Student Question
What is the tone of the second stanza in Ben Jonson's poem "Drink to me...?"
Quick answer:
The tone of the second stanza in Ben Jonson's poem "Drink to me only with thine eyes" is one of disappointment and longing. The speaker sends a wreath of flowers to his beloved, hoping it will be cherished, but she returns it, causing him sadness. This gesture symbolizes his deep longing for her, as he perceives her presence in the flowers she rejected.
I would say that the tone of this second stanza is one of disappointment and longing.
In this stanza, the speaker has sent his love a wreath of flowers. He hopes that it will stay on her and remain beautiful there. He is sending it as a token of love and of praise for her beauty. But she does not even hardly pay any attention to it and sends it right back.
Now, the speaker feels sad and he wishes things were different. When he smells the flowers, he smells her more. This symbolizes how much he is longing for her -- he feels her presence in the roses that she rejected and sent back to him.
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