The Second Anniversary: The Progress of the Soul by John Donne (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions)

 

The Second Anniversary: The Progress of the Soul

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

The Second Anniversary: The Progress of the Soul

Nothing could make me sooner to confess

That this world’s spiritual state decays, than this,

That Man hath lost that sovereignty which he

Had in that age, when first the soul made he;

Souls were then, as wise, as if they had been there,

Where now they’re nothing; as wise as if they went

To school in heaven, and had learnt the government

Of all the world, before they came to rent

The body of man, which then they did frequent;

They knew the stars, and their effects, and saw

How they governed all things without a law;

They knew the ways of learning, both the head

And pipes that feed the mouth, and which do shed

That matter which enrich’d, and which doth spoil,

The sense; the parts that do compose the soil

Of human bodies; and they knew the ways

And passages of souls, and all the maze

Of life and death, and what was perpendicular

To them, and what did cross and thwart them all.

They knew the cause of all, knew the event

Of things to come, past things they did present.

 

1. Introduction: The Soul's Ancient Power

Nothing could make me sooner to confess

That this world’s spiritual state decays, than this,

That Man hath lost that sovereignty which he

Had in that age, when first the soul made he;

Souls were then, as wise, as if they had been there,

Where now they’re nothing; as wise as if they went

To school in heaven, and had learnt the government

Of all the world, before they came to rent

The body of man, which then they did frequent;

They knew the stars, and their effects, and saw

How they governed all things without a law;

They knew the ways of learning, both the head

And pipes that feed the mouth, and which do shed

That matter which enrich’d, and which doth spoil,

The sense; the parts that do compose the soil

Of human bodies; and they knew the ways

And passages of souls, and all the maze

Of life and death, and what was perpendicular

To them, and what did cross and thwart them all.

They knew the cause of all, knew the event

Of things to come, past things they did present.

They knew the seat of happiness, and bliss,

And what we now call fable, then was truth,

All that was called philosophy on earth,

Was made of truth and goodness, and of worth;

They knew all that the mighty soul of man

Can make, or do, or suffer, or sustain.

 

2. The Decline of Wisdom and Innocence

 

Yet these were not the best; the sublimed frame

Of her whom none could envy or defame,

Whom no man ever loved, nor yet could hate,

Whose parts were so apportioned in their state,

That 'tis a virtue to admire her high,

And it is ill to flatter her too nigh,

Could these have been the chiefest souls? Oh no!

She was a purer one, a rarer grow;

She, who is now a soul, was once a child,

And spirits are not finely thus compiled

Till they come forth; till they be unconfined,

They are not souls, but forms; so was this mind.

But when the cherubim’s white love did touch

My soul, it raved and grew up so much

That I began to see, that none of those

Souls which did feel this body’s glorious close,

Could be so pure, so fair, so blessed a soul

As she, whose body yields this aureole.

 

3. Her Soul Above All Others

Then think this soul was not to be new placed

In a body of inferior stuff, or graced

With less proportion; but ’tis she

Which dwelt with us, and now hath gone to see

What the blessed do enjoy, and we but hope;

She who makes short the way to the utmost scope

Of future glory, by reflecting it

Back through the soul, and where she sees it, fit

To call it up, she doth her beams dispread,

And by a kind of pouring on of the head

She melts away mortality, till man

So refine, as to be fit for her again.

 

This is that Mary Magdalene, to whom

Our Christ appeared first, yet open tomb

He would not show, to signify that soul

Must first be risen and clean, before the whole

Can be revealed. This is the soul which saw

The rising sun, and straight began to draw

Him into her; for she, though she express

All virtues, yet she was not made to express

All kinds of knowledge; what she had, her will

Could not contain; it overflowed still.

She did, and taught the same; indeed she was

So much the truth herself, that she was the glass

Where the schools look, but their frail forms confess

Only a shadow, or a likeness of her brightness.

 

4. The Soul’s Power on Earth

She shall be seen in no more bodies now,

For she hath ta’en an everlasting vow

To practice knowledge and become all mind;

Where our rude eyes no more her face shall find,

But her pure image; and yet, though she be

Of angels’ kind, her soul hath left behind

Two better pledges; and hath gone to meet

That substance, whereof she was once the seat.

 

She of whom th’ ancient soul such reverence had,

As of a temple of the power that made

The world, might leave it her name, and go hence,

Still dwelling in her own omnipresence.

