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‭JOHN DONNE - METAPHYSICAL POETRY‬

‭―The Flea, The Ecstasie, The Relique, Batter my heart,‬

‭Satyre: of Religion‬

‭John‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭was‬ ‭born‬ ‭in‬ ‭1572‬‭and‬‭died‬‭in‬‭1631.‬‭He‬‭was‬‭an‬‭English‬‭poet,‬‭lawyer,‬‭and‬

‭Cleric.‬ ‭John‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭is‬ ‭considered‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭one‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭main‬ ‭representatives‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬
‭metaphysical‬ ‭poets‬‭.‬ ‭His‬‭poems‬‭are‬‭known‬‭for‬‭their‬‭vibrant‬‭language,‬‭powerful‬‭images,‬
‭abrupt‬ ‭openings,‬ ‭and‬ ‭paradoxes‬‭.‬ ‭Donne’s‬ ‭poetry‬ ‭introduced‬ ‭a‬ ‭more‬ ‭personal‬ ‭tone‬ ‭in‬
‭the‬ ‭poems‬ ‭and‬ ‭a‬ ‭particular‬ ‭poetic‬ ‭meter‬‭,‬ ‭which‬ ‭resembles‬ ‭natural‬ ‭speech‬‭.‬ ‭Moreover,‬
‭John‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭is‬ ‭considered‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭the‬ ‭genius‬ ‭of‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭conceits‬ ‭and‬ ‭extended‬
‭metaphors‬‭,‬‭as‬‭his‬‭poems‬‭combine‬‭two‬‭concepts‬‭into‬‭one‬‭by‬‭using‬‭imagery‬‭.‬‭Apart‬‭from‬
‭poems, Donne also wrote translations, epigrams,‬‭elegies‬‭, satires, among others‬

‭Donne's‬ ‭style‬ ‭is‬ ‭characterized‬ ‭by‬ ‭abrupt‬ ‭openings‬‭and‬‭various‬‭paradoxes,‬‭ironies‬‭and‬

‭dislocations.‬ ‭These‬ ‭features,‬ ‭along‬ ‭with‬ ‭his‬ ‭frequent‬ ‭dramatic‬ ‭or‬ ‭everyday‬ ‭speech‬
‭rhythms,‬ ‭his‬ ‭tense‬ ‭syntax‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭tough‬ ‭eloquence,‬ ‭were‬ ‭both‬ ‭a‬ ‭reaction‬ ‭against‬ ‭the‬
‭smoothness‬ ‭of‬ ‭conventional‬ ‭Elizabethan‬ ‭poetry‬ ‭and‬ ‭an‬ ‭adaptation‬ ‭into‬ ‭English‬ ‭of‬
‭European‬‭baroque‬‭and‬‭mannerist‬‭techniques.‬‭[3]‬ ‭His‬‭early‬‭career‬‭was‬‭marked‬‭by‬‭poetry‬
‭that‬ ‭bore‬ ‭immense‬ ‭knowledge‬ ‭of‬ ‭English‬ ‭society.‬ ‭Another‬‭important‬‭theme‬‭in‬‭Donne's‬
‭poetry‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭idea‬ ‭of‬ ‭true‬ ‭religion,‬‭something‬‭that‬‭he‬‭spent‬‭much‬‭time‬‭considering‬‭and‬
‭about‬ ‭which‬ ‭he‬ ‭often‬ ‭theorised.‬ ‭He‬ ‭wrote‬ ‭secular‬ ‭poems‬ ‭as‬ ‭well‬ ‭as‬ ‭erotic‬ ‭and‬ ‭love‬
‭poems. He is particularly famous for his mastery of metaphysical‬‭conceits‬‭.‬

‭The Flea‬‭(1590s)‬
‭Biathanatos‬‭(1608)‬
‭Pseudo-Martyr‬‭(1610)‬
‭Ignatius His Conclave‬‭(1611)‬
‭A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning‬‭(1611)‬

‭THE FLEA‬
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‭"‬‭The‬ ‭Flea‬‭"‬ ‭is‬ ‭an‬ ‭erotic‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭poem‬ ‭(first‬ ‭published‬ ‭posthumously‬‭in‬‭1633)‬‭by‬‭John‬‭Donne‬
‭(1572–1631).‬‭The‬‭poem‬‭uses‬‭the‬‭conceit‬‭of‬‭a‬‭flea‬‭,‬‭which‬‭has‬‭sucked‬‭blood‬‭from‬‭the‬‭male‬‭speaker‬
‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭female‬ ‭lover,‬ ‭to‬ ‭serve‬ ‭as‬ ‭an‬ ‭extended‬ ‭metaphor‬ ‭for‬ ‭the‬ ‭relationship‬ ‭between‬ ‭them.‬ ‭The‬
‭speaker‬ ‭tries‬ ‭to‬ ‭convince‬ ‭a‬‭lady‬‭to‬‭sleep‬‭with‬‭him,‬‭arguing‬‭that‬‭if‬‭their‬‭blood‬‭mingling‬‭in‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭is‬
‭innocent,‬‭then‬‭sexual‬‭mingling‬‭would‬‭also‬‭be‬‭innocent.‬‭His‬‭argument‬‭hinges‬‭on‬‭the‬‭belief‬‭that‬‭bodily‬
‭fluids mix during sexual intercourse.‬

‭Summary‬

‭The‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭tells‬ ‭his‬ ‭beloved‬ ‭to‬‭look‬‭at‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭before‬‭them‬‭and‬‭to‬‭note‬‭“how‬‭little”‬‭is‬

‭that‬‭thing‬‭that‬‭she‬‭denies‬‭him.‬‭For‬‭the‬‭flea,‬‭he‬‭says,‬‭has‬‭sucked‬‭first‬‭his‬‭blood,‬‭then‬‭her‬

‭blood,‬‭so‬‭that‬‭now,‬‭inside‬‭the‬‭flea,‬‭they‬‭are‬‭mingled;‬‭and‬‭that‬‭mingling‬‭cannot‬‭be‬‭called‬

‭“sin,‬‭or‬‭shame,‬‭or‬‭loss‬‭of‬‭maidenhead.”‬‭The‬‭flea‬‭has‬‭joined‬‭them‬‭together‬‭in‬‭a‬‭way‬‭that,‬

‭“alas, is more than we would do.”‬

‭As‬ ‭his‬ ‭beloved‬ ‭moves‬ ‭to‬ ‭kill‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea,‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭stays‬‭her‬‭hand,‬‭asking‬‭her‬‭to‬‭spare‬

‭the‬ ‭three‬ ‭lives‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea:‬ ‭his‬ ‭life,‬ ‭her‬ ‭life,‬ ‭and‬‭the‬‭flea’s‬‭own‬‭life.‬‭In‬‭the‬‭flea,‬‭he‬‭says,‬

‭where‬‭their‬‭blood‬‭is‬‭mingled,‬‭they‬‭are‬‭almost‬‭married—no,‬‭more‬‭than‬‭married—and‬‭the‬

‭flea‬ ‭is‬ ‭their‬ ‭marriage‬ ‭bed‬ ‭and‬ ‭marriage‬ ‭temple‬ ‭mixed‬ ‭into‬ ‭one.‬ ‭Though‬ ‭their‬ ‭parents‬

‭grudge‬ ‭their‬ ‭romance‬‭and‬‭though‬‭she‬‭will‬‭not‬‭make‬‭love‬‭to‬‭him,‬‭they‬‭are‬‭nevertheless‬

‭united‬‭and‬‭cloistered‬‭in‬‭the‬‭living‬‭walls‬‭of‬‭the‬‭flea.‬‭She‬‭is‬‭apt‬‭to‬‭kill‬‭him,‬‭he‬‭says,‬‭but‬‭he‬

‭asks‬‭that‬‭she‬‭not‬‭kill‬‭herself‬‭by‬‭killing‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭that‬‭contains‬‭her‬‭blood;‬‭he‬‭says‬‭that‬‭to‬‭kill‬

‭the flea would be sacrilege, “three sins in killing three.”‬

‭“Cruel‬ ‭and‬ ‭sudden,”‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬‭calls‬‭his‬‭lover,‬‭who‬‭has‬‭now‬‭killed‬‭the‬‭flea,‬‭“purpling”‬

‭her‬ ‭fingernail‬ ‭with‬‭the‬‭“blood‬‭of‬‭innocence.”‬‭The‬‭speaker‬‭asks‬‭his‬‭lover‬‭what‬‭the‬‭flea’s‬

‭sin‬‭was,‬‭other‬‭than‬‭having‬‭sucked‬‭from‬‭each‬‭of‬‭them‬‭a‬‭drop‬‭of‬‭blood.‬‭He‬‭says‬‭that‬‭his‬

‭lover‬ ‭replies‬ ‭that‬ ‭neither‬ ‭of‬ ‭them‬ ‭is‬ ‭less‬ ‭noble‬ ‭for‬ ‭having‬ ‭killed‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭true,‬ ‭he‬
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‭says,‬‭and‬‭it‬‭is‬‭this‬‭very‬‭fact‬‭that‬‭proves‬‭that‬‭her‬‭fears‬‭are‬‭false:‬‭If‬‭she‬‭were‬‭to‬‭sleep‬‭with‬

‭him (“yield to me”), she would lose no more honor than she lost when she killed the flea.‬

‭Form‬

‭This‬ ‭poem‬ ‭alternates‬ ‭metrically‬ ‭between‬ ‭lines‬ ‭in‬ ‭iambic‬‭tetrameter‬‭and‬‭lines‬‭in‬‭iambic‬

‭pentameter,‬ ‭a‬ ‭4-5‬ ‭stress‬ ‭pattern‬ ‭ending‬ ‭with‬ ‭two‬ ‭pentameter‬ ‭lines‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬ ‭end‬ ‭of‬‭each‬

‭stanza.‬ ‭Thus,‬ ‭the‬ ‭stress‬ ‭pattern‬ ‭in‬ ‭each‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭nine-line‬ ‭stanzas‬ ‭is‬ ‭454545455.‬ ‭The‬

‭rhyme‬‭scheme‬‭in‬‭each‬‭stanza‬‭is‬‭similarly‬‭regular,‬‭in‬‭couplets,‬‭with‬‭the‬‭final‬‭line‬‭rhyming‬

‭with the final couplet: AABBCCDDD.‬

‭Commentary‬

‭This‬ ‭funny‬ ‭little‬ ‭poem‬ ‭again‬ ‭exhibits‬ ‭Donne’s‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭love-poem‬ ‭mode,‬ ‭his‬

‭aptitude‬ ‭for‬ ‭turning‬ ‭even‬ ‭the‬ ‭least‬ ‭likely‬ ‭images‬ ‭into‬ ‭elaborate‬ ‭symbols‬ ‭of‬ ‭love‬ ‭and‬

‭romance.‬ ‭This‬ ‭poem‬ ‭uses‬ ‭the‬ ‭image‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭flea‬ ‭that‬‭has‬‭just‬‭bitten‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭and‬‭his‬

‭beloved‬ ‭to‬ ‭sketch‬ ‭an‬ ‭amusing‬ ‭conflict‬ ‭over‬ ‭whether‬ ‭the‬ ‭two‬ ‭will‬ ‭engage‬ ‭in‬ ‭premarital‬

‭sex.‬‭The‬‭speaker‬‭wants‬‭to,‬‭the‬‭beloved‬‭does‬‭not,‬‭and‬‭so‬‭the‬‭speaker,‬‭highly‬‭clever‬‭but‬

‭grasping‬‭at‬‭straws,‬‭uses‬‭the‬‭flea,‬‭in‬‭whose‬‭body‬‭his‬‭blood‬‭mingles‬‭with‬‭his‬‭beloved’s,‬‭to‬

‭show‬‭how‬‭innocuous‬‭such‬‭mingling‬‭can‬‭be—he‬‭reasons‬‭that‬‭if‬‭mingling‬‭in‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭is‬‭so‬

‭innocuous,‬ ‭sexual‬ ‭mingling‬ ‭would‬ ‭be‬ ‭equally‬ ‭innocuous,‬ ‭for‬ ‭they‬ ‭are‬ ‭really‬ ‭the‬ ‭same‬

‭thing.‬‭By‬‭the‬‭second‬‭stanza,‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭is‬‭trying‬‭to‬‭save‬‭the‬‭flea’s‬‭life,‬‭holding‬‭it‬‭up‬‭as‬

‭“our marriage bed and marriage temple.”‬

‭But‬‭when‬‭the‬‭beloved‬‭kills‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭despite‬‭the‬‭speaker’s‬‭protestations‬‭(and‬‭probably‬‭as‬

‭a‬ ‭deliberate‬‭move‬‭to‬‭squash‬‭his‬‭argument,‬‭as‬‭well),‬‭he‬‭turns‬‭his‬‭argument‬‭on‬‭its‬‭head‬

‭and‬ ‭claims‬ ‭that‬ ‭despite‬ ‭the‬ ‭high-minded‬ ‭and‬ ‭sacred‬ ‭ideals‬‭he‬‭has‬‭just‬‭been‬‭invoking,‬

‭killing‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea‬ ‭did‬‭not‬‭really‬‭impugn‬‭his‬‭beloved’s‬‭honor—and‬‭despite‬‭the‬‭high-minded‬

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‭and‬ ‭sacred‬ ‭ideals‬ ‭she‬ ‭has‬ ‭invoked‬ ‭in‬ ‭refusing‬ ‭to‬ ‭sleep‬ ‭with‬ ‭him,‬ ‭doing‬ ‭so‬ ‭would‬ ‭not‬

‭impugn her honor either.‬

‭This‬‭poem‬‭is‬‭the‬‭cleverest‬‭of‬‭a‬‭long‬‭line‬‭of‬‭sixteenth-century‬‭love‬‭poems‬‭using‬‭the‬‭flea‬

‭as‬ ‭an‬ ‭erotic‬ ‭image,‬ ‭a‬ ‭genre‬ ‭derived‬ ‭from‬ ‭an‬ ‭older‬ ‭poem‬ ‭of‬ ‭Ovid.‬ ‭Donne’s‬ ‭poise‬ ‭of‬

‭hinting‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬ ‭erotic‬ ‭without‬ ‭ever‬ ‭explicitly‬ ‭referring‬ ‭to‬ ‭sex,‬ ‭while‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬ ‭same‬ ‭time‬

‭leaving‬ ‭no‬ ‭doubt‬ ‭as‬ ‭to‬ ‭exactly‬ ‭what‬ ‭he‬ ‭means,‬ ‭is‬ ‭as‬ ‭much‬ ‭a‬ ‭source‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem’s‬

