PDA

View Full Version : A Blending of the Spiritual and Sexual



coffee
12-14-2006, 02:45 PM
Hi all, just wondering if any of you had any suggestions on which of Donne's poems best represent his blending of sacred and sexual elements.

Currently I have Holy Sonnet XIV: Batter My Heart and also The Flea, however I can't seem to find any more that have as much to analyze as these two do. (Since whenever I see Donnes poetry I immediately assume nearly everything he writes has some kind of sexual connotation, so I was hoping to find an example at least somewhat blatant)

Any input would be greatly appreciated :)

ShoutGrace
12-14-2006, 03:00 PM
I haven't read all of Donne, but right off the top of my head I would greatly endorse "Holy Sonnet XIV: Batter My Heart."



(Since whenever I see Donnes poetry I immediately assume nearly everything he writes has some kind of sexual connotation, so I was hoping to find an example at least somewhat blatant).

:lol: You remind me of someone I know! (this comment will only have possible significance for one or two people who might read it, don't worry :D.)

coffee
12-15-2006, 04:15 AM
^ Yeah, that's the one I first thought of too, so far I have Holy Sonnet XIV: Batter My Heart and The Flea and then I'm stuck. I just need one more poem with a fairly obvious, and not to far fetched sexual/spiritual mix.

Haha, good to know I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Sumaya
12-26-2006, 08:53 AM
I think Elegy 16 has definately got a mix of the sexual and sacred - the sexual part is very, um, "blatant" the sacred less so, but is still there. The diction used - 'Heaven's zone glistering' and 'heaven's angels' and 'Mahomet's paradise' and so on - the general tone of awe and wonder at the purity of the naked human form, etc, etc.

Plus it's got a killer ending! lol lol lol

'The Ecstasy' also has an interesting mix in terms of bodily/spirtual love. Definite 'sexual/spiritual mix' - and it's deep, rich in meaning.