Thus was she here, and thus she hence did go,

And the soul fitted to her body so,

As if the soul were married to her clay,

She wore it still. But thus she went away:

She, who was all the soul, had all the name;

Her body was the soul, so dear the frame

Of her fair limbs was, that her soul became

Subject to it, and did not entertain

The body as a servant, but became

Her body's soul, for soul and body made

One mutual orb; so would she have stayed,

Had not death come, and snatched her from our side,

To make her soul a soul purified.

 

5. Her Ascension and the Heavens’ Response

But oh! Alas! so well she knew not sin,

That she must perish when she did begin

To know it; or if knowledge did not kill,

Yet her practice did. Oh, had her soul had skill

To relish scorn, or pride, or to do ill,

Such as the world doth now, she had not died,

But lived, for then her soul had not been tried.

She who so perfectly was made to see

God, as to know no other Deity—

Though, in this temple, she and He were one—

That when He parted thence, she could not stay.

There never yet was soul, which did not draw

Back to the cause it came from, as a law

Of nature binds it, and the soul doth flee

As naturally to God as stone to sea.

Such was this soul; but now, in heavens above,

She hath a place like His, and walks in love

With angels; where the souls of good men go,

Not changed, but raised. So did this soul grow

Not just to join the rest, but to be still

Itself, and passed by death as life, until

She filled the place she could not live beneath,

And found herself in God without the sheath.

 

6. Mourning and Legacy

Though she be dead, yet here she lives to-day

Whom we lament not, though we do obey

Her loss. Her soul, now placed above our sphere,

Is not entombed in dust, nor buried here;

Her virtue and her knowledge did outgrow

The bounds of flesh, and left the world below.

We who survive are but her shadows now;

We walk, and mimic motion, not knowing how.

She, being gone, left all things in eclipse,

And with her light is flown our world’s apocalypse.

She was the tree of life, and we the leaves

That withered when her sun no longer heaves.

Her virtues, like a scroll unfolded wide,

Told of the soul’s full journey purified.

 

And now this monument, which we upraise,

Is not to weep, but to preserve her praise;

Not to lament that she is hence removed,

But that we are not with her whom we loved.

Yet let us grieve, not for her soul’s ascent,

But for the world, left cold and negligent,

Since she is gone who warmed it with her sight—

A star long set, but which once gave us light.

 

7. The Corruption of the World Without Her

'Tis true, 'tis certain; she is not dead.

Who says so, lies; for she is everywhere:

Her virtues and her grace, her thoughts and deeds,

Are all alive, and that in all things here.

From this world’s leprous state she took her flight,

And, seeing men darkened, left them for the light.

And justly too; for, as the soul of man

Is a whole world’s worth, so she, being gone,

Left this world soulless. Oh, she was not made

For this gross air, but took her form and shade

Only to serve this lower world awhile,

Till she might fit her being for Heaven’s style.

And now she's gone—what comfort shall we make?

No hope remains that time can e'er awake

Such another soul. The spheres are set, and stand;

The stars that moved her here have lost command.

 

We see corruption everywhere below:

Vice gets a throne, and virtue bends too low;

Knowledge is grown a clothed ignorance,

And wisdom now a masked, misleading dance.

The arts are dead, or dying; or they serve

Only to help proud folly, not to nerve

True understanding. Every man doth strive

To seem, not be; and truth, if it survive,

Lives like a prisoner, watched by jealousy—

Mocked by the crowd, and starved by policy.

 

8. A World Forsaken by the Soul

Who now reads Plato, or will lend an ear

To Socrates, unless the wine be near?

What reverence is given to Augustine’s pen,

Or any moral wisdom taught to men?

Scriptures are turned to glosses, and that text

Is best believed, which leaves the conscience vexed.

Preachers preach what the people wish to hear,

And sell their labors by the itching ear.

Truth is decayed so far, that man dares say,

Sin is no sin, and Christ is but a way.

All faiths are equal, all religions good—

The whole world turns to its own carnal food.

 

But she, who saw all this, and seeing fled,

Knew what a darkness hung about man’s head;

And lest her light should be abused, or caught

In these wild nets which modern men have wrought,

She soared to God. Not out of fear, but grace,

To dwell with Him in her eternal place.

So let her name live on, and we who groan,

Lament not her, but rather weep our own

Lost states, who still remain behind, to move

Without her soul, and without her love.

 

9. The End: Her Immortal Triumph

But as in great and crowded theatres,

So sooner will the audience fall to tears,

When some great prince or hero's sudden fall

Robs them of hope, and gives a funeral

Untimely to their joys: so doth the age

Lament her loss with some religious rage;

They weep not for her death, but that she died

So soon, and left us in our sins to bide.

