Good night Quote by Dorothy L. Sayers
““A bride, before a ‘Good-night’ could be said, Should vanish from her clothes into her bed, As souls from bodies steal, and are not spied. But now she’s laid; what though she be? Yet there are more delays, for where is he? He comes and passeth through sphere after sphere; First her sheets, then her arms, then anywhere. Let not this day, then, but this night be thine; Thy day was but the eve to this, O Valentine. JOHN DONNE: An Epithalamion on the Lady Elizabeth and Count Palatine.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: An Epithalamion on the Lady Elizabeth and Count Palatine by John Donne, 1607
The speaker longs for the bride’s presence, urging the night to belong to the beloved, while noting the passage of time and desire for union.
In simple terms: Desire for intimacy and urgency of love.
Key Takeaway
Seize the moment of love.
Themes
love
longing
time
desire
Mood
passionate
yearning
intimate
Type
poetic
romantic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- wedding night
- romantic anticipation
- celebration of love
- poetic longing
Key Concepts
courtship
temporal urgency
union
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you honor both partners’ desires?
- What does “night” symbolize in love?
A Different Perspective
The poem assumes mutual consent and may overlook the bride’s agency.
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