On a Drop of Dew: Andrew Marvell
On a Drop of Dew: Andrew Marvell
About the Poet – Andrew Marvell
· Andrew Marvell was a major Metaphysical poet of the 17th century.
· Born in 1621 and died in 1678.
· Contemporary of John Donne and Henry Vaughan.
· His poetry combines intellectual depth, spirituality, wit, and imagery from nature.
· Known for philosophical reflections, especially on soul, body, time, and eternity.
· Also worked as a politician and diplomat.
· Famous poems include To His Coy Mistress, The Garden, The Definition of Love, and On a Drop of Dew.
· His metaphysical poetry often uses conceits—extended comparisons between physical objects and abstract ideas.
2. Prescribed Poem – Publication Details
· Poem Title: On a Drop of Dew
· Poet: Andrew Marvell
· Written: Around 1640s
· Published Posthumously: 1681
· Genre: Metaphysical / Philosophical / Religious Lyric
· Form: Lyric poem
· Theme: Soul’s purity, divine origin, and longing to return to God
· Style: Metaphysical conceit using dew as a symbol of the soul
Poem Text
On a Drop of Dew
See how the orient dew,
Shed from the bosom of the morn
Into the blowing roses,
Yet careless of its mansion new,
For the clear region where ’twas born
Round in itself incloses:
And in its little globe’s extent,
Frames as it can its native element.
How it the purple flow’r does slight,
Scarce touching where it lies,
But gazing back upon the skies,
Shines with a mournful light,
Like its own tear,
Because so long divided from the sphere.
Restless it rolls and unsecure,
Trembling lest it grow impure,
Till the warm sun pity its pain,
And to the skies exhale it back again.
So the soul, that drop, that ray
Of the clear fountain of eternal day,
Could it within the human flow’r be seen,
Remembering still its former height,
Shuns the sweet leaves and blossoms green,
And recollecting its own light,
Does, in its pure and circling thoughts, express
The greater heaven in an heaven less.
In how coy a figure wound,
Every way it turns away:
So the world excluding round,
Yet receiving in the day,
Dark beneath, but bright above,
Here disdaining, there in love.
How loose and easy hence to go,
How girt and ready to ascend,
Moving but on a point below,
It all about does upwards bend.
Such did the manna’s sacred dew distill,
White and entire, though congealed and chill,
Congealed on earth : but does, dissolving, run
Into the glories of th’ almighty sun.
Detailed Summary
The poem can be clearly understood in three main parts.
Part 1: Description of the Dew Drop (Lines 1–20)
The
poem opens with a delicate image of a morning
dew drop falling gently from the bosom of the dawn into
blooming roses.
Although it rests on the flower, the dew drop does not feel at home there. It
remains round and pure,
preserving the essence of the sky from which it came.
The dew barely touches the flower and seems more interested in looking upward toward the heavens. It shines softly like a tear, expressing sadness because it is separated from its original home—the sky.
The dew is restless and trembles, fearing that contact with the earthly flower may make it impure. Finally, the sun takes pity on it and lifts it back to the sky through evaporation.
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Meaning:
The dew symbolizes something pure that temporarily comes into the earthly world
but longs to return to its divine origin.
Part 2: The Metaphysical Conceit – Dew as the Soul (Lines 21–36)
In
this section, Marvell directly explains the symbolic meaning.
The dew drop represents the human
soul, which comes from the “clear fountain of eternal day”—that
is, God.
Though the soul lives inside the “human flower” (the body), it remembers its heavenly origin. Because of this memory, it avoids becoming deeply involved in worldly pleasures (“sweet leaves and blossoms green”).
The soul moves in pure, circular thoughts, reflecting the greater heaven even while living in a lesser one (the human body).
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Meaning:
The soul, though temporarily trapped in the body, always remembers God and
seeks spiritual purity.
Part 3: Readiness of the Soul to Ascend (Lines 37–End)
The poet shows how carefully and modestly the soul behaves in the world. It remains detached, avoiding corruption, yet stays connected to divine love.
The soul is always ready to rise upward. Though it touches the earth at only one small point, its entire movement is directed toward heaven.
In the final lines, Marvell compares the dew to manna from the Bible—pure, white, and sacred. Though it falls on earth, it ultimately dissolves and merges with the glory of the Almighty Sun (God).
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Meaning:
Death or spiritual awakening allows the soul to reunite with God, just as dew
returns to the sky.
THEMES OF THE POEM
1. Theme of the Soul’s Divine Origin
The central theme of the poem is that the human soul comes from God and longs to return to Him. Marvell compares the soul to a drop of dew that falls from the sky in the morning. Just as the dew comes from heaven and wishes to go back, the human soul also comes from God and desires to return to its divine source.
The dew does not feel at home on the flower; similarly, the soul does not feel at home in the material world. It constantly remembers its heavenly origin and feels separated from God.
2. Theme of Spiritual Longing and Restlessness
Another important theme is spiritual restlessness. The dew drop remains uneasy on the flower and trembles with fear of losing its purity. It waits for the sun to rise so that it may return to the sky.
In the same way, the soul feels restless in the body. Earthly pleasures cannot satisfy it. The soul longs for spiritual freedom and divine union. This longing reflects the Christian idea that the soul finds peace only in God.
