John Donne – Flashcards
Flashcard maker : Tommy Mason
*Holy Sonnet 10*
type of sonnet
type of sonnet
Petrarchan
*Holy Sonnet 10*
why is Death “mighty” and “dreadful”
why is Death “mighty” and “dreadful”
people are afraid of it
*Holy Sonnet 10*
1st quatrain
1st quatrain
Death doesn’t kill anyone; it is merely a passageway to heaven
*Holy Sonnet 10*
why should Death “not be proud”
why should Death “not be proud”
people get pleasure from sleep, and sleep is a preview of death; it’s a slave to fate, chance, war, desperation, drugs, or sickness
*Holy Sonnet 10*
meaning of last 2 lines
meaning of last 2 lines
when you die, Death dies because there is eternal life
*Meditation 17*
What does the author think about when he listens to a bell toll?
What does the author think about when he listens to a bell toll?
He faces his own mortality (possible death) when he hears a bell ring for someone else’s death.
*Meditation 17*
Why does the author use “conceits” (exaggeration)?
Why does the author use “conceits” (exaggeration)?
The author wants to express the idea that all people are connected to each other under GOD.
*Meditation 17*
Why do church bells ring?
Why do church bells ring?
They ring at weddings, to call people to church and to funerals
*Meditation 17*
According to Donne, what is the church’s role in Society?
According to Donne, what is the church’s role in Society?
“The church is catholic, universal, so are all her actions, all that she does belongs to all.”
The church’s job is to bring people together and keep people connected.
*Meditation 17*
Analyze the conceit: “all mankind is of one author and one volume”
Analyze the conceit: “all mankind is of one author and one volume”
1. Mankind is like a book, the chapters are written by God.
2. The volume of the book is MANKIND.
3. The conceit (exaggeration) is that God is telling the story of our lives.
2. The volume of the book is MANKIND.
3. The conceit (exaggeration) is that God is telling the story of our lives.
*Meditation 17*
Explain how the following quote identifies the theme of Donne’s speech?
Explain how the following quote identifies the theme of Donne’s speech?
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”
Nobody is alone. We are all connected and part of something bigger.
*Meditation 17*
What comment does Donne make about gold and money?
What comment does Donne make about gold and money?
Money and gold has no value until we spend it.
*Meditation 17*
What statement is Donne making about the suffering in the world.
What statement is Donne making about the suffering in the world.
Man learns from his suffering and becomes stronger and more mature. Suffering makes life have meaning.
*Meditation 17*
Explain why Donne calls heaven “home”
Explain why Donne calls heaven “home”
“except we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven.
He sees Heaven as a comforting place where people go to return to their father (GOD).
*Meditation 17*
What is the tone of this meditation?
What is the tone of this meditation?
It is calm and reassuring. It is telling people not to be afraid of suffering and death. They have the comfort of all the people that they are connected to and will one day go to Heaven to meet GOD.
*Meditation 17*
How does this essay meet one of the characteristics of METAPHYSICAL POETRY?
How does this essay meet one of the characteristics of METAPHYSICAL POETRY?
This essay contains paradoxes, conceits and talks about spiritual rather than physical life.
*Valediction*
What phrase does the speaker use to describe the opposite of his and his wife’s love?
What phrase does the speaker use to describe the opposite of his and his wife’s love?
“Dull sublunary lovers’ love . . .”
*Valediction*
In plain English the title “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” means —
In plain English the title “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” means —
a farewell urging the listener not to be sad
*Valediction*
According to the speaker, absence from a lover is easiest to bear when the —
According to the speaker, absence from a lover is easiest to bear when the —
two people are extremely close
*Valediction*
In the first six lines of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” the speaker compares parting to
In the first six lines of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” the speaker compares parting to
dying.
*Valediction*
The poem is made of four-line stanzas (quatrains) in which the rhyme scheme is —
The poem is made of four-line stanzas (quatrains) in which the rhyme scheme is —
abab, and there are four iambic feet
*Valediction*
Lines 7-8, “‘Twere profanation of our joys / To tell the laity our love,” mean —
Lines 7-8, “‘Twere profanation of our joys / To tell the laity our love,” mean —
our love is so sacred that we should not speak of it to others
*Valediction*
The question below refers to the selection “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.”
The question below refers to the selection “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.”
bridge the gap between their bodies.
*Valediction*
The scene described in the first stanza is —
The scene described in the first stanza is —
a deathbed
*Valediction*
In “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” what does the speaker say is necessary for “dull sublunary lovers”?
In “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” what does the speaker say is necessary for “dull sublunary lovers”?
being together physically
*Valediction*
The device that the speaker compares his and his wife’s love to is for —
The device that the speaker compares his and his wife’s love to is for —
drawing circles
*Song*
Who is this poem addressed to?
Who is this poem addressed to?
Another man or men
*Song*
Why rhyme scheme does the poem have?
Why rhyme scheme does the poem have?
A B A B C C D D D
– It has a triplets and couplets
– It has a triplets and couplets
*Song*
What type of meter does it have?
What type of meter does it have?
Tetrameter – driving sound
*Song*
What does the poem open with?
What does the poem open with?
A series of impossible tasks
– “go and catch a falling star”
– “get with child a mandrake root”
– “who cleft the devils foot”
– “teach me to hear mermaids singing”
– “go and catch a falling star”
– “get with child a mandrake root”
– “who cleft the devils foot”
– “teach me to hear mermaids singing”
*Song*
What do all the impossible tasks have in common?
What do all the impossible tasks have in common?
– mystical images
– imperatives such as ‘go’ ‘get’ ‘teach’
– it’s impossible to do these tasks just likes its impossible to find a women who won’t cheat on you.
– imperatives such as ‘go’ ‘get’ ‘teach’
– it’s impossible to do these tasks just likes its impossible to find a women who won’t cheat on you.
*Song*
What line sums up the whole poem?
What line sums up the whole poem?
“and swear, no where, lives a woman true and fair”
– no matter where you look you’ll never find a women who is true and fair.
– no matter where you look you’ll never find a women who is true and fair.
*Song*
What is the last line in the poem?
What is the last line in the poem?
“False, ere I come, to two, or three”
– by the time you write your first letter to your lover she would have already slept with two or three other men.
– by the time you write your first letter to your lover she would have already slept with two or three other men.