‭humor‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬ ‭silly‬ ‭image‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea‬ ‭is;‬ ‭the‬ ‭idea‬ ‭that‬ ‭being‬ ‭bitten‬ ‭by‬ ‭a‬ ‭flea‬ ‭would‬

‭represent‬ ‭“sin,‬ ‭or‬ ‭shame,‬ ‭or‬ ‭loss‬ ‭of‬ ‭maidenhead”‬ ‭gets‬ ‭the‬ ‭point‬ ‭across‬ ‭with‬ ‭a‬ ‭neat‬

‭conciseness and clarity that Donne’s later religious lyrics never attained.‬

‭“The Flea” Themes‬

‭Sex and Marriage‬

‭“The‬ ‭Flea”‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭poem‬ ‭of‬ ‭seduction,‬ ‭but‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭takes‬ ‭an‬ ‭unusual‬ ‭approach‬ ‭to‬

‭getting‬‭his‬‭lady‬‭into‬‭bed.‬‭Instead‬‭of‬‭praising‬‭her‬‭beauty‬‭or‬‭promising‬‭her‬‭happiness,‬‭he‬

‭instead‬ ‭insists‬ ‭that‬ ‭virginity‬ ‭is‬ ‭unimportant‬ ‭and‬ ‭that‬ ‭its‬ ‭loss‬ ‭will‬ ‭not‬ ‭be‬ ‭a‬ ‭significant‬

‭source‬ ‭of‬ ‭shame‬ ‭or‬‭dishonor.‬‭In‬‭doing‬‭so,‬‭he‬‭pushes‬‭against‬‭the‬‭values‬‭of‬‭his‬‭society,‬

‭which‬ ‭prized‬ ‭female‬ ‭virginity‬ ‭and‬ ‭pressured‬ ‭women‬ ‭to‬ ‭preserve‬ ‭it‬‭until‬‭marriage.‬‭“The‬

‭Flea”‬ ‭thus‬ ‭tries‬ ‭to‬ ‭create‬ ‭a‬ ‭space‬ ‭for‬ ‭sexual‬ ‭pleasure‬ ‭outside‬ ‭the‬ ‭boundaries‬ ‭of‬

‭marriage.‬

‭The‬‭speaker‬‭begins‬‭the‬‭poem‬‭in‬‭frustration,‬‭even‬‭exasperation,‬‭with‬‭the‬‭implication‬‭that‬

‭his‬ ‭mistress‬ ‭continuously‬‭refuses‬‭to‬‭have‬‭sex‬‭with‬‭him.‬‭Though‬‭she‬‭does‬‭not‬‭speak‬‭in‬

‭the‬ ‭poem,‬ ‭the‬ ‭reader‬ ‭can‬ ‭guess‬ ‭at‬‭her‬‭reasons‬‭for‬‭refusing‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭based‬‭on‬‭the‬

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‭arguments‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭makes‬‭to‬‭change‬‭her‬‭mind:‬‭she‬‭wants‬‭to‬‭preserve‬‭her‬‭virginity,‬

‭and she worries that losing it outside of marriage will result in sin, shame, and dishonor.‬

‭The‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭attempts‬ ‭to‬ ‭address‬ ‭these‬ ‭concerns.‬ ‭Playing‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭Renaissance‬ ‭belief‬

‭that‬ ‭during‬ ‭sex‬ ‭the‬ ‭blood‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭two‬‭partners‬‭mingled‬‭together,‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭notes‬‭that‬

‭their‬ ‭blood‬ ‭also‬ ‭mingles‬ ‭in‬ ‭a‬ ‭flea‬ ‭which‬ ‭has‬‭bitten‬‭both‬‭of‬‭them.‬‭Since‬‭it’s‬‭not‬‭a‬‭sin‬‭or‬

‭shameful‬‭for‬‭their‬‭blood‬‭to‬‭meet‬‭in‬‭the‬‭body‬‭of‬‭the‬‭flea,‬‭he‬‭argues,‬‭it’s‬‭not‬‭a‬‭sin‬‭for‬‭the‬

‭same thing to happen during sex.‬

‭The‬ ‭speaker’s‬ ‭argument‬ ‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭entirely‬ ‭convincing:‬ ‭even‬ ‭for‬ ‭a‬ ‭Renaissance‬ ‭reader,‬ ‭it‬

‭would‬ ‭be‬ ‭surprising,‬ ‭even‬ ‭silly,‬ ‭to‬ ‭think‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭most‬ ‭important‬ ‭thing‬ ‭about‬ ‭sex‬‭is‬‭the‬

‭mingling‬ ‭of‬ ‭blood‬ ‭between‬ ‭the‬ ‭partners.‬ ‭There‬ ‭is‬ ‭something‬ ‭juvenile‬ ‭and‬ ‭provocative‬

‭about‬‭the‬‭poem:‬‭some‬‭readers‬‭may‬‭feel‬‭that‬‭comparing‬‭sex‬‭to‬‭getting‬‭bitten‬‭by‬‭a‬‭flea‬‭is‬

‭intended to be funny and gross, rather than seductive.‬

‭But‬‭underlying‬‭the‬‭poem’s‬‭bawdy‬‭humor,‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭makes‬‭a‬‭surprising‬‭and‬‭potentially‬

‭radical‬ ‭argument.‬ ‭Though‬ ‭he‬ ‭might‬ ‭have‬ ‭more‬ ‭success‬ ‭in‬ ‭seducing‬ ‭his‬ ‭mistress‬‭if‬‭he‬

‭played‬ ‭along,‬ ‭promised‬ ‭to‬ ‭marry‬ ‭her‬ ‭and‬ ‭cherish‬ ‭her‬ ‭virginity,‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭refuses‬ ‭to‬

‭accept‬‭his‬‭mistress’s‬‭and‬‭his‬‭society’s‬‭values.‬‭Instead,‬‭he‬‭tries‬‭to‬‭change‬‭those‬‭values‬

‭by‬ ‭downplaying‬ ‭the‬ ‭importance‬ ‭of‬ ‭virginity‬‭and‬‭of‬‭marriage‬‭itself.‬‭In‬‭the‬‭flea,‬‭he‬‭notes,‬

‭he‬‭and‬‭his‬‭mistress‬‭are‬‭“more‬‭than‬‭married.”‬‭What’s‬‭more,‬‭he‬‭does‬‭not‬‭seem‬‭interested‬

‭in‬ ‭reconciling‬ ‭their‬ ‭sexual‬ ‭adventures‬ ‭with‬ ‭social‬‭values:‬‭instead,‬‭he‬‭imagines‬‭that‬‭the‬

‭flea itself offers a kind of refuge from angry “parents.”‬

‭The‬‭speaker‬‭of‬‭“The‬‭Flea”‬‭is‬‭thus‬‭unusually‬‭ambitious.‬‭He‬‭seeks‬‭not‬‭only‬‭to‬‭seduce‬‭his‬

‭mistress,‬ ‭but‬ ‭also‬ ‭to‬ ‭defy—and‬ ‭perhaps‬ ‭remake—social‬ ‭norms‬ ‭around‬ ‭sexuality.‬ ‭You‬

‭might‬ ‭wonder‬ ‭how‬ ‭sincere‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭is‬ ‭in‬ ‭advancing‬ ‭this‬ ‭proposal—it‬ ‭is‬ ‭awfully‬

‭convenient‬ ‭that‬ ‭changing‬ ‭these‬ ‭mores‬ ‭would‬ ‭also‬ ‭fulfill‬ ‭his‬ ‭desires‬ ‭in‬ ‭this‬ ‭moment.‬
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‭Though‬ ‭“The‬ ‭Flea”‬ ‭makes‬ ‭radical‬ ‭proposals‬ ‭about‬ ‭sexuality,‬ ‭questions‬ ‭about‬ ‭the‬

‭speaker’s‬‭sincerity‬‭cut‬‭down‬‭the‬‭force‬‭of‬‭those‬‭proposals—and‬‭so‬‭too‬‭does‬‭the‬‭fact‬‭that‬

‭the mistress kills the flea. She, at least, is unimpressed by the speaker’s arguments.‬

‭Sex and the Church‬

‭"The‬ ‭Flea"‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭poem‬ ‭about‬ ‭illicit‬ ‭sex.‬ ‭It‬‭challenges‬‭social‬‭norms‬‭around‬‭sexuality‬‭and‬

‭tries‬ ‭to‬ ‭create‬ ‭space‬ ‭for‬ ‭sexual‬ ‭pleasure‬ ‭beyond‬ ‭the‬ ‭boundaries‬ ‭of‬ ‭marriage.‬ ‭It's‬

‭surprising,‬ ‭then,‬ ‭how‬ ‭often‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem‬ ‭references‬ ‭Christianity.‬ ‭Though‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬

‭challenges‬ ‭marriage‬ ‭as‬ ‭an‬ ‭institution,‬ ‭he‬ ‭also‬ ‭uses‬ ‭the‬ ‭authority‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭Church‬ ‭to‬

‭support‬‭his‬‭arguments.‬‭In‬‭this‬‭way,‬‭the‬‭poem‬‭subtly‬‭suggests‬‭that‬‭sex‬‭for‬‭pleasure‬‭isn’t‬

‭simply acceptable, but can even be thought of as a holy act.‬

‭"The‬‭Flea"‬‭often‬‭alludes‬‭to‬‭Christian‬‭traditions‬‭in‬‭both‬‭its‬‭content‬‭and‬‭form.‬‭For‬‭instance,‬

‭the‬‭speaker‬‭describes‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭as‬‭"three‬‭lives‬‭in‬‭one."‬‭This‬‭is‬‭in‬‭reference‬‭to‬‭the‬‭fact‬‭that‬

‭the‬‭flea‬‭contains‬‭the‬‭blood‬‭of‬‭the‬‭speaker,‬‭the‬‭mistress,‬‭and‬‭of‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭itself,‬‭but‬‭it's‬‭also‬

‭an‬ ‭allusion‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭Holy‬ ‭Trinity:‬‭the‬‭Father‬‭(God),‬‭the‬‭Son‬‭(Jesus),‬‭and‬‭the‬‭Holy‬‭Ghost.‬

‭The‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭also‬ ‭compares‬ ‭the‬ ‭mingling‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭mistress’s‬ ‭blood‬‭in‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭to‬

‭marriage,‬ ‭which‬ ‭during‬ ‭Donne's‬ ‭lifetime‬ ‭would‬ ‭have‬ ‭been‬ ‭solely‬ ‭the‬ ‭province‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬

‭church.‬ ‭Though‬ ‭he‬ ‭suggests‬ ‭that‬ ‭they‬ ‭are‬ ‭"more‬ ‭than‬ ‭married,"‬ ‭marriage‬ ‭remains‬‭his‬

‭reference‬‭point‬‭for‬‭a‬‭meaningful‬‭union‬‭between‬‭people.‬‭Indeed,‬‭he‬‭compares‬‭the‬‭flea’s‬

‭body‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭"marriage‬ ‭bed,‬ ‭and‬ ‭marriage‬ ‭temple,"‬ ‭the‬ ‭word‬‭"temple"‬‭here‬‭again‬‭making‬

‭the church's presence and authority felt in the poem.‬

‭The‬‭speaker‬‭once‬‭again‬‭uses‬‭distinctly‬‭religious‬‭language‬‭when‬‭he‬‭declares‬‭that‬‭killing‬

‭the‬ ‭flea,‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬ ‭mistress,‬ ‭eventually‬ ‭does,‬ ‭is‬ ‭"sacrilege."‬ ‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭phrase‬ ‭"three‬ ‭sins‬ ‭in‬

‭killing‬‭three"‬‭the‬‭"three‬‭sins"‬‭are‬‭murder,‬‭suicide,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭destruction‬‭of‬‭marriage,‬‭while‬
 ‭7‬

‭the‬‭"three"‬‭things‬‭being‬‭"killed"‬‭are‬‭the‬‭speaker,‬‭the‬‭mistress,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭flea.‬‭Once‬‭again,‬

‭though,‬‭this‬‭emphasis‬‭on‬‭"three"‬‭evokes‬‭the‬‭Holy‬‭Trinity,‬‭adding‬‭yet‬‭another‬‭layer‬‭to‬‭the‬

‭potential‬ ‭"sacrilege"‬ ‭(the‬ ‭mistress‬ ‭isn't‬ ‭just‬ ‭killing‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea,‬ ‭she's‬ ‭killing‬ ‭a‬ ‭symbol‬ ‭of‬

‭God!).‬ ‭The‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭basically‬ ‭tries‬ ‭to‬ ‭convince‬ ‭his‬ ‭lover‬ ‭that‬ ‭letting‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea‬

‭live—essentially consenting to sex—is the only course of action that's not sinful.‬

‭When‬‭she‬‭does‬‭kill‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭anyway,‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭describes‬‭the‬‭blood‬‭on‬‭her‬‭nail‬‭as‬‭the‬

‭"blood‬ ‭of‬ ‭innocence."‬ ‭Though‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭attempts‬ ‭to‬ ‭push‬ ‭beyond‬ ‭Christian‬ ‭values‬

‭around‬‭sexuality,‬‭his‬‭thinking‬‭remains‬‭bound‬‭up‬‭in‬‭Christian‬‭reference‬‭points.‬‭He‬‭keeps‬

‭returning‬ ‭to‬ ‭categories‬ ‭like‬ ‭sin‬ ‭and‬ ‭innocence‬ ‭in‬ ‭order‬ ‭to‬ ‭make‬ ‭his‬ ‭points,‬ ‭which‬

‭suggests‬ ‭that,‬ ‭for‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker,‬ ‭there's‬ ‭no‬‭escaping‬‭them;‬‭he‬‭tries‬‭to‬‭work‬‭his‬‭vision‬‭of‬

‭sex‬ ‭into‬ ‭these‬ ‭ideas‬ ‭of‬ ‭sin‬ ‭and‬ ‭holiness‬ ‭rather‬ ‭than‬ ‭skirt‬ ‭them‬ ‭altogether.‬ ‭Even‬ ‭the‬

‭structure‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem‬ ‭itself‬ ‭alludes‬ ‭to‬ ‭these‬ ‭Christian‬ ‭traditions:‬ ‭there‬ ‭are‬ ‭also‬ ‭three‬

‭stanzas, each of which ends with a tercet (‬‭three‬‭rhyming lines).‬

‭The‬‭form‬‭and‬‭content‬‭thus‬‭suggest‬‭an‬‭underlying‬‭allegiance‬‭to‬‭Christian‬‭thinking,‬‭which‬

