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John Donne


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John Donne (1572-1631) was the most outstanding of the English Metaphysical Poets and a churchman famous for his spellbinding sermons.

Donne was born in London to a prominent Roman Catholic family but converted to Anglicanism during the 1590s. At the age of 11 he entered the University of Oxford, where he studied for three years. According to some accounts, he spent the next three years at the University of Cambridge but took no degree at either university. He began the study of law at Lincoln's Inn, London, in 1592, and he seemed destined for a legal or diplomatic career. Donne was appointed private secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton, Keeper of the Great Seal, in 1598. His secret marriage in 1601 to Egerton's niece, Anne More, resulted in his dismissal from this position and in a brief imprisonment. During the next few years Donne made a meager living as a lawyer.

Donne's principal literary accomplishments during this period were Divine Poems (1607) and the prose work Biathanatos (c. 1608, posthumously published 1644), a half-serious extenuation of suicides, in which he argued that suicide is not intrinsically sinful. Donne became a priest of the Anglican Church in 1615 and was appointed royal chaplain later that year. In 1621 he was named dean of St. Paul's Cathedral. He attained eminence as a preacher, delivering sermons that are regarded as the most brilliant and eloquent of his time.

Donne's poetry embraces a wide range of secular and religious subjects. He wrote cynical verse about inconstancy, poems about true love, Neoplatonic lyrics on the mystical union of lovers' souls and bodies and brilliant satires and hymns depicting his own spiritual struggles. The two "Anniversaries" - "An Anatomy of the World" (1611) and "Of the Progress of the Soul" (1612)--are elegies for 15-year-old Elizabeth Drury.

Whatever the subject, Donne's poems reveal the same characteristics that typified the work of the metaphysical poets: dazzling wordplay, often explicitly sexual; paradox; subtle argumentation; surprising contrasts; intricate psychological analysis; and striking imagery selected from nontraditional areas such as law, physiology, scholastic philosophy, and mathematics.

Donne's prose, almost equally metaphysical, ranks at least as high as his poetry. The Sermons, some 160 in all, are especially memorable for their imaginative explications of biblical passages and for their intense explorations of the themes of divine love and of the decay and resurrection of the body. Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1624) is a powerful series of meditations, expostulations, and prayers in which Donne's serious sickness at the time becomes a microcosm wherein can be observed the stages of the world's spiritual disease.

Obsessed with the idea of death, Donne preached what was called his own funeral sermon, "Death's Duel" just a few weeks before he died in London on March 31, 1631.

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Recent Forum Posts on John Donne

What is the significance of the aubade form?

In 'The Sunne Rising' or 'The Good Morrow' what is the significance of Donne using the aubade form? Is it merely to illustrate the sun's intrusion on the lovers or could it be a subtle allusion to the Ptolemaic idea of man being centre of the universe? I am interested to hear any responses, thank you.

Posted By Rougir at Fri 7 Aug 2009, 10:34 AM in Donne, John || 0 Replies

Donne and 'The Other'

Does anyone else think of Donne as a slightly Other poet or at least having an element of tension in this area, growing up catholic, trying to set himself apart from the rest of the world with love, setting his poetry in private not public spheres, Occasional magical/supernatural elements? Opinions? Amy

Posted By acb508 at Wed 10 Jun 2009, 7:36 PM in Donne, John || 0 Replies

Scansion Help, Holy Sonnet 7

Hi all, For my english course I need to do an analysis of the meter and rhythm of Donne's Holy Sonnet 7. Here is the original poem. At the round earth's imagined corners blow Your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise From death, you numberless infinities Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go ; All whom the flood did, and fire shall o'erthrow, All whom war, death, age, agues, tyrannies, Despair, law, chance hath slain, and you, whose eyes Shall behold God, and never taste death's woe. But let them sleep, Lord, and me mourn a space ; For, if above all these my sins abound, 'Tis late to ask abundance of Thy grace, When we are there. Here on this lowly ground, Teach me how to repent, for that's as good As if Thou hadst seal'd my pardon with Thy blood. Here is my scansion of lines 5-13. (Lines 1-4, 14 my professor assisted with.) At the round earth's imagined corners blow Your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise From death, you numberless infinities Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go ; All whom | the flood | did, and | fire shall | o'erthrow, (iamb iamb pyrrhic trochee trochee)? All whom | war, death, | age, ag | ues, tyr | annies, (iamb spondee spondee iamb iamb)??? Despair, | law, chance | hath slain, | and you,| whose eyes (iamb spondee iamb iamb iamb) Shall behold God, and never taste death's woe. (perfect iambic pentameter) But let | them sleep, | Lord, and | me mourn | a space ; (iamb iamb pyrrhic trochee pyrrhic) For, if above all these my sins abound, (perfect iambic pentameter) 'Tis late to ask abundance of Thy grace, (iambic pentameter) When we are there. Here on this lowly ground, (perfect iambic pentameter) Teach me how to repent, for that's as good (perfect iambic pentameter) As if Thou hadst seal'd my pardon with Thy blood. Ok, I really don't trust my scansion. I've never scanned a poem before and I know Donne's a bit tricky, and I'm sure I made a thousand mistakes. I feel like some of my lines are way too bizarre, even for Donne. But since my essay is based upon this poem (and simply that I find it interesting!) I'd really appreciate any critique. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Posted By momento at Mon 18 May 2009, 10:37 AM in Donne, John || 1 Reply

Can any one help meeeeeeee ??!!??!!>>

Hiii allone this is the 1st time to me to ask help >> can any one tell somthing about>> the broken heart by: John donne

Posted By LONGING DEW at Sat 28 Mar 2009, 7:20 AM in Donne, John || 7 Replies

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning

Why do you think Donne refers to irregular events on earth and in the heaves in line 9 - 12? The lines are: Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears; Men reckon what it did, and meant; But trepidation of the spheres, Though greater far, is innocent. It would be great if you could give an analysis of what these 4 lines mean.

