A Short Analysis of Robert Herrick’s ‘Delight in "I see a wild civility;--

Disorder’ Do more bewitch me, than when art

Is too precise in every part."
Robert Herrick (1591-1674) Delight in Disorder
is classified as a 'Cavalier Poet,'
that is, he belonged to a group A sweet disorder in the dress
of poets who supported King Kindles in clothes a wantonness:
Charles I during the Civil War. A lawn1 about the shoulders thrown
Although he was born in Into a fine distraction:
London, he spent most of his An erring lace which here and there
childhood in Hampton. During the Civil War on Enthralls the crimson stomacher:2
account of his support to the Royalist cause he fell out A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribbons to flow confusedly:
of favour with the government, but after King Charles II
A winning wave (deserving note)
was restored to the throne the King honored him and
In the tempestuous petticoat:
made him the Vicar at Dean Prior at Devonshire.
A careless shoe-string, in whose tie
During his student days at Cambridge and as a budding I see a wild civility:
Do more bewitch me than when art
poet he was a great admirer of the Jacobean dramatist
Is too precise in every part.
and lyricist Ben Jonson (1572-1637) and was a member
of the group of admirers of Ben Jonson called the Sons Notes
of Ben. At the same time he was a contemporary of the
Metaphysical Poets like George Herbert (1593–1633). 1...lawn: Sheer cotton or linen fabric used in clothing.
2...stomacher (STUM uh ker): Stiff cloth, often
The lyric "Delight in Disorder" is from his collection of adorned with jewels or embroidery, that covers the
lyrics "Hesperides" published in 1648. The gist of the chest and abdomen of women or men.
poem is that the poet narrator finds a woman who has
dressed carelessly more attractive and seductive than a Technique as Reflection of Content
woman who has dressed very correctly. The following
adjectives foreground the lack of attention by the .......Robert Herrick formatted “Delight in Disorder" to
woman to the various articles of her dress: "disorder," reflect its content—that is, he deliberately inserted
"distraction," "erring," "neglectful," "confusedly," technical imperfections in order to create “sweet
"tempestuous" and "careless." She has worn every disorder" (line 1). Notice, for example, that the end
article of her dress carelessly, however it is this rhyme is inconsistent. Lines 1 and 2 end with
complete lack of attention to her dress which makes her corresponding sounds, as do lines 9 and 10 and lines 13
look sexy ["wantonness"] and "bewitches" him all the and 14. But the other pairs of lines contain only
more. approximate rhymes that require the reader to alter the
traditional pronunciation to maintain the rhyme scheme.
What is more important is to realize how the three (See End Rhyme, below, for further information.)
influences-Cavalier poetry, Metaphysical poetry and Notice also that the metric pattern varies in lines 2 and
Ben Jonson's lyricism-are amalgamated in this exquisite 8. (See Meter, below.)
lyric "Delight in Disorder." Cavalier poetry is secular
and its language and imagery are simple and direct .......The poem consists of seven couplets. (A couplet is
unlike Metaphysical poetry which is characterized by a pair of rhyming lines.) However, the rhyme scheme
complicated imagery which renders the poem requires the reader to alter the pronunciation of the final
syllable of some words. Here is the poem with the
ambiguous. The ambiguity in this poem is, whether
rhyming syllables highlighted.
Herrick is describing a woman who has dressed
carelessly or a painting of a woman who has dressed A sweet disorder in the dress
carelessly - "than when art/Is too precise in every part." Kindles in clothes a wantonness:
A lyric is an expression of the poet's own feelings as a A lawn about the shoulders thrown
response to an external stimulus and Ben Jonson's Into a fine distraction:.............................................
lyrical influence can best be seen in the last three lines (Pronounce the o in distraction long, as in lone, to
of the poem: rhyme with the o in thrown)
An erring lace which here and there
Enthrals the crimson stomacher:.............................. combination: a lawn, an erring lace, a cuff
(Pronounce the er in stomacher like the er in there) neglectful, a winning wave, and a careless
A cuff neglectful, and thereby shoestring.
 Writing opening and
Ribbons to flow confusedly:......................................
closing couplets with exactly rhyming final
(Pronounce the y in confusedly like the y in thereby) syllables: -ess (lines 1 and 2) and art and -art
A winning wave (deserving note) (lines 13 and 14).
In the tempestuous petticoat:
A careless shoe-string, in whose tie Figures of Speech
I see a wild civility:...................................................
(Pronounce the y in civility like the ie in tie) .......Following are examples of figures of speech in the
Do more bewitch me than when art poem. (For definitions of figures of speech, click here.)
Is too precise in every part.
Alliteration (Repetition of consonant sounds.)
Meter
disorder in the dress (line 1)
.......Herrick wrote the poem mainly in iambic Kindles in clothes (line 2)
tetrameter. A line of iambic tetrameter has eight crimson stomacher (line 6)
syllables, or four feet. An iambic foot, or iamb, consists winning wave (line 9)
of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Do more bewitch me (line 13)
The first line of the poem demonstrates the pattern.  precise in every part (line 14)
......1...............2.............3...............4...... Metaphor
A SWEET..|..dis OR..|.. der IN..|..the DRESS
tempestuous petticoat (line 10)
.......However, although lines 2 and 8 follow the Comparison of the petticoat to a storm (tempest),
tetrameter pattern, they veer from the iambic pattern. perhaps because it blows in the wind
Here is why: Each of these lines opens with a stressed
syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. (A stressed Oxymorons
syllable followed by an unstressed syllable constitutes a
title, ‘Delight in Disorder’
trochee.)