3. Theme of Purity vs Worldliness
Marvell
contrasts purity
with worldly corruption.
The dew remains pure even while resting on the flower. It does not mix with the
flower or absorb its colour. This symbolizes the soul’s effort to remain
untouched by worldly temptations.
The poet suggests that the soul should live in the world but not become attached to it. True purity lies in remaining spiritually detached from material pleasures.
4. Theme of Return to God
The poem strongly expresses the idea that the soul must ultimately return to God. The rising sun lifts the dew back into the sky, just as God calls the soul back after death.
The final image of the dew dissolving into the sunlight symbolizes salvation and spiritual union with God. Death is not feared; instead, it is seen as a joyful return to divine glory.
5. Theme of Platonic Philosophy
The poem reflects Platonic philosophy, which believes that:
· The soul existed before birth
· The soul remembers its divine origin
· Earthly life is a temporary stage
· True knowledge is spiritual
Marvell uses this philosophy to explain why the soul feels dissatisfied in the material world.
STRUCTURE OF THE POEM
1. Form and Stanza Pattern
The
poem is written in irregular
stanzas, giving it a flowing, meditative quality.
The structure mirrors the movement of the dew:
· Falling from heaven
· Resting on earth
· Rising again to heaven
This structure symbolically represents the soul’s journey.
2. Rhyme Scheme and Rhythm
The
poem has a musical and flexible
rhyme scheme, typical of metaphysical poetry.
The rhythm is gentle and smooth, reflecting the calm and spiritual mood of the
poem.
The variation in line length helps to express:
· Movement
· Restlessness
· Ascension
3. Use of Metaphysical Conceit
The entire poem is built on a metaphysical conceit—the comparison between:
· A drop of dew
· The human soul
This extended metaphor is the backbone of the poem. The dew’s behaviour perfectly mirrors the soul’s spiritual condition.
4. Imagery and Symbolism
Marvell uses rich imagery:
· Dew → Human soul
· Sun → God
· Flower → Earthly life
· Sky → Heaven
· Light → Divine truth
These images give the poem spiritual depth and philosophical meaning.
5. Movement of Thought
The poem progresses in a logical and spiritual order:
1. Description of the dew
2. Dew’s uneasiness on the flower
3. Comparison with the human soul
4. Desire to return to heaven
5. Final union with God
This movement reflects the journey of the soul from God to earth and back to God.
6. MCQs with Answers
1. Who wrote “On a Drop of Dew”?
a)
John Donne
b) Henry Vaughan
c) Andrew Marvell
d) George Herbert
Answer: c) Andrew
Marvell
2. The dew drop mainly symbolizes—
a)
Flower
b) Body
c) Soul
d) Mind
Answer: c) Soul
3. From where does the dew originate?
a)
Earth
b) Flower
c) Morning sky
d) River
Answer: c) Morning sky
4. Why does the dew appear mournful?
a) It
is cold
b) It is lonely
c) It is separated from the sky
d) It is dying
Answer: c) It is
separated from the sky
5. What lifts the dew back to the sky?
a)
Wind
b) Moon
c) Sun
d) Rain
Answer: c) Sun
6. “Human flower” refers to—
a)
Garden
b) Body
c) Earth
d) Mind
Answer: b) Body
7. The poem is an example of—
a)
Romantic poetry
b) Epic poetry
c) Metaphysical poetry
d) Pastoral poetry
Answer: c) Metaphysical
poetry
8. The dew fears becoming—
a)
Heavy
b) Large
c) Impure
d) Cold
Answer: c) Impure
9. Manna in the poem symbolizes—
a)
Food
b) Wealth
c) Purity and divinity
d) Hunger
Answer: c) Purity and
divinity
10. The central idea of the poem is—
a)
Beauty of nature
b) Power of sun
c) Soul’s return to God
d) Love and desire
Answer: c) Soul’s
return to God
Short Answer Questions
1. Explain the symbol of the dew drop in the poem.
The dew drop symbolizes the human soul. Like the soul, it comes from a pure and divine source—the sky. Though it rests temporarily on a flower (the body), it does not belong there. It remains pure and longs to return to its original heavenly home.
2. Why is the dew described as restless and trembling?
The dew is restless because it fears becoming impure by staying in the earthly world. This reflects the soul’s fear of moral corruption due to worldly pleasures. Its trembling shows spiritual anxiety and longing for divine reunion.
3. How does Marvell use a metaphysical conceit in the poem?
Marvell uses the dew drop as an extended metaphor for the human soul. A simple natural object is used to explain complex spiritual ideas such as purity, divine origin, and eternal return. This intellectual comparison is a typical metaphysical conceit.
4. What role does the sun play in the poem?
The sun represents God or divine power. It lifts the dew back to the sky through evaporation, symbolizing the soul’s return to God after death. The sun shows mercy and spiritual liberation.
5. Explain the significance of the reference to manna.
Manna is a biblical symbol of divine nourishment. By comparing dew to manna, Marvell emphasizes purity, holiness, and God’s grace. Though manna falls on earth, it belongs to heaven, just like the soul.
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