She who, if she had lived a few years more,

Might have redeemed the times, and made them store

Of blessed days. But now she’s gone so far,

We hardly know what her examples are.

Only we know this: that her life was pure,

And that her name and fame shall still endure.

 

Her soul, now lodged with saints and seraphim,

Sings in eternal choir the glorious hymn

Of praise to God. She doth not rest in peace,

But in triumph, where all sorrows cease.

Her progress, which began on earth below,

Finds its perfection in the Heaven’s glow;

Not lost, but glorified; not dead, but flown

To claim her heritage before the throne.

 

Let others write her epitaph in stone;

Let learned men debate what she hath shown.

Let poets build high pyramids of rhyme—

Her life outlasts the marble and the time.

For in the hearts of those that knew her grace,

Her memory lives in no decaying place.

And even we, whose dimmer souls remain,

Shall meet her in that bright celestial plain.

 

So to her progress we give our last praise—

A soul complete, a fire that did not blaze

For show, but gave true heat, and rose above

All earthly dross by virtue, faith, and love.

And now, in that new world where she is crowned,

She makes that Heaven where her soul is found.

 

Summary

The poem begins with a reflection on the decline of the human soul’s greatness. Donne suggests that in earlier times, the soul possessed profound wisdom and divine knowledge. In its original state, the soul could comprehend the stars, the universe, and the inner nature of both body and spirit. Souls once operated in a state of purity and perfection, uncorrupted by bodily limitations. They seemed educated in Heaven before entering human form, embodying truth, insight, and spiritual clarity.

However, over time, mankind has lost that spiritual clarity. The modern soul, Donne laments, has become degraded—its capacity for deep truth has been weakened by sin, pride, and earthly distractions. In contrast to this decay, he presents Elizabeth Drury, who, though young, embodied the earlier, purer form of the soul. Her life was so infused with virtue, purity, and spiritual grace that she surpassed even the ancient souls in holiness.

Elizabeth’s soul, Donne says, was not like those common souls which must go through a long and painful purification. Her soul was naturally aligned with divine truth. So profound was her spiritual depth that even while alive, she seemed already fit for Heaven. Her body and soul were in perfect harmony—she lived not just virtuously, but with divine purpose. She did not simply possess knowledge; she became one with it. Her entire being reflected the unity of divine and human grace.

Donne emphasizes that her soul was called away not because of sin, but because of its incompatibility with the corrupt world. Having fulfilled her purpose on earth, her soul naturally returned to its divine origin. She did not die from moral failure or disease of character; she ascended because she had already surpassed the need for earthly presence.

In her absence, the world is described as soul-less, dim, and directionless. Knowledge, faith, art, and philosophy have been corrupted or trivialized. People have lost sight of real virtue and instead chase appearances, pride, and false beliefs. Donne notes that even religious teaching has become superficial and flattering rather than truthful and bold. Truth is mocked, and holiness is neglected. The world mourns, not merely for her, but for itself—because her departure is a sign of the times, a testimony to how unworthy the world has become.

Despite this mourning, Donne insists that Elizabeth has triumphed. Her death is not a loss, but a spiritual progression—a continuation of the soul’s journey to divine perfection. Now in Heaven, she experiences the highest joy, united with God and among saints and angels. Her spiritual light, which once illuminated the world, now shines more brightly in eternal realms.

In concluding, Donne acknowledges that no tombstone or monument can fully capture the greatness of her soul. Her memory lives on not through marble or verse, but in the hearts of those she touched. Her legacy is her soul’s progress—a movement from earthly excellence to heavenly glory. She has become a pattern for others to follow, a rare example of what the human soul is capable of when it is untainted by worldly corruption and fully devoted to divine truth.

 

Paraphrase

1. The Greatness of the Soul in the Past

Nothing proves more clearly that the world’s spiritual health is failing than this:

That people have lost the noble power they once had.

In ancient times, the soul was wise beyond what we can now imagine—

It knew things as if it had already been in Heaven

And been taught there how the universe works before entering the human body.

The soul understood the stars, how they influenced things,

And all without being taught by earthly means.

It knew how the body works, how senses function, and

It understood the entire cycle of life and death.

Souls were aware of the cause of all things

And could foresee the future while understanding the past.

 

2. A Pure and Exceptional Soul (Elizabeth Drury)

Even those wise souls weren’t the greatest—

There was one even more extraordinary: Elizabeth.

She was pure and beyond comparison.

No one hated her; no one envied her—she was too good for that.

She wasn’t just admired; she inspired awe.

Her soul wasn’t just a reflection of virtue; it was virtue.