‭lies‬ ‭in‬ ‭opposition‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker’s‬ ‭bold‬ ‭attempts‬ ‭to‬ ‭separate‬ ‭sexual‬ ‭pleasure‬ ‭from‬

‭marriage.‬ ‭Some‬ ‭readers‬ ‭may‬ ‭treat‬ ‭this‬ ‭as‬ ‭opportunistic:‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭uses‬ ‭these‬

‭references‬‭to‬‭impress‬‭his‬‭mistress‬‭and‬‭to‬‭try‬‭to‬‭break‬‭down‬‭her‬‭resistance.‬‭In‬‭this‬‭view,‬

‭the‬‭speaker’s‬‭beliefs‬‭are‬‭not‬‭particularly‬‭sincere;‬‭he‬‭grabs‬‭onto‬‭whatever‬‭he‬‭can‬‭find‬‭to‬

‭seduce‬‭his‬‭mistress.‬‭Others‬‭may‬‭see‬‭a‬‭more‬‭serious‬‭claim‬‭implicit‬‭in‬‭these‬‭references.‬

‭Perhaps‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭is‬‭suggesting‬‭that,‬‭however‬‭it‬‭is‬‭currently‬‭interpreted,‬‭Christianity‬

‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭opposed‬ ‭to‬‭the‬‭illicit‬‭sexual‬‭pleasures‬‭he‬‭describes;‬‭in‬‭fact,‬‭those‬‭pleasures‬‭can‬

‭be described in Christian terms.‬

 ‭8‬

‭The‬ ‭poem‬ ‭doesn't‬ ‭offer‬ ‭clear‬ ‭evidence‬ ‭either‬ ‭way,‬ ‭and‬ ‭it's‬ ‭up‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭reader‬ ‭to‬ ‭decide‬

‭how‬ ‭to‬ ‭interpret‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker’s‬ ‭arguments—determining‬‭whether‬‭they‬‭are‬‭silly,‬‭serious,‬

‭or some strange combination of the two.‬

‭What does the flea by John Donne mean?‬

‭Flea is a metaphor for love.‬
‭Firstly‬ ‭‘The‬ ‭Flea’‬‭is‬‭a‬‭love‬‭poem‬‭where‬‭he‬‭uses‬‭his‬‭impressive‬‭imagination‬‭that‬‭attracts‬
‭the readers much.‬
‭For‬‭an‬‭expression‬‭of‬‭love,‬‭Donne‬‭opens‬‭an‬‭image‬‭with‬‭a‬‭‘flea’‬‭or‬‭a‬‭fly‬‭that‬‭sucks‬‭human‬
‭blood. We can consider as a mosquito.‬
‭The ‘flea’ sucks the blood of the poet first then it also eats the blood of the beloved.‬
‭So,‬ ‭in‬ ‭its‬ ‭stomach,‬ ‭the‬ ‭blood‬ ‭is‬ ‭getting‬ ‭mixed‬ ‭up‬ ‭and‬ ‭it‬ ‭becomes‬ ‭a‬ ‭form‬ ‭of‬ ‭love‬ ‭that‬
‭happens in the unconscious minds of the couple.‬
‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭first‬ ‭stanza,‬ ‭the‬ ‭poet‬ ‭gives‬ ‭an‬ ‭introduction‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea‬ ‭that‬ ‭is‬ ‭tiny‬ ‭and‬ ‭even‬ ‭the‬
‭poet also never thinks that it connects him with his beloved by blood.‬
‭“How little that which thou deniest me is;‬
‭It sucked me first, and now sucks thee,‬
‭And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;”‬
‭Now, the poet utters about that tiniest creature to whom he denied.‬
‭It first sucked the poet then his beloved and it melted their bloods in by its seep.‬
‭So,‬ ‭this‬ ‭line‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭metaphysical‬‭conceit‬‭because‬‭the‬‭poet‬‭takes‬‭a‬‭far-fetched‬‭reference‬‭to‬
‭justify his love for her beloved.‬
‭The‬ ‭poet‬ ‭further‬ ‭speaks‬ ‭that‬ ‭now‬ ‭he‬ ‭knows‬ ‭how‬ ‭it‬ ‭gets‬ ‭attached‬ ‭unconsciously.‬ ‭The‬
‭secret story of love can be said to the world he said.‬
‭But‬ ‭he‬ ‭again‬ ‭utters‬ ‭that‬ ‭this‬ ‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭a‬ ‭shame‬ ‭or‬ ‭loss‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭maidenhead‬ ‭as‬ ‭it‬ ‭happens‬ ‭in‬
‭disguise.‬
‭“Yet this enjoys before it woo,‬
‭And pampered swells with one blood made of two,”‬
‭As‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭has‬‭done‬‭the‬‭work‬‭on‬‭behalf‬‭of‬‭them,‬‭it‬‭changes‬‭to‬‭happiness‬‭where‬‭the‬‭poet‬
‭only sees for his love and he pampered with this melted blood that is being made by two.‬
 ‭9‬

‭To‬ ‭the‬ ‭poet,‬ ‭it‬ ‭is‬ ‭more‬ ‭than‬ ‭that‬ ‭what‬ ‭they‬ ‭could‬ ‭do‬ ‭for‬ ‭their‬ ‭selves.‬ ‭As‬ ‭a‬ ‭poem‬ ‭of‬
‭metaphysics,‬ ‭it‬ ‭produces‬ ‭thoughts‬ ‭that‬ ‭never‬ ‭match‬ ‭reality.‬ ‭It‬ ‭goes‬ ‭away‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬
‭worldly system.‬
‭“Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare,‬
‭Where we almost, nay more than married are.”‬
‭Now,‬‭Donne‬‭utters‬‭that‬‭the‬‭flea‬‭has‬‭a‬‭total‬‭of‬‭three‬‭lives‬‭one‬‭is‬‭the‬‭poet,‬‭his‬‭beloved,‬‭and‬
‭the flea.‬
‭The‬ ‭Flea‬‭by‬‭John‬‭Donne‬‭has‬‭already‬‭done‬‭the‬‭work‬‭and‬‭this‬‭is‬‭much‬‭proper‬‭than‬‭their‬
‭marriage bed.‬
‭Here,‬ ‭the‬ ‭poet‬ ‭uses‬ ‭a‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭conceit‬ ‭when‬ ‭he‬ ‭starts‬ ‭comparing‬ ‭flea‬ ‭with‬
‭themselves.‬
‭Donne‬‭takes‬‭a‬‭reference‬‭to‬‭their‬‭marriage‬‭bed‬‭and‬‭the‬‭temple‬‭where‬‭they‬‭have‬‭met.‬‭All‬
‭will‬‭watch‬‭their‬‭marriage‬‭perhaps‬‭but‬‭they‬‭never‬‭know‬‭that‬‭love-making‬‭is‬‭already‬‭done‬
‭because of the flea.‬
‭This‬ ‭line‬ ‭provides‬ ‭an‬ ‭elevated‬ ‭thought‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬‭mind‬‭of‬‭readers.‬‭He‬‭further‬‭states‬‭not‬‭to‬
‭kill the flea because it has love inside it and the flea will live as a token of love.‬
‭“Let not to that, self-murder added be,‬
‭And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.”‬
‭Now‬ ‭the‬ ‭poet‬ ‭says‬ ‭if‬ ‭the‬ ‭beloved‬ ‭kill‬ ‭the‬ ‭flea‬ ‭then‬‭it‬‭would‬‭be‬‭the‬‭killing‬‭of‬‭three‬‭lives‬
‭even of the beloved. Thus the flea becomes a part of them gradually.‬
‭The‬ ‭cruel‬ ‭and‬ ‭saddest‬ ‭scene‬ ‭is‬ ‭this‬ ‭where‬ ‭the‬ ‭poet‬ ‭finds‬ ‭the‬ ‭blood‬ ‭of‬ ‭innocence‬ ‭in‬
‭purpled nails. There the flea is being guilted by.‬

‭The Ecstasie‬
‭The‬ ‭poem,‬ ‭‘The‬‭Ecstasy’‬‭,‬‭is‬‭a‬‭clear‬‭and‬‭coherent‬‭expression‬‭of‬‭Donne’s‬‭philosophy‬‭of‬

‭love.‬‭Donne‬‭agrees‬‭with‬‭Plato‬‭that‬‭true‬‭love‬‭is‬‭spiritual.‬‭It‬‭is‬‭a‬‭union‬‭of‬‭souls.‬‭But‬‭unlike‬

‭Plato,‬‭Donne‬‭does‬‭not‬‭ignore‬‭the‬‭claims‬‭of‬‭the‬‭body.‬‭It‬‭is‬‭the‬‭body‬‭that‬‭brings‬‭the‬‭lovers‬

‭together.‬ ‭Love‬ ‭begins‬ ‭in‬ ‭sensuous‬ ‭apprehension‬ ‭and‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭love‬ ‭follows‬ ‭upon‬ ‭the‬

‭sensuous.‬ ‭So‬ ‭the‬ ‭claims‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭body‬ ‭must‬ ‭not‬ ‭be‬ ‭ignored.‬ ‭The‬ ‭union‬ ‭of‬ ‭bodies‬ ‭is‬ ‭as‬
 ‭10‬

‭essential‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬ ‭union‬ ‭of‬ ‭souls.‬ ‭Thus,‬‭Donne‬‭goes‬‭against‬‭the‬‭teachings‬‭of‬‭both‬‭Plato‬

‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭Christian‬ ‭Divines‬ ‭in‬ ‭his‬ ‭stresses‬ ‭on‬ ‭sensuous‬ ‭and‬ ‭physical‬ ‭basis‬ ‭even‬ ‭of‬

‭spiritual love.‬

‭In‬ ‭this‬ ‭respect,‬ ‭he‬‭comes‬‭close‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Renaissance‬‭and‬‭Modern‬‭point‬‭of‬‭view‬‭.‬‭Indeed,‬

‭for‬ ‭the‬ ‭first‬ ‭time,‬ ‭in‬ ‭this‬ ‭poem,‬ ‭the‬ ‭word‬ ‭‘sex’‬ ‭has‬ ‭been‬ ‭used‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭modern‬ ‭sense.‬

‭Donne’s‬ ‭emphasis‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭physical‬ ‭basis‬ ‭of‬ ‭love‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭measure‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬ ‭realism‬‭.‬ ‭Indeed,‬

‭despite‬‭all‬‭his‬‭metaphysical‬‭flights,‬‭the‬‭poet‬‭strikes‬‭an‬‭“earthly‬‭note”,‬‭when‬‭he‬‭ends‬‭the‬

‭poem‬‭with‬‭the‬‭souls‬‭returning‬‭to‬‭their‬‭respective‬‭bodies‬‭and‬‭finding‬‭no‬‭change‬‭in‬‭them.‬

‭‘The Ecstasy’‬‭is, in fact, one of the most “metaphysical”‬‭poems of Donne‬‭.‬

‭The‬ ‭passion‬ ‭and‬‭certainty‬‭of‬‭‘The‬‭Ecstasy’‬‭make‬‭it‬‭one‬‭of‬‭Donne’s‬‭greatest‬‭poems‬‭.‬‭At‬

‭the‬‭same‬‭time,‬‭the‬‭realistic‬‭earthing‬‭of‬‭the‬‭poem’s‬‭metaphysic‬‭which‬‭takes‬‭place‬‭at‬‭the‬

‭end‬ ‭makes‬ ‭it‬ ‭one‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭most‬ ‭metaphysical,‬ ‭in‬ ‭terms‬ ‭of‬ ‭literary‬ ‭features,‬ ‭t‬ ‭of‬ ‭all‬ ‭his‬

‭poems.‬

‭The‬ ‭essence‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭poem‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭bringing‬ ‭together‬ ‭or‬ ‭juxtaposition‬ ‭of‬

‭opposites,‬‭and‬‭in‬‭this‬‭poem‬‭the‬‭poet,‬‭John‬‭Donne‬‭has‬‭brought‬‭together‬‭and‬‭reconciled‬

‭such‬ ‭opposites‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬ ‭medieval‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭modern,‬ ‭the‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭physical,‬ ‭the‬

‭metaphysical‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭scientific,‬ ‭the‬ ‭religious‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭secular,‬ ‭mystical‬ ‭beliefs‬ ‭and‬

‭rational‬ ‭exposition‬‭,‬ ‭the‬ ‭abstract‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭concrete,‬ ‭the‬ ‭remote‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭familiar,‬ ‭the‬

‭indoor,‬ ‭the‬ ‭human‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭non-human.‬ ‭This‬ ‭is‬ ‭largely‬ ‭done‬ ‭through‬ ‭imagery‬ ‭and‬

‭conceit‬‭in‬‭‘The‬‭Ecstasy’,‬‭in‬‭which‬‭widely‬‭opposite‬‭concepts‬‭are‬‭brought‬‭together‬‭and‬‭the‬

‭shift from the one to the other, is both swift and natural.‬
 ‭11‬

‭ANALYSIS‬

‭Two‬‭lovers,‬‭each‬‭the‬‭best‬‭man‬‭and‬‭woman‬‭in‬‭the‬‭eyes‬‭of‬‭the‬‭other,‬‭sat‬‭near‬‭the‬‭bank‬‭of‬

‭a‬‭river,‬‭which‬‭was‬‭raised‬‭high,‬‭like‬‭a‬‭pillow‬‭on‬‭a‬‭bed,‬‭as‬‭if‬‭to‬‭provide‬‭a‬‭place‬‭for‬‭rest‬‭to‬

‭the‬ ‭reclining‬ ‭heads‬ ‭of‬ ‭violets.‬ ‭Their‬ ‭(lovers)‬ ‭hands‬ ‭were‬ ‭firmly‬ ‭clasped‬ ‭from‬ ‭which‬

‭emitted‬ ‭a‬ ‭fragrant‬ ‭balm.‬ ‭Their‬ ‭eyes‬ ‭met‬ ‭and‬ ‭reflected‬ ‭the‬ ‭image‬ ‭of‬ ‭each‬ ‭other.‬ ‭Thus‬

‭they‬ ‭were‬ ‭one‬ ‭by‬ ‭holding‬ ‭their‬ ‭hands,‬ ‭but‬ ‭their‬‭images‬‭reflected‬‭in‬‭their‬‭eyes‬‭were‬‭all‬

‭the propagation they did.‬

‭As‬‭between‬‭two‬‭equally‬‭matched‬‭armies,‬‭Fate‬‭might‬‭hold‬‭victory‬‭in‬‭the‬‭balance,‬‭so‬‭their‬

‭souls‬ ‭which‬ ‭had‬ ‭escaped‬ ‭from‬ ‭their‬ ‭bodies‬ ‭to‬ ‭rise‬ ‭a‬ ‭state‬‭of‬‭bliss‬‭and‬‭quietude,‬‭hung‬

