Go and Catch a falling star is famous poem written by metaphysical poet, John Donne. The poem was originally published in 1633. Go and catch a falling start summary is 27 lines poem divided into three stanzas. The main theme of poem, “Go and Catch a falling Star” is Women infidelity.
Go and Catch a Falling Star By John Donne
Summary of Go and Catch a Falling Star By John Donne
In the poem, poet wants to tell that beautiful women can never love someone truly. They always betray men and look for new lover all the time. The poet believes if a girl is very beautiful then she would betray her lover for sure. Finding a faithful woman is as difficult as finding a mermaid or see a falling star.
At the beginning of poem, poet want us do to many impossible task, he says go and catch a falling star, give birth to a child by mandrake root. Tell me where the passed years have gone, who slit’s devil foot’s in two parts or tell me how can I listen a song of mermaids.
Or tell me how should I stop getting angry on others no matter how bad I feel. And tell me what wind helps a honest man to grow in life. In the first stanza of poem, poet talks about impossible task like catching a star, give birth to a child by mend-rake root and to tell about past years. All these tasks are impossible and that is why poet is asking us to do these task.
If you have strange power through which you can see mysterious and invisible things then go for ten thousand days long ride till you become old and your hair become white like snow. When you return from your long ride then tell me about the strange things which you saw in your ride. And then tell me honestly that there is no such women in the world who is beautiful and loyal.
Either women would be a beautiful or a loyal. You will learn through your long ride that no woman can possess these two qualities. Here poet is trying say that if you got strange power then you can able to see mysterious and invisible things but you will never find a woman who is both beautiful and loyal.
If by any chance you find beautiful and loyal woman then do let me know because I would like to meet her. I would meet her because meeting her will be like sweet pilgrimage. Or leave it I will not go, at first poet wants to meet a girl who is loyal and beautiful but suddenly his mind change and he say no. Though she live at my next house but I won’t go to meet her. It is because she might be loyal when you meet her but till I go to meet her she may betray two – three boys.
Conclusion : The poem is very simple as in the poem poet is trying say if a girl is beautiful than she can’t be loyal. You will never find a woman who is both beautiful and loyal.