to get separated permanently for some unknown reason, but before parting he wants to have a last look of the love. Though the central theme of the poem is love, but the emotions of sorrow and departure in the poem play an important role to express the poet’s state of mind. It becomes difficult for the reader to ascertain whether the poet is willing to leave or is forced to leave his love as the poet’s seriousness increases with the course of the poem and again reader is taken aback when the poet declares that he has a distant hope to revive his love if his beloved wants.

In the first quatrain the poet addresses his beloved telling her that, he has no solution to continue his love with her, and when this love comes to an end once, she will not get him anymore. So he suggests her to kiss and finally part forever. It is clear that the separation has not been caused by his beloved or she is not the cause behind the farewell. Even if she is the cause, he does not want to blame her for separation. Though the farewell is full of sorrow, and as the farewell is final, he says,

                      “And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart,

                        That thus so cleanly I myself can free. ”

This expression of pleasure at departing seems to be odd to the readers. The possible reason for this farewell is complete freedom with least possibility of revival in the future and the lover wants a fresh start. The poet thinks that the freedom will fill his heart with gladness. Here the gladness is emphasized by repeating the word ‘glad ’.

In the second quatrain the poet moves further in the direction of separation where he wants to break all the promises made between them in the past. The poet writes,

“Shake hands forever, cancel all our vows,

And when we meet at any time again,

Be it not seen in either of our brows

That we one jot of former love retain.”

The words, ‘Shake hands forever’ express two meanings. The one is the agreement or willingness at the decision of farewell, and second meaning is permanent farewell which is often sad for the true lovers. They express their agreement that if they meet at anytime in future, they will not retain any sign of former love in their eyes. The second quatrain shows the poet’s firmness in his decision and is now more serious about the matter.

In the third quatrain the poet expresses his intense seriousness in comparison with first two quatrains. To emphasize that now his is intensely willing to depart, he makes use of metaphors. The poet personifies his love, who is at the edge of death.

The poet, by personifying love and his friends, passion, faith, and innocence, wants to convey the lessening of intensity of love. The poet creates a picture that, his love is taking last breaths, the passion becomes speechless, faith becomes weak, and innocence is closing up his eyes. The poet writes the following lines to express the seriousness of his departing love,

              “Now at the last gasp of love’s latest breath,

                When his pulse failing, passion speechless lies,

                When faith is kneeling by his bed of death,

                And innocence is closing up his eyes. ”

The poet, in these lines, touches the extreme peak of emotional experience.

There comes a sudden change in the feeling. The poet was serious enough to depart from his love. He wants no sign of the former love. He has no hope of recovery, but he says that there is a possibility of recovering the former love and bring his love to life again from death, if his beloved wishes to recover the love. It is even at the last moment of parting that his beloved can again enliven the dying love. In the poem, the poet is struggling for solution. But solution is in the hands of his beloved who with her powerful emotion can make the dying love active and living.

Conclusion:-

            To sum up out discussion, it may be noted that with strong subjective note the poet expresses his intense feeling with proper intensity. The poem is fine example of subjective poetry whereby the poet finds no solution to continue his love. This feeling of separation gradually acquires strength and finally reaches at the edge of extreme. Though there is no alternative, the poet’s beloved can do for the poet. The poem secures a respected position in the Elizabethan poetry. 

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