‭between‬ ‭her‬ ‭and‬ ‭him.‬ ‭And‬‭while‬‭their‬‭souls‬‭held‬‭converse‬‭out‬‭of‬‭their‬‭bodies,‬‭they‬‭lay‬

‭still and motionless like lifeless statues, all day they neither moved nor spoke.‬

‭If‬ ‭any,‬ ‭so‬ ‭purified‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬ ‭sincere‬ ‭and‬ ‭exalted‬ ‭love‬ ‭that‬‭he‬‭understood‬‭the‬‭language‬‭of‬

‭souls,‬ ‭stood‬ ‭nearby‬ ‭(though‬ ‭he‬ ‭knew‬ ‭not‬ ‭which‬ ‭soul‬ ‭spoke‬ ‭because‬ ‭both‬ ‭meant‬ ‭and‬

‭spoke‬ ‭the‬ ‭same‬ ‭thing),‬ ‭he‬ ‭might‬ ‭have‬ ‭had‬ ‭a‬ ‭re-blending‬ ‭or‬ ‭re-mixture‬ ‭of‬‭the‬‭different‬

‭elements‬ ‭that‬ ‭make‬ ‭up‬ ‭his‬ ‭soul‬ ‭and‬ ‭depart‬ ‭far‬ ‭purer‬ ‭than‬ ‭he‬ ‭came.‬ ‭It‬‭was‬‭ecstasy‬‭to‬

‭which‬‭their‬‭souls‬‭ascended;‬‭and‬‭it‬‭made‬‭clear‬‭to‬‭them‬‭the‬‭mystery‬‭of‬‭love.‬‭As‬‭a‬‭result‬‭of‬

‭this,‬ ‭they‬ ‭realized‬ ‭that‬ ‭love‬ ‭is‬ ‭no‬ ‭sex‬ ‭experience‬ ‭–‬ ‭they‬ ‭saw‬ ‭what‬ ‭they‬ ‭did‬ ‭not‬ ‭see‬

‭before, i.e., what love reality is that it is a thing of the soul, not of the body.‬

‭Souls‬‭contain‬‭various‬‭things‬‭of‬‭which‬‭we‬‭are‬‭not‬‭fully‬‭aware;‬‭love‬‭mingles‬‭two‬‭souls‬‭and‬

‭makes‬‭them‬‭one‬‭–‬‭each‬‭of‬‭them‬‭becomes‬‭a‬‭part‬‭and‬‭parcel‬‭of‬‭the‬‭other.‬‭A‬‭violet,‬‭if‬‭it‬‭is‬

‭transplanted,‬ ‭develops‬ ‭in‬ ‭strength,‬‭color,‬‭and‬‭size.‬‭Similarly,‬‭when‬‭love‬‭joins‬‭two‬‭souls‬

‭they‬ ‭mingle‬ ‭with‬ ‭each‬ ‭other‬ ‭and‬ ‭give‬ ‭birth‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬‭new‬‭and‬‭finer‬‭soul‬‭which‬‭removes‬‭the‬
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‭pangs‬ ‭of‬ ‭loneliness‬ ‭or,‬ ‭in‬ ‭other‬ ‭words,‬ ‭“supplies‬ ‭whatever‬ ‭is‬ ‭lacking‬ ‭in‬ ‭either‬ ‭single‬

‭soul.”‬

‭This‬‭new,‬‭re-animated‬‭soul,‬‭made‬‭up‬‭of‬‭their‬‭two‬‭separate‬‭souls,‬‭made‬‭them‬‭know‬‭that‬

‭we‬‭are‬‭made‬‭and‬‭compounded‬‭of‬‭substances‬‭which‬‭grow‬‭and‬‭improve,‬‭which‬‭make‬‭us‬

‭what‬ ‭we‬‭are‬‭not‬‭affected‬‭by‬‭the‬‭change.‬‭But‬‭alas,‬‭they‬‭had‬‭so‬‭long‬‭and‬‭so‬‭far‬‭ignored‬

‭their‬ ‭bodies.‬ ‭Their‬ ‭bodies‬ ‭are‬ ‭ours,‬ ‭though‬ ‭we‬ ‭are‬ ‭distinct‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬ ‭bodies.‬ ‭We‬‭are‬‭a‬

‭spiritual‬‭being,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭bodies‬‭are‬‭the‬‭spheres‬‭within‬‭which‬‭we‬‭move.‬‭We‬‭are‬‭indebted‬

‭to‬‭our‬‭bodies,‬‭for‬‭they‬‭first‬‭brought‬‭us‬‭together‬‭and‬‭yielded‬‭the‬‭sense‬‭to‬‭us.‬‭The‬‭bodies‬

‭are‬ ‭not‬ ‭impure‬ ‭matter,‬ ‭but‬ ‭an‬ ‭alloy.‬ ‭They‬ ‭are‬ ‭like‬ ‭the‬ ‭metal‬ ‭which,‬ ‭when‬ ‭mixed‬ ‭with‬

‭gold, makes it work all the better.‬

‭When‬‭the‬‭influence‬‭of‬‭the‬‭heavenly‬‭bodies‬‭works‬‭on‬‭man,‬‭it‬‭first‬‭permeates‬‭the‬‭air,‬‭so‬‭a‬

‭soul‬‭can‬‭penetrate‬‭another‬‭soul,‬‭but‬‭it‬‭is‬‭only‬‭through‬‭the‬‭medium‬‭of‬‭the‬‭body‬‭that‬‭one‬

‭soul‬ ‭can‬ ‭contact‬ ‭another.‬ ‭As‬ ‭from‬ ‭our‬ ‭blood‬ ‭issue‬ ‭forth‬ ‭spirits‬ ‭which‬ ‭act‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬

‭instruments‬‭of‬‭the‬‭soul,‬‭and‬‭which‬‭bind‬‭together‬‭elements‬‭that‬‭go‬‭to‬‭the‬‭making‬‭of‬‭man,‬

‭so‬ ‭the‬ ‭body‬ ‭and‬ ‭sense-organs‬ ‭and‬ ‭all‬ ‭that‬ ‭comes‬ ‭to‬ ‭us‬ ‭through‬ ‭the‬ ‭sense‬ ‭are‬ ‭in‬‭the‬

‭service‬‭of‬‭the‬‭lovers’‬‭souls,‬‭otherwise,‬‭the‬‭soul‬‭(compared‬‭to‬‭the‬‭great‬‭prince‬‭in‬‭prison)‬

‭cannot reveal itself.‬

‭Therefore,‬ ‭the‬ ‭lovers‬ ‭turn‬ ‭to‬ ‭their‬ ‭bodies,‬ ‭so‬ ‭that‬ ‭they‬‭may‬‭understand‬‭the‬‭mystery‬‭of‬

‭love.‬‭Love‬‭ripens‬‭in‬‭the‬‭soul,‬‭but‬‭it‬‭is‬‭through‬‭the‬‭medium‬‭of‬‭the‬‭body‬‭that‬‭love‬‭is‬‭to‬‭be‬

‭experienced.‬ ‭If‬ ‭some‬ ‭lover,‬ ‭such‬ ‭as‬ ‭they‬ ‭are,‬ ‭has‬ ‭heard‬ ‭this‬ ‭discourse‬‭,‬ ‭let‬ ‭him‬ ‭still‬

‭observe them, and he will notice no change when they go back to their bodies.‬
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‭CRITICAL ANALYSIS‬

‭The‬‭poem,‬‭‘The‬‭Ecstasy’,‬‭is‬‭a‬‭remarkably‬‭subtle‬‭work,‬‭and‬‭perhaps‬‭the‬‭most‬‭famous‬‭of‬

‭Donne’s‬‭love-poem.‬‭Its‬‭title‬‭is‬‭apt‬‭and‬‭suggestive.‬‭The‬‭word‬‭Ecstasy‬‭is‬‭derived‬‭from‬‭the‬

‭Greek‬ ‭word‬ ‭Ekstasis‬ ‭which‬ ‭means‬ ‭to‬ ‭stand‬ ‭out‬ ‭(EK=out‬ ‭and‬ ‭Sta=to‬ ‭stand).‬ ‭In‬ ‭‘The‬

‭Ecstasy’‬‭,‬ ‭the‬ ‭souls‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭poet‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭beloved‬ ‭stand‬ ‭out‬ ‭their‬ ‭respective‬ ‭bodies‬ ‭and‬

‭hold‬‭converse.‬‭If‬‭we‬‭subscribe‬‭to‬‭the‬‭views‬‭of‬‭the‬‭medieval‬‭and‬‭mystical‬‭era,‬‭Ecstasy‬‭is‬

‭a‬‭trance-like‬‭state‬‭in‬‭which‬‭the‬‭soul‬‭leaves‬‭the‬‭body,‬‭comes‬‭out,‬‭and‬‭holds‬‭communion‬

‭with‬‭the‬‭Divine,‬‭the‬‭Supreme,‬‭or‬‭the‬‭Over-Mind‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Universe.‬‭As‬‭well‬‭as‬‭this,‬‭in‬‭‘The‬

‭Ecstasy’‬ ‭the‬ ‭souls‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭lover‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭beloved‬ ‭come‬ ‭out‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭body,‬ ‭but‬ ‭they‬ ‭hold‬

‭converse‬ ‭not‬ ‭with‬ ‭God,‬ ‭but‬ ‭with‬ ‭each‬ ‭other,‬ ‭the‬ ‭purpose‬ ‭being‬ ‭to‬ ‭bring‬ ‭out‬ ‭the‬

‭essentially‬‭sensuous‬‭and‬‭physical‬‭basis‬‭of‬‭spiritual‬‭love.‬‭Thus‬‭in‬‭his‬‭usual‬‭characteristic‬

‭manner,‬‭Donne‬‭has‬‭used‬‭religious‬‭and‬‭philosophical‬‭beliefs‬‭to‬‭illustrate‬‭the‬‭physical‬‭and‬

‭the material.‬

‭THE ECSTASIE AS A METAPHYSICAL POEM‬

‭“The‬ ‭Ecstasy”‬ ‭by‬ ‭John‬ ‭Donne‬‭is‬‭considered‬‭a‬‭metaphysical‬‭poem‬‭because‬‭it‬‭explores‬

‭complex‬ ‭philosophical‬ ‭and‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭themes.‬ ‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem,‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭delves‬ ‭into‬ ‭the‬

‭idea‬ ‭of‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭and‬ ‭physical‬ ‭union‬ ‭between‬ ‭two‬ ‭lovers,‬ ‭blending‬ ‭elements‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬

‭physical‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭divine.‬ ‭He‬ ‭uses‬ ‭vivid‬ ‭imagery‬ ‭and‬ ‭intricate‬ ‭metaphors‬ ‭to‬ ‭convey‬‭the‬

‭intensity‬‭of‬‭their‬‭connection‬‭and‬‭the‬‭merging‬‭of‬‭their‬‭souls.‬‭The‬‭poem‬‭also‬‭contemplates‬

‭the‬ ‭nature‬ ‭of‬ ‭love,‬ ‭the‬ ‭soul’s‬ ‭journey,‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭intertwining‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭and‬ ‭earthly‬
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‭realms.‬‭These‬‭metaphysical‬‭elements‬‭make‬‭“The‬‭Ecstasy”‬‭a‬‭prime‬‭example‬‭of‬‭Donne’s‬

‭metaphysical poetry.‬

‭The‬ ‭platonic‬ ‭love‬ ‭is‬ ‭evident‬ ‭throughout‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem‬ ‭and‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭considers‬ ‭the‬

‭amalgamation‬ ‭of‬ ‭two‬ ‭individual‬ ‭souls.‬ ‭In‬ ‭“The‬ ‭Ecstasy”‬ ‭poem,‬ ‭the‬ ‭platonic‬ ‭is‬

‭emphasised‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭and‬ ‭intellectual‬ ‭connection‬ ‭between‬ ‭the‬ ‭lovers.‬ ‭For‬

‭instance,‬‭Donne‬‭writes,‬‭“Our‬‭souls,‬‭which‬‭to‬‭advance‬‭their‬‭state,‬‭/‬‭Were‬‭gone‬‭out,‬‭hung‬

‭‘twixt‬ ‭her‬ ‭and‬ ‭me.”‬ ‭Here,‬ ‭the‬ ‭souls‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭lovers‬ ‭are‬ ‭depicted‬ ‭as‬ ‭being‬ ‭intertwined,‬

‭symbolizing‬ ‭a‬ ‭deep‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭bond.‬ ‭Additionally,‬ ‭Donne‬‭describes‬‭their‬‭love‬‭as‬‭a‬‭“pure,‬

‭refined,‬‭/‬‭Kind,‬‭virtuous‬‭love,”‬‭highlighting‬‭the‬‭absence‬‭of‬‭physical‬‭desire‬‭and‬‭the‬‭focus‬

‭on‬ ‭a‬ ‭higher‬ ‭form‬ ‭of‬ ‭love.‬ ‭These‬ ‭examples‬ ‭showcase‬ ‭the‬ ‭platonic‬ ‭nature‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬

‭relationship in the poem.‬

‭The‬‭metaphysical‬‭conceits‬‭is‬‭another‬‭metaphysical‬‭characteristic‬‭that‬‭is‬‭observed‬‭in‬‭the‬

‭poem.”The‬‭Ecstasy”‬‭poem‬‭by‬‭John‬‭Donne‬‭contains‬‭several‬‭metaphysical‬‭conceits.‬‭One‬

‭example‬ ‭is‬ ‭when‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭compares‬ ‭the‬ ‭souls‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭lovers‬ ‭to‬ ‭“two‬ ‭hemispheres.”‬‭This‬

‭metaphorical‬ ‭comparison‬ ‭suggests‬ ‭that‬ ‭their‬ ‭souls‬ ‭are‬ ‭like‬ ‭two‬ ‭halves‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭whole,‬

‭connected‬ ‭and‬ ‭complete‬ ‭when‬ ‭they‬ ‭are‬ ‭together.‬ ‭Another‬ ‭example‬ ‭is‬ ‭when‬ ‭Donne‬

‭describes‬‭their‬‭love‬‭as‬‭a‬‭“mixture‬‭of‬‭two‬‭entire‬‭and‬‭perfect‬‭chimeras.”‬‭This‬‭metaphorical‬

‭imagery‬ ‭conveys‬ ‭the‬ ‭idea‬ ‭that‬ ‭their‬ ‭love‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭unique‬ ‭and‬ ‭fantastical‬ ‭blend‬ ‭of‬ ‭different‬