“wild civility’
...................1...................2.................3..............4 ‘fine distraction’
‘sweet disorder’
Line 2: ...KIN dles..|..in CLOTHES..|..a WAN,..|..ton
ESS..
...................1..................2..............3.............4
Line 8:...RIB bons..|..to FLOW..|..con FU..|..sed LY summary
Note that the first foot of line 1 (a SWEET) is an iamb. In summary, ‘Delight in Disorder’ is, as its title makes
On the other hand, the first foot of line 2 (KIN dles) is a clear, a poem in praise of disorderliness. The poet states
trochee, as is the first foot (RIB bons) of line 8. For a that clothes worn in a state of dishevelment have a
complete explanation of metric formats, click here. certain charm – indeed, more so than when they are
simply worn in a state of perfect precision. So a ‘lawn’
Structural Balance (i.e. a piece of linen or cambric) ‘thrown’ about the
shoulders in a rather nonchalant manner, a piece of lace
.......Herrick achieves a pleasing structural balance in the only lightly (‘here and there’) keeping the ‘stomacher’
poem by doing the following: in check (a stomacher was a triangular piece of cloth
worn over the chest and stomach): these are the things
 Presenting the lines in which generate a sense of Robert Herrick‘wantonness’
seven couplets, for a total of fourteen lines.
in the clothes. Similarly, a cuff worn round the wrist
 Giving each line eight
syllables. (See Technique, above, for slight that lets ribbons flow out from it in confusion, and a
inconsistencies in this format.) stray ‘wave’ or ripple in a petticoat, and a shoelace that
 Using parallel structure is tied in a haphazard fashion: these all ‘bewitch’ the
at the beginning of lines 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Each poet, or pique his attention, more powerfully than
of these lines begins with a definite article clothes worn in a more straight-laced and conventional
followed by a noun or an adjective-noun manner.
Herrick makes his point through a series of oxymorons, Monet's Impression, soleil levant, Edvard Munch's The
starting with that title, ‘Delight in Disorder’. We are Scream, and Honoré Daumier's Der Maler. In modern
used to viewing disorder as an inconvenience or fashion, only faded jeans—or jeans with holes in the
annoyance rather than a delight. Herrick compounds knees—will do. Young men must display a slightly
this surprise by referring to ‘sweet disorder’, then ‘fine whiskered face—young women, tousled hair.
distraction’, ‘wild civility’. The attributes given to the
clothes themselves are also surprising, since they
personify the clothes as if the garments were themselves Background History
responsible for their dishevelled state: ‘erring lace’,
‘Delight in Disorder’, like many of Robert Herrick’s
‘cuff neglectful’, ‘tempestuous petticoat’, ‘careless
poems, was written against the backdrop of a turbulent
shoe-string’.
time in English history: the English Civil War of the
1640s. As a Cavalier – that is, a supporter of King
Talking of pairings, note that the rhymes in this poem of
Charles I – Herrick may well have championed freedom
rhyming couplets are disorderly, with what is normally
a monosyllable rhymed with a polysyllabic word which and leisure, and the pursuit of pleasure, because his
is often no better than an eye-rhyme: dress/wantonness, enemies the Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell, detested
thrown/distraction, there/stomacher, such things. We might see ‘Delight in Disorder’ as
thereby/confusedly, note/petticoat, tie/civility. It’s only being more than just a nice poem about clothes: it can
when we come to the final couplet – and Herrick’s be analyzed in terms of its context, too. Herrick calls for
argument about precision – that we get a full rhyme,
a freedom and a disorder which the Puritan mindset
art/part.
would find it harder to embrace. Such a (tentative)
.......In this poem, Herrick presents the theme that contextual analysis is not necessary to enjoy the poem,
beauty is at its most alluring when it is in disarray, like of course: it can also be interpreted as an elegant poem
flaming October leaves along a footpath or a "winning in praise of spontaneity and difference over slavish
wave (deserving note) / In the tempestuous petticoat" obedience to convention.
(lines 9 and 10). This is a popular theme in literature, as
the following quotations—all similar in meaning to
Herrick's observation—testify:
And the fact that it is possible to detect a sexual frisson
There is no excellent beauty that hath not some to Herrick’s poem should not surprise us when we
strangeness in the proportion.—Sir Francis Bacon reflect that he was the poet who also wrote ‘Upon
(1561-1626).  Julia’s Clothes’.
Give me a look, give me a face / That makes simplicity
a grace; / Robes loosely flowing, hair as free.—Ben
Jonson (1572-1637).
The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw.—
Havelock Ellis (1859-1939). Study Questions and Writing Topics
In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.
Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're 1. Do you like the poem? Explain why or why not. 
2. Herrick uses inversion in three lines to impart a
still beautiful.—Alice Walker (1944- ).
pleasing poetic ring to the poem. Line 3, for example,
.......Another way of stating the theme is that says, A lawn about the shoulders thrown (instead of A
lawn thrown about the shoulders). Line 7 begins with A
imperfections and inconsistencies can enhance the
cuff neglectful (instead of A neglectful cuff). What is the
appeal of a person, a place, a thing, an action, or an other line containing inversion?
idea. For example, an imperfection—a crack—helps 3. Herrick begins the poem with a sentence (lines 1 and
make the Liberty Bell one of Philadelphia's most 2) that establishes the theme. He then presents details to
popular tourist attractions. Likewise, a very noticeable support the theme. Write a poem of your own that
imperfection helps make the Leaning Tower of Pisa one imitates this format.
of Italy's foremost tourist draws. A single mole on the
cheek of a beautiful woman tends to increase rather than
diminish her beauty. And graying temples can turn a
middle-aged man into a distinguished gentleman. In art,
outstanding paintings often position the focal point
away from "perfect center." Examples are Claude