Before her death, she lived like a being from Heaven,

And once she died, she naturally returned to that realm.

Her soul had already become angelic

And left behind a legacy of wisdom and goodness.

She was a model of purity, too good for this world.

 

3. Her Departure Was Natural, Not Tragic

Her soul wasn’t torn from life due to weakness or evil.

She left the world simply because it was no longer worthy of her.

She wasn’t afraid of death; she welcomed it as a return to her true home.

She didn’t belong in a corrupt, declining world.

If she had stayed longer, her light would have been misused.

It was better for her to depart while still untarnished.

Her death wasn’t a tragedy—it was a transition,

A natural step in the journey of a soul that had already reached perfection.

 

4. A World Grown Empty Without Her

Now that she’s gone, the world feels lifeless.

She was like a soul for the earth—without her, everything is dull.

Nothing seems noble or pure anymore.

Virtue has lost its power; wisdom is ignored.

People pretend to be wise, but it’s all for show.

Religion is no longer sincere;

People choose easy beliefs and reject uncomfortable truths.

Even preachers try to please rather than preach.

Truth is mocked, and falsehood is praised.

In this environment, Elizabeth’s soul could not stay.

She had to leave because she was too pure for such a corrupt place.

 

5. Her Legacy Lives On

Though she’s no longer with us, her influence remains.

Her goodness and wisdom still live in people’s memories.

She continues to guide from above, even though we can’t see her.

We shouldn’t mourn her death—

We should grieve that we are still here,

Trapped in a world she had to leave behind.

Her journey inspires us to look beyond this life

And aim for the same spiritual heights she reached.

Her body may be gone, but her soul is victorious—

She has found eternal joy in Heaven.

 

6. The Poem’s Final Tribute

Elizabeth didn’t just die; she progressed.

Her soul moved upward, toward divine perfection.

Her death is not the end, but the continuation of a journey.

She is now among angels, in the full light of God’s presence.

No earthly monument can capture her greatness.

But her memory lives on in the hearts of those she touched.

She shows us what the soul is meant to be—

Pure, faithful, wise, and loving.

By following her example, we too can prepare for that final, glorious ascent.

 

Analysis in Detail

1. Occasion and Context

This poem, written in 1612, serves as an elegy in honor of Elizabeth Drury, a young woman of remarkable character who died at the age of fourteen. Donne had never met her personally but was commissioned by her father, Sir Robert Drury, to commemorate her. However, the poem goes far beyond typical praise of the dead. It becomes a philosophical and spiritual meditation on the soul’s nature, the corruption of the world, and the hope of eternal life. Donne uses Elizabeth not only as a memorialized individual but as a symbol of ideal spiritual purity.

 

2. Structure and Form

The poem is a long and continuous meditation written in heroic couplets (iambic pentameter rhyming in pairs: AA, BB, etc.), a classical form suited to serious, reflective, and didactic verse. There is no division into stanzas, reinforcing the fluid, ongoing "progress" of the soul. The poem moves gradually from a discussion of universal spiritual decline to the exceptional nature of Elizabeth’s soul, her ascension, the state of the fallen world she left behind, and her legacy as a model of spiritual victory.

 

3. Theme of the Soul’s Journey

The central metaphor is that of the soul as a traveler, moving from pre-existence, through embodied life, and back to God. Donne suggests that in ancient times, souls were wise, enlightened, and closely aligned with truth and the divine. Over time, however, the world and its people have grown spiritually degraded. The journey of the soul is no longer easy, and few souls remain truly pure.

Elizabeth Drury’s soul stands in contrast. She does not need long purification or suffering; she is already aligned with Heaven. Her death is portrayed not as a punishment or fall, but as a natural progression to perfection. In this sense, the poem offers both consolation and inspiration—her early death is not a loss, but a gain for Heaven.

 

4. Critique of the Modern World

A major portion of the poem is a sharp critique of Donne’s contemporary world. He accuses it of being morally bankrupt, intellectually hollow, and religiously compromised. He attacks not only general sinfulness but also the hypocrisy of scholars, clergy, and poets, suggesting that truth and virtue are no longer respected. Art and learning have lost their purpose; truth is hidden or distorted for selfish gain.

This critique serves two purposes:

First, it emphasizes why such a pure soul as Elizabeth’s could not stay in this world.

Second, it laments the general spiritual decay of humanity, setting the context for the significance of her example.

Donne’s concern with decay is also metaphysical—not merely moral or social. He sees a fundamental disorder in the relationship between soul and body, heaven and earth, which makes the soul’s journey more difficult.