‭elements.‬ ‭These‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭conceits‬ ‭add‬ ‭depth‬ ‭and‬ ‭complexity‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem’s‬

‭exploration‬ ‭of‬‭love‬‭and‬‭spirituality.The‬‭comparison‬‭of‬‭the‬‭soul‬‭to‬‭a‬‭prince‬‭and‬‭the‬‭body‬

‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭kingdom‬ ‭is‬‭another‬‭example‬‭of‬‭a‬‭conceit.‬‭It‬‭highlights‬‭the‬‭idea‬‭that‬‭the‬‭soul‬‭is‬‭the‬

‭ruling‬‭entity,‬‭guiding‬‭and‬‭governing‬‭the‬‭body.‬‭Just‬‭as‬‭a‬‭prince‬‭holds‬‭power‬‭and‬‭authority‬

‭over‬ ‭his‬ ‭kingdom,‬ ‭the‬ ‭soul‬ ‭has‬ ‭a‬ ‭dominant‬ ‭role‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭union‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭lovers.‬ ‭This‬
 ‭15‬

‭metaphorical‬ ‭comparison‬ ‭adds‬ ‭a‬ ‭layer‬ ‭of‬ ‭depth‬ ‭and‬ ‭complexity‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem’s‬

‭exploration of love and spiritual connection.‬

‭The‬ ‭unification‬ ‭of‬ ‭sensibility‬ ‭is‬ ‭also‬ ‭seen‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem.‬ ‭It’s‬ ‭a‬ ‭fascinating‬ ‭aspect‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬

‭poem.‬‭Donne‬‭explores‬‭the‬‭idea‬‭of‬‭merging‬‭the‬‭physical‬‭and‬‭spiritual‬‭realms,‬‭creating‬‭a‬

‭harmonious‬ ‭balance‬ ‭between‬ ‭the‬ ‭senses‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭soul.‬ ‭Through‬ ‭vivid‬ ‭imagery‬ ‭and‬

‭metaphors,‬‭the‬‭poem‬‭portrays‬‭a‬‭union‬‭where‬‭the‬‭lovers‬‭transcend‬‭the‬‭limitations‬‭of‬‭the‬

‭physical‬ ‭world‬ ‭and‬ ‭experience‬ ‭a‬ ‭heightened‬ ‭state‬ ‭of‬ ‭ecstasy.‬ ‭This‬ ‭unification‬ ‭of‬

‭sensibility‬ ‭showcases‬ ‭Donne’s‬ ‭ability‬ ‭to‬ ‭blend‬ ‭the‬ ‭realms‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭body‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭spirit,‬

‭creating a rich and profound exploration of love and transcendence.‬

‭As‬‭a‬‭metaphysical‬‭poem,‬‭it‬‭transcends‬‭the‬‭physical‬‭reality‬‭to‬‭a‬‭spiritual‬‭experience.‬‭The‬

‭term‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭is‬ ‭philosophical‬ ‭in‬ ‭a‬ ‭sense‬ ‭it‬ ‭goes‬ ‭beyond‬ ‭the‬ ‭physical‬ ‭materiality‬

‭and‬‭it‬‭explores‬‭the‬‭possible‬‭notion‬‭of‬‭spiritual‬‭enlightenment.‬‭The‬‭poem‬‭establishes‬‭the‬

‭notion‬ ‭of‬‭philosophy‬‭of‬‭a‬‭soul.‬‭The‬‭soul‬‭is‬‭considered‬‭to‬‭be‬‭the‬‭prince‬‭who‬‭governs‬‭its‬

‭own‬‭kingdom‬‭which‬‭is‬‭the‬‭body.‬‭The‬‭body‬‭is‬‭supposed‬‭to‬‭be‬‭governed‬‭by‬‭the‬‭soul‬‭or‬‭it‬

‭becomes‬‭unreciprocated.‬‭The‬‭poet‬‭beautifully‬‭sketches‬‭the‬‭idea‬‭of‬‭love‬‭that‬‭transcends‬

‭beyond‬ ‭physical‬ ‭consummation‬‭of‬‭two‬‭lovers.‬‭There‬‭is‬‭another‬‭instance‬‭where‬‭Somen‬

‭explicitly‬ ‭accepts‬ ‭physical‬ ‭reality‬ ‭and‬ ‭intimacy‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭gateway‬ ‭towards‬ ‭understanding‬

‭love.‬‭It‬‭is‬‭achieved‬‭when‬‭he‬‭uses‬‭an‬‭analogy‬‭comparing‬‭the‬‭body‬‭to‬‭a‬‭book‬‭where‬‭the‬

‭mysteries‬ ‭of‬ ‭love‬ ‭are‬ ‭written‬ ‭in‬ ‭it.‬ ‭A‬ ‭person‬ ‭who‬ ‭does‬ ‭not‬ ‭understand‬ ‭love‬ ‭can‬

‭understand‬ ‭by‬ ‭reading‬ ‭the‬ ‭book‬ ‭that‬ ‭implies‬ ‭the‬ ‭physical‬ ‭consummation‬‭of‬‭two‬‭lovers‬

‭who‬ ‭will‬ ‭consummate‬ ‭each‬ ‭other‬ ‭to‬ ‭transcend‬ ‭beyond‬ ‭the‬ ‭physical‬ ‭reality‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬

‭communion of two individual souls.‬

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‭THE RELIQUE‬

‭"The‬‭Relic"‬‭is‬‭one‬‭of‬‭John‬‭Donne's‬‭passionate‬‭love‬‭songs—and‬‭also,‬‭oddly,‬‭a‬‭jab‬‭at‬‭the‬

‭Catholic‬‭practice‬‭of‬‭venerating‬‭saints'‬‭bodies.‬‭Imagining‬‭a‬‭day‬‭some‬‭years‬‭down‬‭the‬‭line‬

‭when‬‭someone‬‭will‬‭dig‬‭up‬‭his‬‭grave‬‭and‬‭find‬‭his‬‭bones‬‭wearing‬‭a‬‭bracelet‬‭of‬‭his‬‭lover's‬

‭"bright‬ ‭hair,"‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem's‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭sighs‬ ‭that‬ ‭someone‬ ‭will‬ ‭probably‬ ‭try‬ ‭to‬ ‭pass‬ ‭these‬

‭remains‬‭off‬‭as‬‭the‬‭relics‬‭of‬‭saints.‬‭That's‬‭a‬‭"mis-devotion,"‬‭he‬‭scoffs;‬‭what‬‭the‬‭people‬‭of‬

‭the‬ ‭future‬ ‭should‬ ‭venerate‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭miraculous‬ ‭love‬ ‭he‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭darling‬ ‭shared.‬ ‭Deep‬

‭human‬ ‭love,‬ ‭this‬ ‭poem‬ ‭suggests,‬ ‭is‬ ‭plenty‬ ‭sacred‬ ‭on‬ ‭its‬ ‭own.‬ ‭Fittingly‬ ‭enough,‬ ‭this‬

‭poem‬ ‭wasn't‬ ‭widely‬ ‭published‬ ‭until‬ ‭after‬ ‭Donne's‬ ‭death,‬ ‭when‬ ‭it‬ ‭was‬ ‭collected‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬

‭1633‬‭volume‬‭Poems‬‭.‬‭‘‭T
‬ he‬‭Relic’‬‭by‬‭John‬‭Donne‬‭is‬‭a‬‭three-‬‭stanza‬‭poem‬‭that‬‭is‬‭made‬‭up‬

‭of‬ ‭sets‬ ‭of‬ ‭eleven‬ ‭lines.‬ ‭The‬ ‭form‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭stanzas‬‭,‬ ‭as‬‭well‬‭as‬‭the‬‭rhyming‬‭pattern‬‭of‬‭the‬

‭lines,‬‭is‬‭quite‬‭interesting.‬‭A‬‭reader‬‭will‬‭immediately‬‭see‬‭the‬‭varied‬‭indention‬‭of‬‭the‬‭lines,‬

‭but with closer inspection, the‬‭rhyme scheme‬‭becomes clear as well.‬

‭The‬ ‭poem‬ ‭follows‬ ‭a‬ ‭pattern‬‭of‬‭aabbcddceee.‬‭Additionally,‬‭the‬‭meter‬‭is‬‭somewhat‬‭hard‬

‭to‬ ‭determine.‬ ‭This‬ ‭is‬ ‭due‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭fact‬ ‭that‬ ‭while‬ ‭most‬ ‭lines‬ ‭are‬ ‭written‬ ‭in‬ ‭iambic‬

‭pentameter‬‭,‬‭there‬‭are‬‭a‬‭number‬‭of‬‭exceptions.‬‭The‬‭poem‬‭is‬‭told‬‭from‬‭the‬‭perspective‬‭of‬

‭a‬‭first-person‬‭narrator‬‭.‬‭This‬‭person‬‭brings‬‭an‬‭otherworldly,‬‭but‬‭still‬‭relatable,‬‭tone‬‭to‬‭the‬

‭text.‬

‭SUMMARY‬
 ‭17‬

‭The‬‭poem‬‭begins‬‭with‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭proposing‬‭a‬‭future‬‭in‬‭which‬‭his‬‭remains,‬‭alongside‬‭a‬

‭bracelet‬ ‭of‬ ‭hair,‬ ‭are‬ ‭interpreted‬ ‭as‬ ‭evidence‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭miracle.‬ ‭In‬ ‭this‬ ‭future‬ ‭world,‬ ‭the‬

‭speaker‬ ‭tells‬ ‭of‬ ‭how‬ ‭men‬ ‭making‬ ‭the‬ ‭discovery‬ ‭take‬ ‭the‬ ‭find‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭king‬‭or‬‭bishop.‬‭The‬

‭speaker‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭lover‬ ‭would‬ ‭then‬ ‭be‬ ‭made‬ ‭into‬ ‭saints‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭worship‬ ‭by‬ ‭men‬ ‭and‬

‭women.‬

‭The‬‭speaker‬‭laughs‬‭over‬‭this‬‭possibility,‬‭dismissing‬‭these‬‭kinds‬‭of‬‭crafted‬‭miracles.‬‭He‬

‭turns‬ ‭instead‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭nature‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬ ‭relationship‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭real‬ ‭example‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭miracle.‬ ‭They‬

‭loved‬‭one‬‭another,‬‭mostly‬‭from‬‭afar,‬‭only‬‭sharing‬‭a‬‭few‬‭kisses‬‭here‬‭and‬‭there.‬‭While‬‭the‬

‭speaker‬ ‭might‬ ‭want‬ ‭more‬ ‭to‬‭happen‬‭between‬‭them,‬‭he‬‭understands‬‭the‬‭importance‬‭of‬

‭their spiritual connection.‬

‭ANALYSIS‬

‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭first‬ ‭stanza‬ ‭of‬ ‭‘‭T

‬ he‬ ‭Relic’‬‭,‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭proposes‬‭a‬‭possible‬‭future‬‭scenario.‬‭It‬‭is‬

‭not‬ ‭one‬ ‭that‬ ‭he‬ ‭particularly‬ ‭wants‬ ‭to‬ ‭come‬ ‭to‬ ‭pass,‬ ‭but‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭situation‬ ‭he‬ ‭can‬ ‭see‬

‭happening.‬‭He‬‭sets‬‭the‬‭scene‬‭by‬‭imagining‬‭that‬‭he‬‭takes‬‭a‬‭piece‬‭of‬‭hair‬‭from‬‭his‬‭lover.‬

‭Before‬ ‭he‬ ‭dies,‬ ‭he‬ ‭winds‬ ‭this‬ ‭around‬ ‭his‬ ‭wrist‬ ‭like‬ ‭a‬ ‭bracelet.‬ ‭The‬ ‭man‬ ‭is‬ ‭buried‬‭that‬

‭way.‬‭He‬‭remains‬‭at‬‭peace‬‭until‬‭his‬‭“grave‬‭is‬‭broke‬‭up‬‭again.‬‭”‬‭This‬‭refers‬‭to‬‭the‬‭dirt‬‭that‬

‭covers him being dug up and a “second guest,” or another body buried there.‬

‭This‬‭event‬‭is‬‭meant‬‭to‬‭happen‬‭sometime‬‭in‬‭the‬‭far‬‭future‬‭when‬‭his‬‭own‬‭remains‬‭would‬

‭be‬‭mostly‬‭decomposed.‬‭For‬‭whatever‬‭reason,‬‭these‬‭gravediggers‬‭did‬‭not‬‭expect‬‭to‬‭find‬

‭a‬ ‭body.‬ ‭After‬ ‭doing‬ ‭so,‬ ‭they‬ ‭notice‬ ‭the‬ ‭“bracelet‬ ‭of‬ ‭bright‬ ‭hair‬ ‭about‬ ‭the‬ ‭bone”‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬

‭wrist.‬‭Unlike‬‭the‬‭rest‬‭of‬‭the‬‭body,‬‭it‬‭has‬‭not‬‭decomposed‬‭at‬‭all.‬‭This‬‭is‬‭a‬‭testament‬‭to‬‭the‬

‭regard‬ ‭in‬ ‭which‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭holds‬ ‭his‬‭lover.‬‭She‬‭has‬‭some‬‭kind‬‭of‬‭otherworldly‬‭power‬

‭that‬ ‭transcends‬ ‭time,‬ ‭or‬ ‭at‬ ‭least‬ ‭this‬‭representation‬‭of‬‭her‬‭does.‬‭The‬‭stanza‬‭continues‬

 ‭18‬

‭on‬ ‭to‬ ‭describe‬ ‭the‬ ‭part‬ ‭of‬ ‭this‬ ‭proposed‬ ‭narrative‬‭that‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭finds‬‭amusing.‬‭It‬‭is‬

‭likely,‬ ‭he‬ ‭believes,‬ ‭that‬ ‭these‬ ‭grave‬ ‭diggers‬ ‭will‬ ‭look‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭hair‬ ‭around‬ ‭his‬ ‭wrist‬ ‭and‬

‭make‬‭up‬‭a‬‭story‬‭about‬‭it.‬‭Perhaps‬‭they‬‭will‬‭believe‬‭that‬‭the‬‭man‬‭wore‬‭“this‬‭device…‬‭/‬‭To‬

‭make‬ ‭their‬ ‭souls…‬ ‭/‬ ‭Meet‬ ‭at‬ ‭this‬ ‭grave,‬‭and‬‭make‬‭a‬‭little‬‭stay.”‬‭They‬‭propose‬‭that‬‭the‬

‭hair‬ ‭worked‬ ‭some‬ ‭kind‬ ‭of‬ ‭magic‬ ‭to‬ ‭reunite‬ ‭them.‬ ‭This‬ ‭is‬‭a‬‭humorous‬‭possibility‬‭to‬‭the‬

