A Delight In Disorder Analysis

A “Delight in Disorder” by Robert Herrick, is an entirely abnormal poem. The scanning process was a difficult one. Specific lines that stood out from the rest due to its change in meter. In analyzing the context of the poem, there were quite a few oxymorons throughout the poem that stand out and contribute to the understanding of the poem. The change in meters and the oxymorons influences the reading because it means to catch the reader’s eye and to read between the lines to understand the poem and what it is saying.
This poem is written mostly in iambic tetrameter, but there are individual lines that break this form. In line 2, “Kindles in clothes a wantonness,” the word “kindle” breaks the iambic tetrameter because our poem starts out with …show more content…
With this context in mind, it is likely that the speaker will have great pleasure in something unusual. The poem begins with “A sweet disorder in the dress,” and looking closely at this line; we can find another oxymoron. Similar to the one found in the title, the speaker states that there is “A sweet disorder.” Sweet is something that has a pleasant taste, and something that one would enjoy immensely. Putting “sweet” and “disorder” together shows the speaker again taking pleasure in an act that is happening, which has to do with a dress. From here, it is implied that the speaker takes pleasure in something that has to do with a dress. Looking at the second line: “Kindles in clothes a wantonness,” we are further looking into the speaker’s deep pleasure in clothing. By only looking at the word “kindles,” it is clear that this is a sexual pleasure for the speaker because it is an arousing action for the speaker. Throughout the first eleven lines of this poem, the speaker keeps on describing this woman in a dress. These lines suggest that the speaker takes great pleasure in the way this dress is fit around this unnamed woman. Going further into the poem, in line 12, the speaker states that: “I see a wild civility.” …show more content…
Although, this poem dealt with it in a different way than discussed in class. This poem talked about a sexual desire towards an inanimate object, which in this case is a dress, or any clothing and how it fits on a woman. The speaker found desire in the tight spaces in where the dress or clothing would fit onto a woman’s body. Although this deals with “sex” in a different way than discussed in class, it still fits our theme and gives an insight that sexual desires can be towards objects, not just people. The reading is influenced by change in meter and use of oxymorons throughout. In doing this the poem calls attention to itself and makes the reader identify the meaning of this poem, which that one can find sexual pleasure in the most abstract of things. That nothing is perfect, and that one can find pleasure in ways that are most