Death, Be Not Proud by John Donne - 755 Words

In John Donne’s sonnet â€Å"Death, Be Not Proud† death is closely examined and Donne writes about his views on death and his belief that people should not live in fear of death, but embrace it. â€Å"Death, Be Not Proud† is a Shakespearean sonnet that consists of three quatrains and one concluding couplet, of which I individually analyzed each quatrain and the couplet to elucidate Donne’s arguments with death. Donne converses with death, and argues that death is not the universal destroyer of life. He elaborates on the conflict with death in each quatrain through the use of imagery, figurative language, and structure. These elements not only increase the power of Donne’s message, but also symbolize the meaning of hope of eternal life as the†¦show more content†¦Here death is actually more pleasurable than sleep, and that many people are ready to embrace death in looking forward to eternal life. The third quatrain outright mocks and belittles death’s power, and it again is personified by Donne. Here the personification of death weakens the idea of death to a mere â€Å"slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,† and reinforces that death has to play by the rules just like mortals (Donne 1100). Death is being controlled by many forces that have authority over who, how, and when death may do its job. This argument takes away death’s mystery by making death mortal, which is neither threatening or in control of anything. Donne puts death’s domain in the gutter among â€Å"poison, war, and sickness†, and so all should be treated with equal scorn and disrespect. The power of death is again disregarded when Donne states â€Å"And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well† (Donne 1100). He compares death to charms and drugs, which are simple things to help bring sleep to people â€Å"as well†(Donne 1100). Also he illustrates tha t death does not measure up to â€Å"charms† and â€Å"poppy† because they are the enjoyable experience of death and you can wake up from them. This proves that mortals can achieve exactly what death does, so death lost what was left of its pride. Donne patronizes death, â€Å"And better than thy stroke; why swell’st though then?† which questions and condemns any reasoningShow MoreRelatedDeath Be Not Proud By John Donne1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe progression of societal beliefs regarding our approach towards death is dependent upon the changing nature of both cultural and historical contexts. In Donne’s Holy Sonnet ‘Death be not proud’ he uses second person narration to address â€Å"Death† as â€Å"thou†, â€Å"thee† and â€Å"thy†, death is not considered conceptually but anthropomorphised as the poems fundamental pride. In ‘Death be not proud’, we see how the rumination of death is shaped by Elizabethan values. Through the subverted Petrarchan structureRead MoreDeath, Be Not Proud, By John Donne1303 Words   |  6 PagesDeath and mortality are common themes widely used throughout poetry and other numerous works of literature. As well as this, death is a common occurrence in life, and though most people refuse to accept or acknowledge it, everyone must deal with it at some point in their lifetime. Whether it be the death of a family member, friend, or the final stages of your own life you will experience death in some way. In the poems, â€Å"Death, be not proud† and â€Å"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,† the speakersRead MoreDeath Be Not Proud By John Donne1908 Words   |  8 PagesJohn Donne’s poem, â€Å"Death Be Not Proud† (1633), is only one of the impressive poems in his collection: The Holy Sonnets. In â€Å"Death Be Not Proud†, Donne expresses his Anglican beliefs as he addresses death’s fraudulent image and u njustified pride. Donne’s audience is death, but his poem is also intended for its  readers, who  Ã¢â‚¬Å"some have called [death] / Mighty and dreadful† (1-2). He begins the poem with a calm, conversational tone, but becomes more aggressive and expositive as his poem progresses.Read MoreJohn Donne Death Be Not Proud Analysis799 Words   |  4 PagesIs Death the Finale? Death has always been an intriguing topic in literature. Writers have been confounded by the idea of death and the unknown afterlife for centuries. Some people believe death is the end of all things because nothing can withstand it. In John Donne’s poem, â€Å"Death, be not proud,† the poet explains his personal understanding of death and its permanence. This poem is a narrative sonnet. Although this sonnet follows the rhyme scheme of an Italian sonnet (abba cddc effe gg), it alsoRead MoreAnalysis Of Death Be Not Proud By John Donne745 Words   |  3 PagesThe Holy Sonnet, â€Å"Death Be Not Proud† written by John Donne. He was the founder of metaphysical poems in the Elizabeth period and a religious figure. A Metaphysical Poetic style maybe philosophical and spiritual subjects that were approached with reason and often concluded in paradox. Metaphysical poets examined serious questions about existence of God the Holy Sonnet 10 was one of nineteen other Holy So nnets he wrote. Donne was famous for his poems of life, death, and religion. This poem was writtenRead MoreAnalysis Of Death Be Not Proud By John Donne1488 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout his poems, John Donne uses literary devices, such as imagery and diction, to discuss an overarching theme of death along with its religious implications, done most noticeably in the Holy Sonnet â€Å"Death Be Not Proud† and the lyrical poem â€Å"Hymn to God, My God, In My Sickness.† He also elaborates on the complexity of emotion, particularly in the metaphysical love poem, â€Å"The Flea.† Donne’s witty and clever style paired with his affinity for social and religious commentary allows his works toRead MoreAn Analysis Of Death, Be Not Proud By John Donne916 Words   |  4 PagesMany fear death just simply thinking about it; however, John Donne’s persona in the poem â€Å"Death, Be Not Proud† (published in 1633) interpret death as something pleasant rat her than the absolute end. â€Å"Death, Be Not Proud† is a single stanza consist of fourteen lines, aka a sonnet, which most line contain a word with the letter t (thee, thou, and thy) addressing to death. On the surface, one may think the poem is about one approaching to death with the thought of death can intimidate them as well asRead MoreAn Analysis Of Death Be Not Proud By John Donne849 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Donne automatically tells us who the speaker is addressing in his poem â€Å"Death be Not Proud†; death. The speaker uses apostrophe and addresses death, an abstract idea, as if it were a person. The poet pretends that death is capable of understanding his feelings, as he informally confronts death and belittles him, and tells death to not be arrogant because even though some have called him mighty and fearful, he is not. People call death these things and fear him so much for no reason, becauseRead MoreDefeated by Fate: Death be not Proud, by John Donne i757 Words   |  3 PagesIs death a slave to fate or is it a dreaded reality? People differ on the opinion of death, some people view death as a new beginning which should not be feared, while many people perceive death as an atrocious monster. Death be not proud, by John Donne is a poem that challenges death and the idea of its ferocity. Donne’s work is greatly influenced by the death of his countless family members, friends and spouse. Donne was not only a poet, but he was also a priest in the Church of England, so hisRead MoreThe Rising Sun and Death be not Proud by John Donne Essay2130 Words   |  9 PagesIn this essay I will mainly focus on two poems written by John Donne, The Rising Sun and Death be not proud. These poems were written during the Elizabethan era, which was an era mainly characterized by love and colonialism, on separate terms of course. These principles often influenced poets who lived during this period. Their poetry acts as testimonies of their u nderlying thoughts and desires. Furthermore, metaphysical poets deliver a more divine and profound perspective to their poetry. Within