‭speaker‬ ‭who‬ ‭knows‬ ‭he‬ ‭would‬ ‭never‬ ‭attempt‬ ‭something‬‭like‬‭this,‬‭nor‬‭does‬‭he‬‭seem‬‭to‬

‭believe‬ ‭it‬ ‭would‬ ‭ever‬ ‭work.‬ ‭The‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭is‬ ‭passing‬ ‭judgement‬ ‭on‬ ‭superstition‬ ‭and‬

‭crafted, magic thinking.‬

‭The‬ ‭story‬ ‭continues‬ ‭into‬ ‭the‬ ‭second‬ ‭stanza‬ ‭where‬ ‭it‬ ‭sets‬ ‭out‬‭the‬‭possibilities‬‭for‬‭what‬

‭comes‬ ‭next.‬ ‭The‬‭person‬‭who‬‭found‬‭the‬‭speaker’s‬‭decaying‬‭body‬‭will‬‭“bring‬‭/‬‭Us‬‭to‬‭the‬

‭bishop”‬ ‭or‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬‭king.‬‭One‬‭of‬‭these‬‭two‬‭will‬‭understand‬‭the‬‭crafted‬‭importance‬‭behind‬

‭the‬‭find‬‭and‬‭“make‬‭us‬‭relics”‬‭He‬‭speaks‬‭to‬‭the‬‭listener‬‭with‬‭humour‬‭in‬‭his‬‭voice‬‭.‬‭This‬‭is‬

‭not‬ ‭something‬ ‭he‬ ‭longs‬ ‭for,‬ ‭rather‬ ‭something‬ ‭he‬ ‭wants‬ ‭to‬ ‭make‬ ‭fun‬ ‭of.‬ ‭He‬ ‭sees‬‭their‬

‭position in the eyes of the world being raised to the like of “Mary Magdalen.”‬

‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭last‬ ‭four‬ ‭lines,‬ ‭which‬ ‭are‬ ‭more‬ ‭structured‬ ‭than‬ ‭those‬ ‭which‬ ‭come‬ ‭before‬ ‭them,‬

‭speak‬ ‭on‬ ‭how‬ ‭“All…shall‬ ‭adore‬ ‭us.”‬ ‭Mostly‬ ‭women‬ ‭will‬ ‭be‬ ‭devoted‬ ‭to‬ ‭these‬ ‭two‬ ‭new‬

‭saints,‬ ‭but‬ ‭probably‬ ‭some‬ ‭men‬ ‭too.‬ ‭The‬ ‭lines‬ ‭speak‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭future‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭time‬ ‭in‬ ‭which‬

‭“miracles”‬‭are‬‭actively‬‭“sought”‬‭out.‬‭He‬‭hopes‬‭that‬‭with‬‭“this‬‭paper”‬‭he‬‭will‬‭have‬‭“taught”‬

‭the future of the true miracles the “lovers wrought.”‬

‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭last‬ ‭lines‬ ‭of‬ ‭‘‭T

‬ he‬ ‭Relic’‬‭,‬ ‭he‬ ‭describes‬ ‭what‬ ‭he‬ ‭sees‬ ‭as‬ ‭being‬ ‭the‬ ‭truly‬ ‭magical‬

‭parts‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬ ‭relationship.‬ ‭He‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭listener‬ ‭have‬ ‭“lov’d‬ ‭well‬ ‭and‬ ‭faithfully.”‬‭Their‬‭love‬

‭was‬ ‭transcendent‬ ‭in‬ ‭that‬ ‭there‬ ‭was‬ ‭no‬ ‭clear‬ ‭reason‬ ‭why‬ ‭they‬ ‭loved‬ ‭one‬ ‭another,‬ ‭the‬
 ‭19‬

‭relationship‬‭just‬‭existed.‬‭The‬‭two‬‭operated‬‭around‬‭one‬‭another‬‭as‬‭simple‬‭bodies.‬‭There‬

‭was‬‭no‬‭difference‬‭in‬‭sex,‬‭as‬‭exist‬‭within‬‭other‬‭relationships.‬‭They‬‭felt‬‭for‬‭one‬‭another‬‭as‬

‭“guardian angels” feel for their charges: a love without qualification.‬

‭The‬‭next‬‭lines‬‭reveal‬‭that‬‭the‬‭relationship‬‭has‬‭not‬‭progressed‬‭farther‬‭than‬‭a‬‭“kiss.”‬‭They‬

‭come‬ ‭and‬ ‭go‬ ‭around‬ ‭one‬ ‭another‬ ‭and‬ ‭in‬ ‭passing‬ ‭touch.‬ ‭The‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭seems‬ ‭at‬ ‭least‬

‭slightly‬ ‭annoyed‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭relationship‬ ‭has‬ ‭not‬ ‭progressed‬ ‭farther‬ ‭than‬ ‭this.‬ ‭They‬ ‭have‬

‭not come close enough to “touch…the seals / Which nature…sets free.”‬

‭Although‬ ‭he‬ ‭might‬ ‭wish‬ ‭there‬ ‭was‬ ‭physically‬ ‭more‬ ‭between‬ ‭them,‬ ‭but‬ ‭he‬ ‭appreciates‬

‭the‬ ‭miracle-like‬ ‭nature‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭love‬ ‭they‬ ‭do‬ ‭share.‬ ‭But‬ ‭more‬ ‭than‬ ‭that,‬ ‭it‬ ‭is‬‭the‬‭woman‬

‭herself‬ ‭who‬ ‭appears‬ ‭to‬ ‭him‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭miracle.‬‭This‬‭relates‬‭back‬‭to‬‭his‬‭previous‬‭statements‬

‭about‬ ‭the‬ ‭truth‬ ‭of‬ ‭miracles‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭amount‬ ‭of‬ ‭importance‬ ‭one‬ ‭should‬ ‭place‬ ‭on‬ ‭them.‬

‭“miracles”‬ ‭that‬ ‭can‬ ‭be‬ ‭described,‬ ‭such‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬ ‭hair‬ ‭around‬ ‭his‬ ‭future‬ ‭wrist,‬ ‭is‬ ‭worth‬

‭nothing.‬ ‭In‬ ‭contrast‬‭,‬ ‭he‬ ‭is‬ ‭unable‬ ‭to‬ ‭articulate‬ ‭the‬ ‭intensity‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭connection‬

‭between himself and the lover. This categorizes it as a true miracle.‬

‭THE RELIQUE AS A METAPHYSICAL POEM‬

‭The‬ ‭poem‬ ‭“The‬ ‭Relique”‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭poem‬ ‭written‬‭by‬‭John‬‭Donne.‬‭Donne‬‭uses‬

‭the‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭writings‬ ‭of‬ ‭colloquialism,‬ ‭unification‬ ‭of‬ ‭sensibility,‬ ‭wits,‬ ‭analogy‬ ‭and‬

‭metaphysical‬ ‭conceits.‬ ‭These‬ ‭elements‬ ‭makes‬ ‭up‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem‬‭as‬‭a‬‭metaphysical‬‭poem.‬

‭Metaphysical‬‭poetry‬‭explores‬‭the‬‭realm‬‭of‬‭the‬‭world‬‭which‬‭science‬‭is‬‭unable‬‭to‬‭explore‬

‭and‬ ‭it‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭metaphysical‬ ‭poets‬ ‭who‬ ‭delve‬ ‭deeper‬ ‭into‬ ‭such‬ ‭realm‬‭and‬‭gives‬‭insights‬

‭into its existence.‬

 ‭20‬

‭The‬ ‭poem‬ ‭itself‬ ‭opens‬ ‭with‬ ‭a‬ ‭colloquial‬ ‭language.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭language‬ ‭which‬ ‭is‬

‭conversational‬ ‭in‬‭its‬‭tone‬‭or‬‭in‬‭a‬‭form‬‭of‬‭a‬‭monologue‬‭where‬‭a‬‭speaker‬‭is‬‭trying‬‭to‬‭say‬

‭something‬‭address‬‭in‬‭a‬‭formal‬‭language.‬‭The‬‭speaker‬‭states‬‭“When‬‭my‬‭grave‬‭is‬‭broke‬

‭up‬‭againe…”‬‭is‬‭a‬‭colloquial‬‭statement‬‭addressing‬‭to‬‭the‬‭readers‬‭about‬‭his‬‭grave‬‭which‬

‭has been broken again by the diggers to plant a new body on its grave.‬

‭Metaphysical‬ ‭poets‬ ‭uses‬ ‭puns‬ ‭in‬ ‭their‬ ‭poems.‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭has‬ ‭used‬ ‭a‬ ‭pun‬ ‭where‬ ‭the‬

‭“graves”‬‭in‬‭the‬‭poem‬‭is‬‭not‬‭ordinarily‬‭a‬‭cemetery‬‭or‬‭resting‬‭place‬‭of‬‭a‬‭dead‬‭person‬‭but‬

‭he‬‭means‬‭to‬‭address‬‭it‬‭as‬‭a‬‭“bed”‬‭for‬‭sexual‬‭intimacy.‬‭The‬‭speaker‬‭highlights‬‭that‬‭since‬

‭the‬ ‭grave‬ ‭is‬ ‭being‬ ‭opened‬‭again‬‭and‬‭again‬‭to‬‭another‬‭“ghest”‬‭,‬‭the‬‭grave‬‭has‬‭become‬

‭“more‬‭than‬‭one‬‭a‬‭Bed”‬‭which‬‭means‬‭a‬‭metaphysical‬‭realm‬‭for‬‭the‬‭existence‬‭of‬‭spiritual‬

‭union or platonic love for the couples.‬

‭Donne‬ ‭also‬‭uses‬‭many‬‭metaphysical‬‭conceits‬‭in‬‭the‬‭poem.‬‭The‬‭analogies‬‭in‬‭the‬‭poem‬

‭are‬‭dissimilar‬‭but‬‭is‬‭stretched‬‭to‬‭give‬‭a‬‭meaning‬‭out‬‭of‬‭it.‬‭A‬‭digger‬‭in‬‭the‬‭cemetery‬‭finds‬

‭inside‬‭the‬‭grave‬‭of‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭the‬‭“bracelet‬‭of‬‭bright‬‭haire‬‭about‬‭the‬‭bone”.‬‭The‬‭“haire”‬

‭and‬‭the‬‭“bone”‬‭are‬‭two‬‭analogies‬‭which‬‭is‬‭far‬‭fetched‬‭stretched‬‭to‬‭give‬‭a‬‭meaning‬‭of‬‭a‬

‭couple‬‭lying‬‭in‬‭bed‬‭inside‬‭a‬‭grave‬‭where‬‭the‬‭digger‬‭will‬‭“thinke‬‭that‬‭there‬‭a‬‭loving‬‭couple‬

‭lies”.‬‭The‬‭metaphysical‬‭idea‬‭of‬‭platonic‬‭love‬‭is‬‭explored‬‭insight‬‭where‬‭the‬‭digger‬‭thinks‬

‭that‬‭these‬‭two‬‭entities‬‭are‬‭some‬‭kind‬‭of‬‭a‬‭“device”‬‭for‬‭the‬‭couples‬‭“soules”‬‭to‬‭reunite‬‭at‬

‭the‬ ‭“grave”‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬ ‭bed‬ ‭and‬ ‭make‬ ‭them‬ ‭enjoy‬ ‭the‬ ‭final‬ ‭moment‬ ‭before‬ ‭they‬ ‭are‬

‭separated‬ ‭by‬‭the‬‭“last‬‭busie‬‭day”‬‭which‬‭is‬‭an‬‭implications‬‭towards‬‭the‬‭revelation‬‭in‬‭the‬

‭Bible.‬

‭The‬ ‭another‬ ‭analogy‬ ‭that‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭used‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬‭conceit‬‭is‬‭the‬‭allusion‬‭to‬‭“Mary‬‭Magdalen,‬

‭and‬‭I”.‬‭Here,‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭is‬‭suggesting‬‭that‬‭the‬‭digger‬‭will‬‭bring‬‭the‬‭relic‬‭of‬‭“haire”‬‭and‬
 ‭21‬

‭“bone”‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Bishop‬‭and‬‭the‬‭King‬‭where‬‭they‬‭will‬‭consider‬‭it‬‭as‬‭a‬‭miracle.‬‭The‬‭conceit‬‭is‬

‭exaggerated‬‭to‬‭give‬‭the‬‭idea‬‭of‬‭sainthood.‬‭The‬‭paradox‬‭is‬‭at‬‭play‬‭in‬‭the‬‭poem‬‭where‬‭the‬

‭religious‬ ‭superstitious‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭time‬ ‭in‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭seems‬ ‭questionable‬ ‭since‬ ‭they‬ ‭believe‬ ‭in‬

‭false‬‭doctrine‬‭and‬‭devotion‬‭which‬‭is‬‭parallel‬‭to‬‭the‬‭belief‬‭of‬‭Mary‬‭Magdalen‬‭who‬‭was‬‭a‬

‭true‬ ‭devotee‬ ‭to‬ ‭Jesus‬ ‭Christ.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭paradox‬ ‭since‬ ‭Mary‬ ‭Magdalen‬ ‭became‬ ‭a‬ ‭sole‬

‭representative‬‭of‬‭Jesus’s‬‭devotee‬‭and‬‭the‬‭present‬‭religious‬‭beliefs‬‭and‬‭doctrine‬‭is‬‭false‬

‭and devoid of Jesus’s devotee.‬

‭However,‬‭the‬‭extreme‬‭use‬‭of‬‭wits‬‭and‬‭intellect‬‭is‬‭at‬‭the‬‭play‬‭in‬‭the‬‭poem.‬‭The‬‭speaker‬‭is‬

‭talking‬ ‭about‬ ‭the‬ ‭“miracles”‬ ‭the‬ ‭two‬ ‭couples‬ ‭actually‬ ‭did.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬‭ironical‬‭or‬‭a‬‭pun‬‭that‬‭he‬

‭brings‬‭in‬‭the‬‭poem.‬‭It‬‭is‬‭already‬‭mentioned‬‭that‬‭the‬‭couples‬‭were‬‭ordinary‬‭making‬‭love‬

‭and‬ ‭making‬ ‭the‬ ‭most‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬ ‭time‬ ‭in‬‭the‬‭grave‬‭but‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭wonders‬‭if‬‭their‬‭bones‬

‭and‬ ‭hair‬ ‭was‬ ‭found‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker’s‬ ‭time‬ ‭,‬ ‭they‬ ‭would‬ ‭be‬ ‭considered‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭relic.‬ ‭The‬

