Delight in Disorder by Robert Herrick
Introduction
โDelight in Disorderโ is an exquisite poem of English literature by the Cavalier poet Robert Herrick (1591-1674). The poem attracts the heart of every reader by its lyrical quality and harmonious end rhyme. In the poem, the poet expresses his feelings of extreme happiness derived from the disordered dress of a woman.
Let us now discuss the โCavalier Poetโ. Actually, the world โCavalierโ derived from โCarolusโ, the Latin version of Charles. The reign of Charles I (1625-1649) was the time of โEnglish Civil Warโ, fought between the supporters of the king known a โCavaliersโ and the supporters of the parliament known as โRound headโ. However, a group of lyric poets associated with the โCavaliersโ are called the Cavalier poets, for example, Robert Herrick, Richard Lovelace, Sir Johan Suckling and Thomas Carew. These poets are also called the โSons of Benโ as they were admirers and followers of Ben Jonson. They usually wrote short lyric poems, generally in a lighter vein, gay, trivial, witty and often licentious. The main object of their poems was the โwoman and beautyโ.
Robert Herrick is, indeed, a Cavalier poet. Because his poetry especially โDelight In Disorderโ bears all the characteristics of a Cavalier poetโs writings. If we look into the poem, we must get the evidence in favour of it. The poem โDelight in Disorderโ is notably short in length and very much witty as well as licentious in theme. It deals with the description of a disorderly dressed lady. Most probably, the name of the lady is โJuliaโ. We, very beginning of the poem, see that the poet traces out a disorder in the lawn that is thrown carelessly about the shoulders. Says the poet; โA Lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine distraction:โ
The lawn should be attached with shoulders but the ladyโs one is free from her neck. This is the source of joy for the poet. Next, the poet finds another disorder in her stomacher. As the poet describes:
โAn erring lace which here and there
Enthrals the crimson stomacher.โ
Thirdly, the poet gets one more disorder in her cuff which is used carelessly in ladyโs hand. As the poet narrates:
โA cuff neglectful and thereby;
Ribbons to flow confusedly.โ
Fourthly, the poet notices a disorder in ladyโs petticoat. In the poetโs speech:
โA winning wave, deserving note,
In the tempestuous petticoat;โ
The petticoat should be well attached to the body, but the petticoat of the lady is waiving in the air. The poet thinks it is a delightful meter.
Finally, the poet discovers a disorder in her shoestring. As remarks the poet;
“A careless shoestring in whose tie
I see a wild civility:”
Generally, the disorder makes a man displeased but in the case of the poet, it makes him pleased as he says;
“Do More Bewitch me them when art
Is too precise in every part.”
In conclusion, it must be said that Robert Herrick, a Cavalier poet, very successfully breaks the traditional concept that delight can only be found in harmony through the poem “delight in disorder” Moreover it possesses a high musical quality and the melodious end rhyme. So considering all these things, it can be regarded as the best example of his poetic intelligence.
Summary
The lyric “Delight in Disorder” is from his collection of lyrics “Hesperides” published in 1648. The gist of the poem is that the poet narrator finds a woman who has dressed carelessly more attractive and seductive than a woman who has dressed very correctly. The following adjectives foreground the lack of attention by the woman to the various articles of her dress: “disorder,” “distraction,” “erring,” “neglectful,” “confusedly,” “tempestuous” and “careless.” She has worn every article of her dress carelessly, however, it is this complete lack of attention to her dress which makes her look sexy [“wantonness”] and “bewitches” him all the more.
What is more important is to realize how the three influences-Cavalier poetry, Metaphysical poetry and Ben Jonson’s lyricism-are amalgamated in this exquisite lyric “Delight in Disorder.” Cavalier poetry is secular and its language and imagery are simple and direct, unlike Metaphysical poetry which is characterized by complicated imagery which renders the poem ambiguous. The ambiguity in this poem is, whether Herrick is describing a woman who has dressed carelessly or a painting of a woman who has dressed carelessly – “than when art/Is too precise in every part.” A lyric is an expression of the poet’s own feelings as a response to an external stimulus and Ben Jonson’s lyrical influence can best be seen in the last three lines of the poem:
โI see a wild civility;โ
Do more bewitch me, than when art
Is too precise in every part.โ
The poet comments on the clothing of a woman and highlights the particular garments, noting their imperfections. Yet, he still admires the pieces and the woman herself. At the end of the poem, the poet reveals that he prefers these imperfections over a โprecise artโ.
