Death Be Not Proud
by
John Donne
(Questions
& Answers)
Summary & Analysis
Answer the following Questions:
1.
Critically appreciate the poem ‘Death Be Not
Proud’.
-
The poem ‘Death Be Not Proud’ is one of John
Donne’s holy sonnets, in which he seems to hurl a defiance to Death. The poet’s
own conviction of life eternal to follow upon death is at the basis of it. As a
matter of fact, the poet, as a staunch Christian has brooded long over death.
It has been like an obsession with him. In the poem The Anniversary, the death
image haunts the poet’s imagination, and he is unable to get away from the
thought of death. It is being said about him, that his own figure, wrapped in a
winding sheet, placed by his bedside. It means that he could never put away the
thought of death from his mind. It reveals the morbid state of the poet’s mind.
The poem is not simply an abstract contemplation of death. In 1608, he was so
depressed that he ever entertained the idea of suicide.
A
new chapter began in the life of John Donne when he was ordained in January
1615. The poet, thereafter, threw himself heart and soul, into his spiritual
activity. Now, his own spiritual redemption was also an issue with him. As a
result Death, image alike of spiritual emancipation and physical bondage, is
the central theme. Death is an image of spiritual emancipation in the poem, as
he himself writes:
“Rest
of their bones, and soul’s deliveries ............. One short sleep past, we
wake eternally.”
John
Donne, as a devout Christian, thinks that Death is the gateway to life eternal.
However, a minute analysis of the poem reveals that he can never walk away from
the shadow of death. He speaks of “rest and sleep which but thy pictures
be.” The keynote of the poem is, thus, the longing for rest and sleep:
“And sonnets our best
men with thee do goes,
Rest
of their bones and soul’s deliveries.”
The
poem emphasizes the Christian belief in Resurrection. Death seems, to John
Donne, a golden key, that opens the palace of eternity; Death is not the last
sleep, but the last and final awakening. Those upon whom death lays his icy
cold hand, die but to live again. Death cannot be final. Donne, thus, confirms
the Christian idea of immortality.
The
poem is written in the form of a Petrarchan sonnet. Accordingly, in the octave
the poet expresses the thought that death is not powerful because it does not
kill those whom it overthrows. The diction is straightforward and appealing.
The use of cohesive devices such as repetition (‘and’ is repeated several times
in the poem), alliterative and internal rhymes add to the artistic beauty of
the poem.
2.
Describe the theme of the poem ‘Death Be Not
Proud’.
-
The theme of the poem is about overcoming the
seemingly inseparable barriers of life, death, and after-life. Death is nothing
but a breath. Nothing but a breath separates life and after-life. Life, death,
soul, God, past, and the present are not inseparable barriers but just a comma
or a pause which is portrayed in the last line of the sonnet.
This
poem is an attempt of John Donne to show his contempt for death. “Death”-that
dwells all around him. Surroundings his life, killing his own family within
years, and filling his own heart with fear, to this extent that the fear longs
no more. When death chase someone to the extent of making one fear free, in the
next step comes contempt. According to the poet death is no special strength or
force. If death means sleep, other things, like charms, and anesthetic
medicines can better give us sound sleep, though for a shorter period than
death can what if death effects our families and good men of the world, death
is nothing more, but a way that lead us towards a better life-i.e., eternal
life. Where death will die and it will be no more.
Ending
lines of the poem “death thou shalt die” show poet’s hate and disgust for death
and somewhat the satisfaction of his heart and mind. Through logic and reason,
he shows his future victory over death.
The
title is the main theme of the poem: that while death may “win the battle” but
it will ultimately lose the war. It is powerless to prevent a human memory from
living on. In a broader context, the sin and death of humanity as a whole is
powerless to prevent resurrection and redemption provided through Jesus Christ.
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