‭speaker‬ ‭suggests‬ ‭that‬ ‭if‬ ‭they‬ ‭were‬ ‭considered‬ ‭what‬ ‭“miracles”‬ ‭they‬ ‭have‬ ‭sought,‬ ‭he‬

‭said‬‭that‬‭they‬‭would‬‭“lov’d‬‭well‬‭and‬‭faithfully”‬‭and‬‭not‬‭discriminate‬‭or‬‭give‬‭bias‬‭opinion‬‭of‬

‭the‬‭“sex”‬‭which‬‭is‬‭evident‬‭with‬‭the‬‭“Guardian‬‭Angells”.‬‭It‬‭is‬‭irony‬‭because‬‭he‬‭is‬‭making‬‭a‬

‭mockery‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬ ‭superstitious‬ ‭beliefs‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭Church‬ ‭stating‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭relic‬ ‭that‬ ‭they‬

‭consider‬ ‭is‬ ‭nothing‬ ‭precious‬ ‭but‬ ‭a‬ ‭couple‬ ‭making‬ ‭the‬ ‭most‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬ ‭time.‬‭The‬‭speaker‬

‭further‬‭stretches‬‭that‬‭in‬‭the‬‭midst‬‭of‬‭their‬‭departure,‬‭they‬‭would‬‭be‬‭chastise‬‭enough‬‭but‬

‭not‬‭between‬‭“those‬‭meales”.‬‭Here‬‭,‬‭the‬‭“meales”‬‭is‬‭a‬‭pun‬‭for‬‭sexual‬‭consummation.‬‭The‬

‭speaker‬‭is‬‭extremely‬‭witty‬‭and‬‭is‬‭highlighting‬‭that‬‭their‬‭“hands”‬‭never‬‭break‬‭any‬‭of‬‭their‬

‭chastity‬ ‭or‬ ‭“seales”‬ ‭but‬ ‭also‬ ‭states‬ ‭that‬ ‭they‬ ‭consummate‬ ‭not‬ ‭while‬ ‭they‬ ‭depart‬ ‭away‬

‭from‬ ‭one‬ ‭another.‬ ‭The‬ ‭“miracles”‬ ‭or‬ ‭the‬ ‭relic‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭suggests‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬

‭existence‬ ‭falsely‬ ‭construed‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭church‬ ‭was‬ ‭the‬ ‭miracle‬ ‭of‬ ‭being‬ ‭chastened‬ ‭again‬
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‭which‬ ‭is‬ ‭“injured‬ ‭by‬ ‭late‬ ‭law,‬ ‭sets‬ ‭free”‬‭the‬‭sexual‬‭consummation‬‭of‬‭the‬‭“miracles‬‭wee‬

‭did”.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭extremely‬ ‭witty‬ ‭because‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭highlights‬‭that‬‭they‬‭has‬‭sexual‬‭intimacy‬

‭but‬ ‭the‬ ‭law‬ ‭or‬ ‭the‬ ‭beliefs‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭church‬ ‭has‬ ‭chastened‬ ‭them‬ ‭again‬ ‭which‬ ‭became‬ ‭a‬

‭miracle they were able to perform.‬

‭BATTER MY HEART‬

‭This‬‭poem‬‭is‬‭part‬‭of‬‭John‬‭Donne's‬‭Holy‬‭Sonnets‬‭sequence,‬‭which‬‭was‬‭probably‬‭written‬

‭during‬ ‭the‬ ‭years‬ ‭1609-1611‬ ‭and‬‭meditates‬‭on‬‭God,‬‭death,‬‭divine‬‭love,‬‭and‬‭faith.‬‭"Holy‬

‭Sonnet‬ ‭14"‬ ‭comes‬ ‭later‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭series‬ ‭and‬ ‭depicts‬ ‭a‬ ‭speaker's‬ ‭personal‬ ‭crisis‬ ‭of‬ ‭faith.‬

‭The‬ ‭poem‬ ‭also‬ ‭boldly‬ ‭compares‬ ‭God's‬ ‭divine‬ ‭love‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭rough,‬ ‭erotic‬ ‭seduction.‬ ‭This‬

‭intimate‬ ‭and‬ ‭unconventional‬ ‭portrayal‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭speaker's‬ ‭longing‬ ‭for‬ ‭faith‬ ‭has‬ ‭made‬ ‭the‬

‭poem‬ ‭one‬ ‭of‬ ‭Donne's‬ ‭most‬ ‭famous.‬‭This‬ ‭poem‬ ‭is‬ ‭part‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭series‬ ‭of‬ ‭nineteen‬ ‭poems,‬

‭which‬ ‭are‬ ‭most‬ ‭commonly‬ ‭referred‬ ‭as‬ ‭Divine‬ ‭Meditations‬‭,‬ ‭Divine‬ ‭Sonnets‬‭,‬ ‭or‬ ‭Holy‬

‭Sonnets‬‭.‬ ‭‘Batter‬ ‭my‬ ‭Heart’‬ ‭was‬ ‭published‬ ‭two‬ ‭years‬‭after‬‭Donne’s‬‭death.‬‭John‬‭Donne‬

‭wrote‬‭Holy‬‭Sonnet‬‭XIV‬‭in 1609‬

‭ANALYSIS‬

‭The‬ ‭octet‬ ‭of‬ ‭‘‬‭Batter‬ ‭my‬ ‭Heart’‬ ‭depicts‬ ‭the‬ ‭lyrical‬ ‭voice’s‬ ‭demands‬ ‭towards‬ ‭God.‬ ‭The‬

‭poem‬‭starts‬‭with‬‭the‬‭lyrical‬‭voice‬‭asking‬‭the‬‭“three-personed‬‭God”‬‭(God,‬‭Jesus,‬‭and‬‭the‬

‭Holy‬‭Ghost)‬‭to‬‭attack‬‭his/heart,‬‭as‬‭it‬‭were‬‭gates‬‭belonging‬‭to‬‭a‬‭fortress‬‭(“batter”‬‭comes‬

‭from‬ ‭“battering‬ ‭ram”‬ ‭the‬ ‭element‬ ‭used‬ ‭in‬ ‭medieval‬ ‭times‬ ‭to‬ ‭break‬ ‭down‬ ‭the‬ ‭door‬‭of‬‭a‬

‭fortress).‬ ‭The‬ ‭lyrical‬ ‭voice‬ ‭asks‬‭for‬‭this,‬‭as‬‭previously‬‭God‬‭had‬‭“knock,‬‭breathe,‬‭shine,‬

‭and‬‭seek‬‭to‬‭mend”.‬‭This‬‭follows‬‭the‬‭scriptural‬‭idea‬‭that‬‭God‬‭“knocks”‬‭on‬‭a‬‭person’s‬‭door‬
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‭and‬ ‭he/she‬ ‭must‬ ‭let‬ ‭him‬ ‭in.‬ ‭Nevertheless,‬ ‭this‬ ‭isn’t‬ ‭working‬ ‭for‬ ‭the‬ ‭lyrical‬ ‭voice,‬ ‭as‬

‭he/she‬‭wants‬‭to‬‭be‬‭taken‬‭by‬‭God’s‬‭force:‬‭“That‬‭I‬‭may‬‭rise,‬‭and‬‭stand,‬‭o’erthrow‬‭me,‬‭and‬

‭bend/Your‬‭force‬‭to‬‭break,‬‭blow,‬‭burn”.‬‭Notice‬‭the‬‭alliteration‬‭on‬‭line‬‭4‬‭and‬‭the‬‭emphasis‬

‭on‬ ‭these‬ ‭strong‬ ‭and‬ ‭violent‬ ‭verbs.‬ ‭The‬ ‭lyrical‬ ‭voice‬ ‭wants‬ ‭to‬ ‭go‬ ‭through‬ ‭all‬ ‭of‬ ‭this‬

‭because‬‭he/she‬‭wants‬‭to‬‭be‬‭made‬‭“new”.‬‭His/her‬‭soul‬‭is‬‭probably‬‭badly‬‭damaged,‬‭and,‬

‭in‬ ‭order‬ ‭to‬ ‭take‬ ‭all‬ ‭the‬ ‭sin‬ ‭out‬ ‭of‬ ‭it,‬ ‭it‬ ‭must‬ ‭be‬ ‭recreated.The‬ ‭lyrical‬ ‭voice‬ ‭is,‬ ‭again,‬

‭compared‬‭with‬‭a‬‭town;‬‭a‬‭town‬‭that‬‭is‬‭“usurped”.‬‭He/she‬‭wants‬‭to‬‭let‬‭God‬‭in,‬‭but‬‭he/she‬

‭has‬ ‭been‬ ‭unsuccessful:‬ ‭“Labour‬ ‭to‬ ‭admit‬ ‭you,‬ ‭but‬ ‭Oh,‬ ‭to‬ ‭no‬ ‭end”.‬ ‭The‬ ‭lyrical‬‭voice‬‭is‬

‭having‬ ‭trouble‬ ‭showing‬ ‭his/her‬ ‭faith‬ ‭because‬‭his/her‬‭thoughts,‬‭reason,‬‭have‬‭turned‬‭on‬

‭God‬‭(“Reason,‬‭your‬‭viceroy‬‭in‬‭me,‬‭me‬‭should‬‭defend,/But‬‭is‬‭captived,‬‭and‬‭proves‬‭weak‬

‭or untrue”).‬

‭The‬‭sestet‬‭presets‬‭the‬‭volta‬‭,‬‭turn,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭tone‬‭of‬‭the‬‭poem‬‭shifts.‬‭The‬‭lyrical‬‭voice‬‭gets‬

‭more‬ ‭sentimental‬ ‭and‬ ‭calm.‬ ‭The‬ ‭simile‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬‭fortress‬‭ends,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭lyrical‬‭voice‬‭talks‬

‭about‬ ‭his/‬ ‭her‬ ‭feelings‬ ‭towards‬ ‭God:‬ ‭“Yet‬ ‭dearly‬ ‭I‬ ‭love‬ ‭you,‬ ‭and‬ ‭would‬‭be‬‭loved‬‭fain”.‬

‭Nevertheless,‬ ‭the‬ ‭lyrical‬ ‭voice‬ ‭feels‬ ‭engaged‬ ‭to‬ ‭Satan,‬ ‭“But‬ ‭am‬ ‭betrothed‬ ‭unto‬ ‭your‬

‭enemy”,‬‭and‬‭asks‬‭God‬‭to‬‭take‬‭him‬‭out‬‭of‬‭their‬‭arrangement,‬‭“Divorce‬‭me,‬‭untie‬‭or‬‭break‬

‭that‬ ‭knot‬ ‭again”.‬ ‭The‬ ‭word‬ ‭“again”‬ ‭makes‬ ‭direct‬ ‭reference‬ ‭to‬ ‭Genesis‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭fall‬ ‭of‬

‭men.‬‭Once‬‭again,‬‭the‬‭lyrical‬‭voice‬‭asks‬‭God‬‭to‬‭take‬‭him/her:‬‭“Take‬‭me‬‭to‬‭you,‬‭imprison‬

‭me,‬ ‭for‬ ‭I,/Except‬ ‭you‬ ‭enthrall‬ ‭me,‬ ‭never‬ ‭shall‬ ‭be‬ ‭free,/Nor‬ ‭ever‬ ‭chaste,‬ ‭except‬ ‭you‬

‭ravish‬ ‭me”.‬ ‭Notice‬ ‭the‬ ‭emphasis‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭intensity‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭lyrical‬ ‭voice’s‬ ‭wish.‬ ‭He/she‬

‭asks‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭taken‬ ‭over‬ ‭by‬ ‭using‬ ‭violent‬ ‭verbs,‬ ‭such‬ ‭as‬ ‭“imprision”‬ ‭and‬ ‭“ravish”.‬ ‭These‬

‭final lines depict the‬‭paradox‬‭of the faith.‬

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‭CRITICAL ANALYSIS‬

‭While‬ ‭critics‬ ‭including‬ ‭the‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭expert‬ ‭Helen‬ ‭Gardner‬ ‭insist‬ ‭that‬ ‭a‬ ‭true‬ ‭assessment‬ ‭of‬

‭Donne’s‬ ‭“spiritual‬ ‭and‬ ‭moral‬ ‭achievement”‬ ‭may‬ ‭be‬ ‭gained‬ ‭only‬ ‭through‬ ‭his‬ ‭sermons,‬ ‭the‬

‭sonnets best reveal his‬‭extreme‬‭capacity for passion‬‭and ecstasy.‬

‭From‬ ‭the‬ ‭opening‬ ‭line,‬ ‭“Batter‬ ‭my‬ ‭heart,‬ ‭three‬ ‭person’d‬ ‭God,”‬ ‭the‬ ‭reader‬ ‭understands‬ ‭the‬

‭speaker‬ ‭does‬ ‭not‬ ‭seek‬ ‭a‬ ‭Christian‬ ‭God‬ ‭who‬ ‭is‬ ‭gentle‬ ‭or‬ ‭compassionate.‬ ‭The‬ ‭three‬ ‭persons‬

‭referenced‬ ‭constitute‬ ‭the‬ ‭holy‬ ‭trinity‬ ‭composed‬‭of‬‭Christ‬‭the‬‭Son,‬‭the‬‭Holy‬‭Spirit,‬‭and‬‭God‬

‭the‬ ‭Father,‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭speaker‬ ‭commands‬ ‭that‬ ‭all‬ ‭three‬ ‭attack‬ ‭his‬ ‭heart,‬ ‭the‬ ‭term‬ ‭Batter‬

‭suggesting‬‭repeated‬‭blows.‬‭That‬‭line‬‭contains‬‭a‬‭caesura‬‭due‬‭to‬‭the‬‭semicolon‬‭that‬‭follows‬‭the‬

‭apostrophe‬ ‭to‬ ‭God‬ ‭then‬ ‭continues‬ ‭with‬ ‭enjambment‬‭into‬‭the‬‭second‬‭line:‬‭“for,‬‭you‬‭/‬‭As‬‭yet‬

‭but‬‭knock,‬‭breathe,‬‭shine,‬‭and‬‭seek‬‭to‬‭mend.”‬‭This‬‭series‬‭of‬‭verbs‬‭reflects‬‭on‬‭various‬‭biblical‬

‭characteristics‬ ‭of‬ ‭Christ,‬ ‭with‬ ‭knock‬ ‭representing‬ ‭a‬ ‭polite‬ ‭request‬ ‭to‬ ‭open‬ ‭a‬ ‭door.‬ ‭In‬

