What is our Life by Sir Walter Raleigh - Notes

What is our Life by Sir Walter Raleigh - Notes

PARAPHRASE:

What is our life? The play of passion.

The poet is presenting his view of life as mere drama of great enjoyment; as an answer to a question shooted by himself about life.

Our mirth? The music of division:

The poet is saying something about laughter. 'music of division' refers to his view that laughter creates more conflict than unity, because people are amused by the failings and misfortunes of others. This laughter is referred to as music which is an entertainment enjoyed just like drama is enjoyed.

Our mothers’ wombs the tiring-houses be,

Where we are dressed for life’s short comedy.

Mothers' wombs are the rooms where people, who are the characters of the drama of life, get dressed to play their role. The poet says that life is a short comic drama.

The earth the stage;

The stage where the characters perform is the earth where they live.

Heaven the spectator is,

Who sits and views whosoe’er doth act amiss.

The one who watches this play is the Heaven, the sky which is personified. It is least possible to suggest that the word 'Heaven' depicts God because the poet seems to believe in no God or religion. The sky is against the earth, the stage and watches the people, characters, playing their role in life, drama, checking their efficiency in doing so.

The graves which hide us from the scorching sun

Are like drawn curtains when the play is done.

The death of people lead them to graves which shades them from the sun. This is, according to the poet, like the curtains which are drawn on the stage after the play is over.

Thus playing post we to our latest rest,

After people have played their role they go to relax which means they retire.

And then we die in earnest, not in jest.

And after that people die which becomes a very serious issue and is no joke as life of people was, a comic drama, according to the poet.