what is the premise of this poem? help!!

He has a lock of some woman's hair-perhaps formed into a ring. He says 'Bury me with it.' However, as the poem goes on, it seems that he doesn't want this lock of hair for love, but for revenge.

pam

Funeral, The
by John Donne

Whoever comes to shroud me, do not harm
Nor question much
That subtle wreath of hair, which crowns my arm;
The mystery, the sign, you must not touch,
For 'tis my outward soul,
Viceroy to that, which then to heaven being gone,
Will leave this to control
And keep these limbs, her provinces, from dissolution.
For if the sinewy thread my brain lets fall
Through every part
Can tie those parts, and make me one of all,
Those hairs which upward grew, and strength and art
Have from a better brain,
Can better do'it; except she meant that I
By this should know my pain,
As prisoners then are manacled, when they'are condemn'd to die.

Whate'er she meant by'it, bury it with me,
For since I am
Love's martyr, it might breed idolatry,
If into other hands these relics came;
As 'twas humility
To afford to it all that a soul can do,
So, 'tis some bravery,
That since you would have none of me, I bury some of you.

Perhaps there was some significance to being buried with a lock of a lover's hair back in those days?

See also, The Relic:

I'm guessing it was common practice then to dig up graves (Alas, poor Donne! I knew him, Horatio.) and replace the old bones with new.


WHEN my grave is broke up again
Some second guest to entertain,
—For graves have learn'd that woman-head,
To be to more than one a bed—
And he that digs it, spies
A bracelet of bright hair about the bone,
Will he not let us alone,
And think that there a loving couple lies,
Who thought that this device might be some way
To make their souls at the last busy day
Meet at this grave, and make a little stay?

If this fall in a time, or land,
Where mass-devotion doth command,
Then he that digs us up will bring
Us to the bishop or the king,
To make us relics ; then
Thou shalt be a Mary Magdalen, and I
A something else thereby ;
All women shall adore us, and some men.
And, since at such time miracles are sought,
I would have that age by this paper taught
What miracles we harmless lovers wrought.

First we loved well and faithfully,
Yet knew not what we loved, nor why ;
Difference of sex we never knew,
No more than guardian angels do ;
Coming and going we
Perchance might kiss, but not between those meals ;
Our hands ne'er touch'd the seals,
Which nature, injured by late law, sets free.
These miracles we did ; but now alas !
All measure, and all language, I should pass,
Should I tell what a miracle she was.

[www.luminarium.org]

This poem is weird but he had to of wrote it for a reason. The guy said that he wanted to be buried with a lock of the woman's hair for revenage not for love this is a better reason that love because it would help him to never forget what she had done to him. this would help him come back in another life adn get revenge on her so I thought that this poem was pretty good. I have got to write a report on Donne help me!!!

This poem is weird but he had to of wrote it for a reason. The guy said that he wanted to be buried with a lock of the woman's hair for revenage not for love this is a better reason that love because it would help him to never forget what she had done to him. this would help him come back in another life adn get revenge on her so I thought that this poem was pretty good. I have got to write a report on Donne help me!!!

Sabrina, you will find much useful information here:

[www.ipl.org]


Les

>this would help him come back in another life (and) get revenge on her ...

I'm not sure Donne was a believer in reincarnation.

[www.luminarium.org]