Skip to main content

What are some ideas for a literary argument essay about religious themes in John Donne's Holy Sonnet 10 ("Death, Be Not Proud") and 14 ("Batter My...

The two poems “Death, Be Not Proud” and “Batter My Heart, three-person'd God” are part of a series of nineteen poems called the Holy Sonnets, published in 1663, two years after John Donne’s death. Donne is remembered among other Metaphysical poets of the time, such as George Herbert, who were often concerned with religious themes. Donne’s poetry was influenced by his own religious identity. In the period that he wrote these poems, he was in...

The two poems “Death, Be Not Proud” and “Batter My Heart, three-person'd God” are part of a series of nineteen poems called the Holy Sonnets, published in 1663, two years after John Donne’s death. Donne is remembered among other Metaphysical poets of the time, such as George Herbert, who were often concerned with religious themes. Donne’s poetry was influenced by his own religious identity. In the period that he wrote these poems, he was in a state of religious transformation, converting from Catholicism to Anglicanism and considering joining the priesthood.


In writing about Donne’s treatment of religious themes in these two poems, you may choose to compare the two sonnets. You may consider the specific topics each poem addresses—death and the individual’s relationship with God. Another option would be to explore the similarities in the structure of the sonnets and how the form influences meaning. In fact, the sonnet echoes the three-part structure of a form of meditation espoused by the founder of the Jesuit Order, 16th century Spanish priest Saint Ignatius of Loyola, an influence on Donne’s work and spiritual life.


An area worthy of exploration could be the distinct tones of each piece. The speaker of “Death, Be Not Proud” has a brash, almost bullying attitude in how he addresses death. By contrast, the speaker of “Batter My Heart, three-person'd God” has some of Donne’s characteristic boldness, but this time tempered with more humility and longing.


Donne’s Holy Sonnets provide ample opportunity to explore how his treatment of religious themes in the 17th century still has relevance for readers today.


*See links below for more in-depth analysis of these two poems.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is is the point of view in the story "The Scarlet Ibis" and the writing style used by the author?

This story uses the first person point of view. Brother, a character in the story, is the narrator. Using first person narration, Brother is able to tell the story from his own perspective and personal experience. So, the reader gets the events from Brother's own memory. Although this is not a series of diary entries, Brother does recall these events in a similar way. This story is Brother's confession about how he treated and mistreated... This story uses the first person point of view. Brother, a character in the story, is the narrator. Using first person narration, Brother is able to tell the story from his own perspective and personal experience. So, the reader gets the events from Brother's own memory. Although this is not a series of diary entries, Brother does recall these events in a similar way. This story is Brother's confession about how he treated and mistreated his younger brother, Doodle.  So, it is similar to a story like Edgar Allen Poe's "The C...
Post a Comment
Read more