Holy Sonnet VI This is my play's last scene by John Donne (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions)

 

Holy Sonnet VI This is my play's last scene

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

This is my play's last scene; here heavens appoint

This is my play's last scene; here heavens appoint

My pilgrimage’s last mile; and my race,

Idly, yet quickly run, hath this last pace,

My span’s last inch, my minute’s latest point;

And gluttonous death will instantly unjoint

My body and soul, and I shall sleep a space;

But my ever-waking part shall see that face,

Whose fear already shakes my every joint.

Then, as my soul to heaven her first seat takes flight,

And earth-born body in the earth shall dwell,

So fall my sins, that all may have their right,

To where they’re bred and would press me to hell.

Impute me righteous, thus purg’d of evil,

For thus I leave the world, the flesh, the devil.

 

Summary

The speaker begins by declaring that he has reached the final scene of his life, comparing it to the last act of a play. His journey, described as a pilgrimage, is almost over, and he has nearly completed his race through life. This moment marks the very end — the final inch of his life span, the final minute of his time.

He acknowledges that death is imminent and describes it as gluttonous, ready to tear apart his body and soul. Once separated, he expects to sleep briefly, implying the stillness of the body in death. However, his soul, which is always awake and conscious, will look upon the face of God — an experience so powerful that even the thought of it now makes him tremble.

As his soul rises to heaven, returning to its original divine place, his body will return to the earth from which it came. He then hopes that his sins, which have burdened him and tried to drag him toward hell, will fall away too — going back to their origin and leaving him free.

Finally, he pleads with God to consider him righteous now that he has been cleansed of his sins, so that he can leave behind the world, the flesh, and the devil — the traditional sources of temptation — and enter eternal rest.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

1. This is my play's last scene; here heavens appoint

This is the final act of my life, the ending that Heaven has decided for me.

 

2. My pilgrimage’s last mile; and my race,

It’s the last mile of my spiritual journey, the final stretch of the race I’ve been running.

 

3. Idly, yet quickly run, hath this last pace,

Though the race may have seemed effortless or unimportant, it has moved swiftly to its final step.

 

4. My span’s last inch, my minute’s latest point;

I’ve come to the final inch of my lifespan, the very last moment of my time on Earth.

 

5. And gluttonous death will instantly unjoint

Now greedy death will quickly separate my body and soul.

 

6. My body and soul, and I shall sleep a space;

My body and soul will part, and I (my body) will rest for a while in death.

 

7. But my ever-waking part shall see that face,

But my soul — which never truly sleeps — will see God's face.

 

8. Whose fear already shakes my every joint.

Even the thought of seeing God makes me tremble with fear and awe right now.

 

9. Then, as my soul to heaven her first seat takes flight,

Then, as my soul flies up to Heaven — its original home —

 

10. And earth-born body in the earth shall dwell,

My body, made from the earth, will return to the ground.

 

11. So fall my sins, that all may have their right,

In the same way, let my sins fall away from me too, each going to its rightful place.

 

12. To where they’re bred and would press me to hell.

Let them return to the hell from which they came and where they’ve tried to drag me.

 

13. Impute me righteous, thus purg’d of evil,

Count me as righteous, now that I’ve been cleansed of sin,

 

14. For thus I leave the world, the flesh, the devil.

Because I am now leaving behind the world, sinful human nature, and the devil.

 

Analysis in Detail

In this sonnet, John Donne meditates on the nearness of death and the final separation of body and soul. The poem opens with theatrical and athletic metaphors—Donne refers to his life as a “play” reaching its final act, and his journey as both a “pilgrimage” and a “race.” These metaphors suggest that life is both purposeful (a sacred journey) and fleeting (a fast race), and that it ends inevitably in death, which has been divinely appointed.

The first quatrain conveys the swiftness and inevitability of death. Though life might seem idle or unremarkable, it moves quickly to its conclusion. The speaker marks time with precision: the “last pace,” the “last inch,” and the “latest point.” These references emphasize the closeness of death and suggest a growing awareness of finality.

In the second quatrain, death is personified as “gluttonous,” highlighting its consuming, greedy nature. Death does not come gently—it violently separates the soul from the body. The speaker anticipates a brief period of rest (a metaphorical sleep) for the body in the grave. Yet, unlike the body, the soul remains conscious and will immediately “see that face” — a reference to the face of God. The anticipation of God’s presence evokes fear and trembling in the speaker, suggesting both awe and anxiety about divine judgment.

The third quatrain shifts to the moment after death. The soul ascends to heaven—its “first seat,” meaning its original or rightful home—while the body returns to the earth. This movement reflects the dual nature of human beings: the soul belongs to heaven, and the body to the ground. The speaker hopes that his sins will also fall away from him, going to their origin in hell, rather than clinging to him and condemning him.

The couplet concludes the poem with a plea for mercy. The speaker asks God to “impute” him righteous—declare him righteous, even if he is not fully righteous by his own merit—because he has now been purged of evil. He expresses the desire to be free from “the world, the flesh, the devil,” a traditional Christian phrase summarizing the three sources of temptation and sin. By leaving behind these forces, the speaker seeks salvation and rest.

Overall, Donne’s poem is a powerful reflection on death and the hope of redemption. It blends fear of judgment with confidence in divine grace. The structure of the poem moves from the present moment to death and finally to the hope of eternal life, revealing Donne’s theological preoccupations with sin, salvation, and the afterlife.

 

Possible Exam Questions

What metaphors does John Donne use in the opening lines of Holy Sonnet VI to describe life and its end?

 

How does the poet portray the relationship between the body and soul in the poem?

 

What does the speaker mean by “gluttonous death”?

 

What is the significance of the line “My ever-waking part shall see that face”?

 

Identify the three spiritual enemies mentioned in the closing couplet of the poem.

 

What is the tone of the poem? How does it shift from beginning to end?

 

Why does the speaker ask God to “impute” him righteous?

 

Discuss how John Donne explores the themes of death and redemption in Holy Sonnet VI.

 

Examine the structure of the poem and explain how it reflects the speaker’s spiritual journey.

 

Analyze the use of metaphors in Holy Sonnet VI. How do they contribute to the meaning of the poem?

 

Evaluate the role of fear and hope in the poem. How do they coexist in the speaker’s reflection on death?

 

How does Donne reflect Christian beliefs about death, judgment, and salvation in this sonnet?

 

Discuss the significance of the final couplet in the context of the poem’s message.

 

How does Donne combine personal emotion with religious doctrine in Holy Sonnet VI?