Il Penseroso Summary

In "Il Penseroso," a speaker argues for living a life full of contemplation. After rejecting “vain deluding Joys”—the ideas that guide the companion poem “L’Allegro”—the speaker takes hands with Melancholy and imagines a life in her company. He dreams of studying in a tower, sleeping in the shade, and listening to music from a church. The poem charts a full day, and ends with the speaker saying that he means to live his life with Melancholy.