Why and How Does the Poet Rebuke the Sun in the Poem “The Sun Rising”?

Answer

Why and how does the poet rebuke the sun in the poem “The Sun Rising”? 

“The Sun Rising” is a famous love poem by John Donne (1571-1631), published in his collection “Songs and Sonnets”. The poem opens with the speaker rebuking the sun for disturbing him and his beloved, lying on their bed.

Busy old fool, unruly sun,

Why dost thou thus,

Through windows, and through curtains call on us?

The speaker scolds the sun for shining its rays inside his bedroom through the curtains early in the morning. He doesn’t want the sun to disturb him and his beloved as they enjoy their moment. The speaker disagrees that he needs to leave the warmth of his beloved as it is morning already. He argues that lovers don’t need to structure their schedules around the sun’s movement. Love is above the influence of seasons and weather. So, the fool sun can go and shine elsewhere. 

Furthermore, the speaker threatens the sun by saying he can merely eclipse it by closing his eyes. But he won’t do that, as he will not stop looking at his darling even for a second. Even his beloved’s eyes could eclipse the sun.

I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink,

But that I would not lose her sight so long;

If her eyes have not blinded thine,

As the poem progresses, the speaker informs the sun that he and his beloved create a whole world in their bedroom. They are complete in themselves, and they don’t require worldly things. Their love transcends the boundaries of the outside world.

By rebuking the sun, the speaker glorifies their genuine and passionate love.