John Donne’s poems Essay Example

deeper than just the physical action for me. When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st my soul away; when thou weep'st, my life's blood doth decay. When my partner expresses sadness through sighs or tears, it affects me deeply. I use the expression 'unkindly kind' paradoxically to convey that her sadness is hurting me inside as well. I understand that this may be seen as selfish in my love for her, but I cannot bear to see her upset over my leaving. I feel a certain power over her emotions and use it to prevent her from making me feel any worse. If she really loved me, she would not break me up and waste my life by constantly being upset over my departure.

(It cannot be, that thou lov'st me, as thou say'st, If in thine my life thou waste) Let not thy divining heart forethink me any ill; Destiny may take thy part, And may thy fears fulfil. But think that we are but turn'd aside to sleep; they who one another keep alive, ne'er parted be. He does not want his wife to dwell on the possibility of bad things happening to him as it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, they should remember that even when sleeping apart, they are still together in their thoughts and love. This heartfelt poem reflects the strong love and support a man has for his wife, especially during moments of separation that require reassurance and comfort.

This poem, A Fever, presents an opposite situation to the one described in the aforementioned verse. In Song, Donne departs from his spouse and advises her not to fret, while in A

Fever, it’s his wife who is sick with fever and he implores her not to leave him, fearing her death could leave him alone. In Song, he offers reasons for her peace of mind and discourages her from dying by cajoling her. As the fever worsens throughout the poem, the tone becomes more somber and Donne becomes less irate at the illness and his wife, growing sentimental towards her instead.

The speaker expresses his fear of losing his beloved, stating that if she were to die, he wouldn't be able to love or like another woman again. He also mentions that he would not be able to celebrate or love her memory since he would only remember her as a woman he hates. Despite his fear, he believes that she cannot die because when she leaves the world, the whole world disappears with her breath. This statement reflects that she is his whole world, and he couldn't imagine life without her.

When you, the soul of the world, leave and it remains, it is just your lifeless body. Even the most beautiful woman becomes only a ghost when she dies, and the worthiest men become like corrupt worms. This metaphor illustrates how the world would be like a dead carcass without her, and how men would crawl around like maggots on it. This image is gruesome but emphasizes how much she means to him.

Schools and universities often search for ways to end the world, but have they considered that she might be the cause of it through her fever? This verse is meant to add humor to the poem and possibly appeal to

readers.

However, her pure essence cannot sustain such a torturous fever for long, as much corruption is necessary to fuel it. Fire burns off corruption, so this fever cannot last much longer.The line, containing , resembles a self-directed monologue. The speaker comforts himself over the fact that she is running a fever and assures himself that it is only temporary.

Using a clever metaphor, I compare the burning fits to meteors, explaining that their matter is quickly spent. However, your beauty and all the parts that make you are unalterable firmament. Even though I know I can't keep you forever, it was my intention to seize you. I'd rather possess you for one hour than anything else everlasting. I'm grateful to have known and had you.

The poem's tone has softened progressively, shifting from anger to acceptance of the worsening state of his wife, or his newfound realization of it. It could be considered a truer gauge of the author's affection for his wife compared to Song, which was composed as he was departing and focused solely on reassuring her. This poem, however, centers on a conversation aimed at keeping her from leaving and expresses their love for each other. Even with my initial claim that John Donne prioritizes writing about himself instead of adoring his mistress, I continue to hold the same opinion.

Although John Donne's sexual poems like The Apparition, The Flea, and Going to Bed may give the impression that he is solely preoccupied with sex and his own desires, I tend to agree that he appears selfish and disinterested in anything beyond his mistresses. However, as a love poet who writes to

and about his wife, Donne remains clever and witty while his words flow beautifully. In these instances, he is decidedly more focused on his wife than himself; every description of her paints an angelic image and showcases his love for her.