As due by many titles I resign - by John Donne (Study Guide)

 

As due by many titles I resign

by John Donne

(Study Guide) 

As due by many titles I resign

As due by many titles I resign

Myself to thee, O God. First I was made

By Thee; and for Thee, and when I was decay’d

Thy blood bought that, the which before was Thine.

I am Thy son, made with Thyself to shine,

Thy servant, whose pains Thou hast still repaid,

Thy sheep, Thine image, and—till I betray’d

Myself—a temple of Thy Spirit divine.

Why doth the devil then usurp on me?

Why doth he steal, nay ravish, that’s Thy right?

Except Thou rise and for Thine own work fight,

O! I shall soon despair, when I shall see

That Thou lovest mankind well, yet wilt not choose me,

And Satan hates me, yet is loth to lose me.

 

About Age (Period) of John Donne

John Donne lived during a time called the English Renaissance. This was a period between the late 15th and early 17th centuries when there was a lot of exciting stuff happening in culture and thinking. People were moving away from old ways of doing things and getting interested in classical learning, humanist ideas, and new ways of being creative.

During the English Renaissance, a bunch of famous writers like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spenser, and John Donne himself, were creating lots of new and interesting literature. Donne, especially, wrote in a style called metaphysical poetry, which means his poems were full of smart ideas, strange comparisons, and talked about both everyday and spiritual things.

The English Renaissance was all about being curious and expressing yourself. People explored different types of writing and thought about things like love, beauty, life, and death. Donne's poems capture the spirit of this time, reflecting on what it means to be human and how we make sense of our changing world.

So, in simple terms, John Donne was a cool poet who lived during a time when people were really into learning new things, being creative, and figuring out what it means to be alive. And his poems still make us think about life and the world in a deep way today.

 

About The Poet, John Donne

Meet John Donne, an important English poet from a long time ago (1572-1631). He was not just a poet but also someone smart and important in the church. People think he's one of the most important figures in English literature.

John was born in a Catholic family when there was a lot of religious trouble. Even though he studied law at Oxford and Cambridge, he didn't become a lawyer. Instead, he went on adventures, did military stuff, and explored different things.

His early poems were about love and romance, and they had a clever and sometimes playful tone. Later on, he wrote more about serious things like religion, sin, and the struggle to do the right thing. His poetry is known for being really smart, mixing deep thoughts with strong images and creative comparisons.

John Donne's writing had a big impact on English literature. Other poets like Andrew Marvell, George Herbert, and Richard Crashaw were inspired by him. People still study and enjoy his poems today because they're full of deep ideas, strong feelings, and unique language.

Some of his famous works include "Songs and Sonnets," "Holy Sonnets," "Elegies," "Devotions upon Emergent Occasions," and "Death's Duel."

Even though John Donne lived a long time ago, his poems still make people think and feel. They give us insights into life, love, faith, and what it means to be human.

 

Summary

In John Donne's "As due by many titles I resign," also known as "Holy Sonnet II," the speaker grapples with his conflicted spiritual state, torn between the influence of God and the temptations of Satan. He acknowledges his inherent connection to God, being created by Him and redeemed through Christ's sacrifice. Yet, he also recognizes his susceptibility to sin and the devil's grasp.

The poem opens with the speaker surrendering himself to God, acknowledging his multiple ties to the divine. He declares himself God's creation, servant, sheep, image, and temple, emphasizing his inherent bond with the divine. However, he admits to betraying this bond, falling prey to sin and distancing himself from God's grace.

The speaker then questions why the devil holds sway over him, stealing what rightfully belongs to God. He pleads for God's intervention, fearing that he will be left in despair, unchosen by God yet still bound to Satan's clutches.

The poem concludes with a poignant paradox: God loves humanity but might not choose the speaker, while Satan hates the speaker but is unwilling to release him. This captures the speaker's spiritual struggle, caught between divine love and infernal temptation. He yearns for God's salvation but fears his own unworthiness, trapped in a battle for his soul.

 

Analysis

John Donne's "As due by many titles I resign," also known as "Holy Sonnet II," delves into the profound spiritual conflict that arises from the human struggle between sin and redemption. The poem's captivating power lies in its exploration of the speaker's internal turmoil, torn between his innate connection to God and the seductive allure of evil.

From the outset, the speaker acknowledges his multiple bonds with God, recognizing his creation, redemption, and inherent worth as a divine being. He identifies himself as God's "son," "servant," "sheep," "image," and "temple," emphasizing his inherent connection to the divine. However, he admits to betraying this bond, succumbing to sin and distancing himself from God's grace.

The speaker's plea to God, "Why doth the devil then usurp on me?" reveals his deep-seated fear of being lost to sin and ultimately unchosen by God. He recognizes the devil's influence over him, stealing what rightfully belongs to God. This highlights the speaker's vulnerability and his desperate need for divine intervention.

The poem's final lines, "That Thou lovest mankind well, yet wilt not choose me, / And Satan hates me, yet is loth to lose me," encapsulate the speaker's spiritual predicament. He finds himself trapped between God's love for humanity and his own perceived unworthiness, while simultaneously bound to Satan's clutches despite being hated by the devil. This paradox underscores the speaker's desperate yearning for salvation and his fear of being forever caught in this spiritual tug-of-war.

The poem's brilliance lies in its portrayal of the speaker's raw and honest struggle with faith and sin. It captures the universal human experience of grappling with one's flaws and seeking redemption, making it a timeless and deeply relatable piece of religious literature.