Posted By dieves13 at Sun 22 Feb 2009, 12:25 AM in Donne, John || 0 Replies

The Anniversary

MY first post! I'm an A level English lit student currently studying Donne. I'm loving the course so far but am having great dificulty with 'The anniversary' Can someone provide me with a deep analysis and any possible connection between this poem and A Valediction? ta..

Posted By laurynjuliet at Mon 3 Nov 2008, 11:16 AM in Donne, John || 1 Reply

Song by John Donne

Recently, I read John Donne's Song: go and catch a falling star. Personally, I think Donne launched an attack on women's infidelity which was a commonly believed quality found in women at that time. but my teacher said that the theme of the poem rests on the last lines of the first stanza, " and find, what wind, serves to advance an honest mind". He said that Donne meant to criticise the social customs or manners of his time. Then, if so, what is the point of the next to stanzas which focus on women's inconsistancy? Do we really need to find out something serious or morally instructive in every poem? Couldn't one just assume the poem as a mere expression of the poet's thought? Can anyone give me some advice? Thank you very much.

Posted By edgarcsp at Wed 8 Oct 2008, 1:44 AM in Donne, John || 2 Replies

Please help with Donne's Negative Love

I'm listening to Philip Adams' Harmonium (choir and orchestra) where a huge first chunk is setting this poem (see below) to music. I have no idea what this means, so I have signed up to this board in the hope that someone who is used to reading poems can explain? There was a quick Q+A about this 4 years ago on this board, but the two answers given there tell me nothing. For example: Who are "they Which on an eye, cheek, lip, can prey"? All I can think of is having one's face bothered by buzzing flies, a common occurence in, say, Australia. But what's this about "soaring higher than virtue, or the mind to admire?" What's "higher than virtue" and Admire what? "My love, though silly, is more brave" - why silly, and braver than what? And so it goes - right to the end ("I cannot miss" - miss what?) I'm totally baffled and hence the music makes less sense to me than it probably could or should. (Great recording! On ECM Records). Many thanks NEGATIVE LOVE. by John Donne I NEVER stoop'd so low, as they Which on an eye, cheek, lip, can prey ; Seldom to them which soar no higher Than virtue, or the mind to admire. For sense and understanding may Know what gives fuel to their fire ; My love, though silly, is more brave ; For may I miss, whene'er I crave, If I know yet what I would have. If that be simply perfectest, Which can by no way be express'd But negatives, my love is so. To all, which all love, I say no. If any who deciphers best, What we know not—ourselves—can know, Let him teach me that nothing. This As yet my ease and comfort is, Though I speed not, I cannot miss.

Posted By Ignoramus at Tue 26 Aug 2008, 10:51 PM in Donne, John || 3 Replies

What does Donne's "Undertaking" signify?!

Reading this poem I got confused about the details Donne wants to explain. I think he tries to represent a different kind of love, but what is it that should be hidden from others? Does he refer to the love without cosidering He or She. What does this signify? I have problem about the details and I cannot explain why he uses such metaphors or conceit. Can anybody help me interpreting this poem? I HAVE done one braver thing Than all the Worthies did ; And yet a braver thence doth spring, Which is, to keep that hid. It were but madness now to impart The skill of specular stone, When he, which can have learn'd the art To cut it, can find none. So, if I now should utter this, Others—because no more Such stuff to work upon, there is— Would love but as before. But he who loveliness within Hath found, all outward loathes, For he who color loves, and skin, Loves but their oldest clothes. If, as I have, you also do Virtue in woman see, And dare love that, and say so too, And forget the He and She ; And if this love, though placèd so, From profane men you hide, Which will no faith on this bestow, Or, if they do, deride ; Then you have done a braver thing Than all the Worthies did ; And a braver thence will spring, Which is, to keep that hid.

Posted By sofia82 at Tue 27 May 2008, 1:34 AM in Donne, John || 2 Replies

John Donne

Hi there. I've been studying Donne's poetry and I like to discuss his poems with you who are interested in Donne's poetry. I start this discussion by "The Good-Morrow" THE GOOD-MORROW. I WONDER by my troth, what thou and I Did, till we loved ? were we not wean'd till then ? But suck'd on country pleasures, childishly ? Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers' den ? 'Twas so ; but this, all pleasures fancies be ; If ever any beauty I did see, Which I desired, and got, 'twas but a dream of thee. And now good-morrow to our waking souls, Which watch not one another out of fear ; For love all love of other sights controls, And makes one little room an everywhere. Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone ; Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown ; Let us possess one world ; each hath one, and is one. My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears, And true plain hearts do in the faces rest ; Where can we find two better hemispheres Without sharp north, without declining west ? Whatever dies, was not mix'd equally ; If our two loves be one, or thou and I Love so alike that none can slacken, none can die.

Posted By sofia82 at Sat 24 May 2008, 3:02 AM in Donne, John || 5 Replies

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