He was borne in Breed Street in London, 1572, In his youth wrote love poems and was successful. As an old man he wrote meditations and and sermons and was just as successful. He was raised catholic. He experienced much prejudice for his religion. Later on in life he converted to the Anglican Church. No one really knows if it was for religious reasons or social. he was employed by a High ranking official, but lost his job for marring his niece. Despite his success as a writer he lived a life of poverty. In his later years he joined the clergy and became wealthy. this was done upon an instance of King James and Donne became the dean of the St. Paul’s Cathedral in London England..
Holy Sonnet 10
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so ;
For those, whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy picture[s] be,
Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’rt slave to Fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well,
And better than thy stroke ; why swell’st thou then ?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And Death shall be no more ; Death, thou shalt die.
Metaphysical Properties of Holy Sonnet 10
Extended metaphor of comparing death to human. It appeals to ones intelligence by offering a different viewpoint of death. It shows, that you should not let death control you and also points out death is not the end.
Holy Sonnet 2
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.
Key Properties of Holy Sonnet 2
His Forced relationship with the devil, his anguish from this makes his relationship with god greater. His enemy uses his one weakness against him, in which the speaker cannot devote his life to the Devinne. “Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,” (line 9). The speaker wishes for a closer relationship to God than the one he has with the devil. It is obvious that he does not yet feel accomplished in this. It is also clear that he does not feel himself worthy of God’s love before God has complied with his request to “divorce” him from the hold of the devil.”
