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Richard Lovelace (1618-1657)
WHEN Love with unconfinèd wings
Hovers within my gates,
And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates;
When I lie tangled in her hair 5
And fetter'd to her eye,
The Gods that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.
When flowing cups run swiftly round
With no allaying Thames, 10
Our careless heads with roses bound,
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go free—
Fishes that tipple in the deep 15
Know no such liberty.
When, (like committed linnets), I
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my King; 20
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Enlargèd winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.
Stone walls do not a prison make, 25
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free, 30
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.
fettered: confined or restrained
Gods referring birds
wanton: to squander or waste
allaying: calming or relieving
draughts: portions of liquid to be drunk
tipple: to drink liquor in excess
committed linnets: caged finches (birds)
hermitage: retreat or hideaway
Referring to the king of that period (King Charles)
Summary
Themes
"Stone walls do not a prison make, /
Nor iron bars a cage" (Lovelace 25-26)
Paradox: Iron is needed to make a cage, but Lovelace is saying that although iron bars and a prison are made to contain someone's body, they cannot control the mind of the contained (this is the central theme of the poem).
"If I have freedom in my love/
And in my soul am free, /
Angels alone, that soar above, /
Enjoy such liberty" (Lovelace 29-32)
The speaker has been comparing freedom to physical or tangible ideas like birds.
Now, he is comparing freedom to mental or intangible ideas.
The Renaissance
Overall Summary
Mental freedom can never be taken away from someone even though physical freedom can.
physical constraints
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