 

5. Elizabeth Drury as a Symbol of Ideal Purity

Donne idealizes Elizabeth almost to the point of sanctification. He describes her as a soul already fit for Heaven, whose body was not a burden but a perfect vessel. Her life was in perfect harmony with divine knowledge and moral goodness. In her, the soul and body were united in such purity that her death seems like a necessary ascension, not a tragic loss.

She is not portrayed as just another virtuous person, but as a rare example of unfallen humanity—like Eve before the Fall or a saint untouched by worldly corruption. Donne uses her to reflect what the soul should be: wise, loving, faithful, humble, and fully aligned with God’s will.

 

6. Philosophical and Theological Underpinnings

Donne draws on a mix of Christian theology, Neoplatonism, and Renaissance philosophy. The idea of the soul pre-existing the body, and returning to the divine source, reflects Platonic notions of the eternal soul. At the same time, the poem remains deeply Christian—grounded in the belief in Heaven, the fall of man, the corruption of sin, and the hope of resurrection.

Donne’s concept of the soul’s progress is not linear or simple—it is fraught with obstacles, especially in a decaying world. The body and its temptations can obstruct the soul’s return to God, which is why a soul like Elizabeth’s, already freed from such obstacles, is so remarkable.

 

7. Tone and Voice

The poem’s tone is both elegiac and prophetic. It mourns the state of the world and honors the dead, but it also warns and instructs the reader. Donne is not just writing as a court poet but as a preacher, a philosopher, and a soul deeply concerned with the fate of mankind.

At times, the tone turns almost bitter or satirical—especially in his critique of worldly religion and learning—but it always returns to the uplifting image of Elizabeth’s soul, shining like a divine light beyond this world’s decay.

 

8. Immortality and Legacy

The poem ends with a powerful affirmation of spiritual immortality. Though Elizabeth has died, her soul is not lost—she is triumphant, glorified, and eternal. Her life becomes a kind of living scripture, a spiritual guide for others. Donne suggests that her memory is more powerful than monuments, her influence greater than books or fame.

She becomes an embodiment of true Christian hope—that the soul, through faith and virtue, can overcome the world and attain eternal glory.

 

Conclusion

The Second Anniversary: The Progress of the Soul is not merely a tribute to a deceased young woman. It is a profound meditation on the nature of the soul, the corruption of the world, and the hope of spiritual perfection. Donne fuses poetic beauty with theological insight, personal grief with cosmic vision. Through Elizabeth Drury’s exemplary soul, he holds up a mirror to the reader—asking not only whom we mourn, but what kind of souls we are becoming in a broken world.

 

Possible Exam Questions

Who is commemorated in The Second Anniversary: The Progress of the Soul?

 

What does Donne mean by the “progress” of the soul?

 

How does Donne describe the state of the soul in ancient times?

 

Why does Donne believe Elizabeth Drury’s soul could not remain in the world?

 

What is Donne’s attitude toward the modern world in the poem?

 

Define the term heroic couplet and explain its use in this poem.

 

What role does Elizabeth Drury’s soul play in the moral framework of the poem?

 

Name two signs of decay in the contemporary world, as identified by Donne.

 

Discuss how Donne contrasts the soul’s ancient wisdom with the degraded condition of the modern soul.

 

In what ways does Donne idealize Elizabeth Drury’s character and soul?

 

How is the theme of mortality treated in The Second Anniversary?

 

Describe the spiritual journey outlined in the poem—from pre-existence to eternal life.

 

Examine Donne’s critique of religion, learning, and society in the poem.

 

How does the poem reflect Neoplatonic and Christian ideas about the soul?

 

Critically examine the central theme of the soul’s journey in Donne’s The Second Anniversary.

 

Analyze Donne’s portrayal of Elizabeth Drury as a symbol of divine purity.

 

Evaluate the poem as both an elegy and a spiritual meditation.

 

“Donne uses Elizabeth Drury’s death to explore the decay of the human condition.” Discuss with reference to the poem.

 

How does Donne blend personal grief, philosophical inquiry, and religious belief in this poem?

 

Assess the significance of the title The Progress of the Soul in the context of the poem’s message.

 

Write a critical appreciation of The Second Anniversary, focusing on its poetic devices and structure.

 

How does Donne use imagery and symbolism to express metaphysical concerns?

 

Comment on the tone and language of the poem. How does it support the poem’s spiritual message?

 

To what extent is the poem a religious poem rather than a personal elegy?

 

Explore the metaphysical qualities in Donne’s treatment of death and immortality.