The poetโs message could be deciphered as beauty can be found amidst the flaws of both humanity and art. Imperfections are more alluring and powerful than the illusion of perfection.
The poem has an irregular rhyme scheme, highlights the disorder and suggests imperfection within art.
The poet also uses diction to enhance the feeling of disorder. He also implies that clothing, like art, is more appealing when it is not perfect. This highlights the importance of a unique self โ expression.
โAn erring lace, which here and there enthrals the crimson stomacherโ The poet used personification to describe the lace, which is described to wrap around the ladyโs stomach.
The clothing imagery conveys the quality of disorder and enhances the idea that flawed art can also be beautiful. The poetic techniques reflect the message that there is beauty in imperfection. The whole poem basically implies that we should embrace imperfections like theyโre beauty itself.
Analysis
This is a great poem for practising close reading. Written over 350 years ago, it may seem difficult at first; after a few readings, though, its meaning becomes clear, and it offers some obvious examples of how style and structure create deeper meaning and nuance.
First, be sure you understand what Herrick is talking about. The speaker describes in detail a womanโs clothing โ style, colour, and fabric. Some of the vocabularies are unfamiliar to readers today, such as lawn and stomacher. Other words, such as petticoat, may be archaic, but you have probably come across them before. As always, if you donโt know what something means, you should look it up.
As you read the poem, you might have noticed the personification. The speaker notes the โfine distractionโ of the scarf thrown over the womanโs shoulders, a โcuffโ that is โneglectful,โ ribbons that โflow confusedly,โ and a โtempestuous petticoat.โ The personification suggests that the clothes reflect qualities of the person wearing them.
Similarly, the โerring laceโ โ[e]nthralls the crimson stomacher,โ as if a mere decoration could take such deliberate action. Two oxymorons (paradoxes made up of two seemingly contradictory words) support the possibility that something is going on other than the literal description of clothing. The opening line refers to a โsweet disorder,โ but most would consider disorder unsettling, hardly โsweetโ; later, the speaker sees a โwild civility,โ another seeming contradiction, because how can โcivilityโ โ or courteous behaviour โ be โwildโ? Now that youโre aware of the personification and the oxymorons in this poem, reread it to see if you can pick up on what they suggest.
Note the words suggesting passion: Kindles, wantonness, crimson, tempestuous, and bewitch. Is this poem actually about seduction? If so, its indirect manner is not overtly sexual or vulgar but flirtatious, sly, even mischievous. Alliteration adds a teasing singsong quality: โDelight . . . Disorder,โ โwinning wave,โ and โprecise . . . part.โ
Further, the symmetry of the alliteration brings a bit of order into the description of disorder โ but only a bit.
We might look to the structure of the poem for further evidence of the playful tone. The structure seems regular and predictable. The fourteen lines are presented in seven rhymed pairs, or couplets, most having eight syllables. The opening and closing couplets have exactly rhyming final syllables (โdressโ / โwantonnessโ and โartโ / โpartโ).
Notice the neatly repeating parallel structure of lines 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. However, there are inconsistencies within the poem. Some of the rhymes are only near rhymes (e.g., ll. 11 and 12: โtieโ does not rhyme with โcivilityโ). The poemโs lines are in iambic tetrameter, but the rhythm is not always even. The evenness of the opening line, for instance (โA sweet disorder in the dressโ) is violated by line 10 (โIn the tempestuous petticoatโ). It seems Herrickโs contention that โdisorderโ can be โsweetโ is reflected in the structure of the poem.
Or, put in more thematic terms, Herrick might be reminding us that appearances can be deceiving, that perfection may not be as appealing as charming imperfections. Or, given the cultural mores of his time dictating strict outward propriety, he might be telling his readers that passion lurks just beneath the veneer of polite society.