‭Revelation‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭Christ‬ ‭states,‬ ‭in‬ ‭part,‬ ‭“Behold,‬ ‭I‬ ‭stand‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬ ‭door,‬ ‭and‬ ‭knock:‬ ‭if‬ ‭any‬‭man‬

‭hear‬ ‭my‬ ‭voice,‬ ‭and‬ ‭open‬ ‭the‬ ‭door,‬ ‭I‬ ‭will‬ ‭come‬ ‭in‬ ‭to‬ ‭him.”‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭will‬ ‭extend‬ ‭this‬ ‭conceit‬

‭throughout the sonnet.‬

‭The‬‭speaker‬‭does‬‭not‬‭want‬‭his‬‭deity‬‭to‬‭hesitate‬‭at‬‭the‬‭door.‬‭He‬‭explains,‬‭using‬‭paradox,‬‭that‬

‭in‬ ‭order‬ ‭for‬ ‭him‬ ‭to‬ ‭“ride,‬ ‭and‬ ‭stand,”‬ ‭God‬ ‭must‬ ‭“o’erthrow”‬ ‭him.‬ ‭As‬ ‭ore‬ ‭undergoing‬
 ‭25‬

‭transformative‬‭purification‬‭into‬‭valuable‬‭metal,‬‭he‬‭needs‬‭God’s‬‭“force,‬‭to‬‭break,‬‭blow,‬‭burn,‬

‭and‬ ‭make‬ ‭me‬ ‭new.”‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭moves‬ ‭into‬ ‭one‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬ ‭favorite‬ ‭metaphors,‬ ‭expressing‬ ‭a‬ ‭single‬

‭being‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭larger‬ ‭geographic‬ ‭expanse,‬‭as‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭continues,‬‭“I,‬‭like‬‭an‬‭usurp’d‬‭town,‬‭to‬

‭another‬ ‭due,‬ ‭/‬ ‭Labour‬ ‭to‬ ‭admit‬ ‭you.”‬ ‭He‬ ‭explains‬ ‭that‬ ‭another‬ ‭force‬ ‭has‬ ‭overtaken‬ ‭him,‬

‭suggesting‬‭evil‬‭or‬‭the‬‭devil,‬‭and‬‭follows‬‭up‬‭on‬‭the‬‭previous‬‭reference‬‭to‬‭a‬‭knock‬‭on‬‭the‬‭door‬

‭by‬‭stating‬‭he‬‭works‬‭to‬‭“admit”‬‭the‬‭deity,‬‭but‬‭to‬‭no‬‭avail:‬‭“but‬‭O,‬‭to‬‭no‬‭end.”‬‭Although‬‭logic‬

‭should‬ ‭move‬ ‭him‬ ‭to‬ ‭act,‬ ‭“Reason‬ ‭your‬ ‭viceroy‬ ‭in‬ ‭me,‬‭me‬‭should‬‭defend,”‬‭reason‬‭has‬‭been‬

‭taken‬‭captive‬‭by‬‭the‬‭opposing‬‭force,‬‭“and‬‭proves‬‭weak‬‭or‬‭untrue.”‬‭The‬‭speaker‬‭offers‬‭a‬‭dual‬

‭explanation‬ ‭for‬ ‭his‬ ‭incapacity‬ ‭to‬ ‭open‬‭the‬‭door‬‭to‬‭God’s‬‭gentle‬‭prod.‬‭His‬‭use‬‭of‬‭logic‬‭lacks‬

‭strength‬‭or‬‭proves‬‭false,‬‭causing‬‭the‬‭speaker‬‭to‬‭be‬‭“betroth’d‬‭unto‬‭your‬‭enemy.”‬‭Here‬‭Donne‬

‭compares‬‭the‬‭promise‬‭through‬‭law‬‭of‬‭a‬‭woman‬‭to‬‭a‬‭man‬‭to‬‭his‬‭promise‬‭to‬‭God’s‬‭“enemy,”‬‭or‬

‭Satan.‬ ‭The‬ ‭comparison‬ ‭refl‬ ‭ects‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬‭biblical‬‭comparison‬‭of‬‭Christ‬‭to‬‭a‬‭bridegroom,‬‭with‬

‭the church his bride.‬

‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭final‬ ‭four‬ ‭lines‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭builds‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭mighty‬ ‭climax,‬ ‭avoiding‬ ‭the‬ ‭problem‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭weak‬

‭concluding‬ ‭couplet‬ ‭that‬ ‭some‬ ‭plagued‬ ‭some‬ ‭poets.‬ ‭He‬ ‭again‬ ‭turns‬ ‭to‬ ‭allusions‬‭to‬‭violence.‬

‭Having‬ ‭introduced‬ ‭the‬ ‭idea‬ ‭of‬ ‭romantic‬ ‭love‬ ‭as‬‭a‬‭conceit,‬‭he‬‭extends‬‭that‬‭conceit,‬‭insisting‬

‭that‬‭God‬‭“Divorce‬‭me,‬‭untie,‬‭or‬‭break‬‭that‬‭knot‬‭again.”‬‭By‬‭Jewish‬‭law‬‭an‬‭engagement‬‭proved‬

‭as‬ ‭strong‬‭a‬‭bond‬‭as‬‭a‬‭marriage,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭betrothal‬‭“knot”‬‭that‬‭tied‬‭two‬‭people‬‭together‬‭could‬

‭only‬‭be‬‭broken‬‭through‬‭a‬‭second‬‭decree‬‭of‬‭law,‬‭a‬‭divorce.‬‭The‬‭speaker‬‭then‬‭begins‬‭the‬‭three‬

‭lines‬ ‭that‬ ‭depict‬ ‭one‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭most‬ ‭violent‬ ‭of‬ ‭attacks,‬ ‭a‬ ‭rape,‬ ‭made‬ ‭clear‬ ‭through‬ ‭the‬ ‭use‬ ‭of‬

‭“ravish”:‬‭“Take‬‭me‬‭to‬‭you,‬‭imprison‬‭me,‬‭for‬‭I‬‭/‬‭Except‬‭you’enthral‬‭me,‬‭never‬‭shall‬‭be‬‭free,‬‭/‬

‭Nor‬ ‭ever‬ ‭chaste,‬ ‭except‬ ‭you‬ ‭ravish‬ ‭me.”‬ ‭What‬ ‭some‬ ‭readers‬ ‭have‬ ‭missed‬ ‭is‬ ‭that‬ ‭Donne‬
 ‭26‬

‭produces‬‭a‬‭double‬‭paradox,‬‭equating‬‭imprisonment‬‭with‬‭freedom‬‭and‬‭chastity‬‭with‬‭the‬‭act‬‭of‬

‭sex,‬ ‭quite‬ ‭obviously‬ ‭not‬ ‭making‬ ‭a‬‭literal‬‭suggestion.‬‭In‬‭addition‬‭to‬‭the‬‭shocking‬‭allusion‬‭to‬

‭violence,‬ ‭that‬ ‭a‬ ‭male‬ ‭would‬ ‭assume‬ ‭the‬ ‭role‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭female‬ ‭as‬ ‭an‬ ‭object‬‭of‬‭attack‬‭was‬‭even‬

‭more unusual, a fact of interest to later feminist and psychoanalytic critics.‬

‭Such‬‭outlandish‬‭expression‬‭proved‬‭a‬‭hallmark‬‭of‬‭metaphysical‬‭writing,‬‭and‬‭Donne‬‭would‬‭be‬

‭eventually‬‭recognized‬‭as‬‭the‬‭most‬‭skillful‬‭of‬‭those‬‭who‬‭attempted‬‭it.‬‭While‬‭several‬‭centuries‬

‭had‬‭to‬‭pass‬‭before‬‭society‬‭embraced‬‭his‬‭expression‬‭as‬‭art‬‭in‬‭its‬‭purest‬‭form,‬‭Donne’s‬‭poetry‬

‭at last received its due.‬

‭SATYRE : OF RELIGION‬

‭Donne’s‬ ‭elegies‬ ‭are‬ ‭not‬ ‭particularly‬ ‭funeral‬ ‭and‬ ‭satires‬ ‭are‬ ‭not‬ ‭particularly‬ ‭funny,‬

‭because‬‭again‬‭he‬‭imitates‬‭the‬‭Roman‬‭model‬‭of‬‭the‬‭satire,‬‭whose‬‭main‬‭purpose‬‭was‬‭to‬

‭attack‬ ‭various‬ ‭vices‬ ‭and‬ ‭foibles‬ ‭of‬ ‭humankind.‬ ‭In‬‭this‬‭case,‬‭he‬‭imitates‬‭a‬‭Roman‬‭poet‬

‭Persius,‬‭“known‬‭for‬‭an‬‭abstruse‬‭style‬‭and‬‭moralizing‬‭manner”,‬‭as‬‭the‬‭NAEL‬‭editors‬‭say.‬

‭Indeed,‬‭the‬‭subject‬‭is‬‭a‬‭moral‬‭one‬‭and‬‭the‬‭diction‬‭sometimes‬‭quite‬‭complicated.‬‭“Satire‬

‭3”‬ ‭was‬ ‭probably‬ ‭written‬ ‭when‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭was‬ ‭in‬ ‭his‬ ‭twenties‬ ‭and‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭process‬ ‭of‬

‭converting to Anglicanism, and its object is the laziness of people in matters of religion.‬

‭Critical Analysis‬
‭Satire‬‭III:‬‭Of‬‭Religion‬‭was‬‭written‬‭perhaps‬‭in‬‭1596-1597‬‭and‬‭it‬‭shows‬‭the‬‭author's‬
‭sincere‬‭search‬‭for‬‭a‬‭true‬‭religion.‬‭Donne‬‭was‬‭a‬‭Catholic‬‭till‬‭1598.‬‭He‬‭was‬‭groping‬‭for‬‭a‬
‭faith‬ ‭which‬ ‭would‬ ‭remove‬ ‭his‬ ‭religious‬ ‭instability‬ ‭and‬ ‭uncertainty.‬ ‭The‬ ‭poet's‬ ‭spirit‬ ‭of‬
‭doubt‬ ‭does'‬ ‭not‬ ‭pertain‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭Christian‬ ‭religion.‬ ‭It‬ ‭rather‬ ‭refers‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭search‬ ‭for‬ ‭a‬ ‭true‬
‭form‬‭of‬‭that‬‭religion‬‭-‬‭Catholic.‬‭Puritan‬‭or‬‭Calvinistic.‬‭We‬‭cannot‬‭but‬‭be‬‭overwhelmed‬‭by‬
‭sincerity‬ ‭and‬ ‭integrity‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭poet‬ ‭in‬ ‭trying‬ ‭to‬ ‭say‬ ‭for‬ ‭himself‬ ‭what‬ ‭type‬ ‭of‬ ‭Christian‬
 ‭27‬

‭religion‬ ‭could‬ ‭satisfy‬ ‭his‬ ‭soul.‬ ‭This‬ ‭was‬ ‭the‬ ‭period‬ ‭of‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭turbulence‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬
‭endeavor‬ ‭for‬ ‭spiritual‬ ‭identity.‬ ‭He‬ ‭had‬ ‭not‬ ‭yet‬ ‭decided‬ ‭as‬ ‭to‬ ‭which‬ ‭denomination‬ ‭he‬
‭should‬‭join.‬‭Some‬‭people‬‭called‬‭it‬‭a‬‭period‬‭of‬‭atheism,‬‭though‬‭Donne‬‭never‬‭abandoned‬
‭Christianity‬‭at‬‭any‬‭time.‬‭According‬‭to‬‭Izaak‬‭Walton,‬‭his‬‭biographer,‬‭the‬‭poet's‬‭faith‬‭in‬‭the‬
‭Roman‬ ‭Catholic‬ ‭religion‬ ‭began‬ ‭to‬ ‭abate‬ ‭about‬ ‭the‬ ‭year‬ ‭1598.‬ ‭He‬‭was‬‭feeling‬‭inclined‬
‭towards‬ ‭Anglicanism‬ ‭and‬ ‭was‬ ‭duly‬ ‭ordained‬ ‭in‬ ‭that‬ ‭church‬ ‭in‬ ‭1615.‬ ‭The‬ ‭poet‬
‭deliberately‬ ‭uses‬ ‭the‬ ‭traditional‬ ‭form‬ ‭of‬ ‭satire‬ ‭because‬ ‭he‬ ‭is‬ ‭over-borne‬ ‭by‬ ‭pity‬ ‭and‬
‭scorn.‬ ‭In‬ ‭order‬ ‭to‬ ‭get‬ ‭rid‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭feeling‬ ‭of‬ ‭suffocation,‬ ‭he‬ ‭finds‬ ‭an‬ ‭outlet‬ ‭in‬ ‭'railing,‬ ‭to‬
‭laugh‬‭at‬‭current‬‭evils‬‭rampant‬‭in‬‭the‬‭Christian‬‭religion.‬‭What‬‭appeals‬‭to‬‭the‬‭critics‬‭is‬‭the‬
‭dramatic‬ ‭quality‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭poem‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭agility‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬ ‭mind‬‭which‬‭swiftly‬‭moves‬‭from‬‭one‬
‭concept‬‭to‬‭another.‬‭Garrod‬‭commends‬‭the‬‭poem‬‭as‬‭a‬‭defence‬‭of‬‭philosophical‬‭doubt.‬‭It‬
‭has‬ ‭liberal‬ ‭temper‬ ‭which‬ ‭examines‬ ‭the‬ ‭strong‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭weak‬ ‭points‬ ‭of‬ ‭Christian‬
‭denominational‬ ‭grounds,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭final‬‭conclusion'‬‭doubt‬‭acceptable.‬‭The‬‭mocking‬‭tone‬
‭is‬‭an‬‭invariable‬‭component‬‭of‬‭satire‬‭and‬‭though‬‭at‬‭times,‬‭we‬‭may‬‭find‬‭the‬‭poet‬‭harsh‬‭in‬
‭his‬ ‭judgments,‬ ‭his‬ ‭sincerity‬ ‭can‬ ‭never‬ ‭be‬ ‭held‬ ‭in‬ ‭doubt‬ ‭wisely‬ ‭-‬ ‭appears‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭quite‬
‭rational.‬

‭Development of Thought:‬
‭A‬‭satire‬‭on‬‭religion‬‭is‬‭a‬‭difficult‬‭subject,‬‭particularly‬‭when‬‭one‬‭has‬‭a‬‭religion.‬‭When‬
‭one‬ ‭realizes‬ ‭the‬ ‭inadequacies‬‭and‬‭dilemmas‬‭of‬‭one's‬‭faith,‬‭one‬‭has‬‭to‬‭make‬‭a‬‭sincere‬
‭search‬‭for‬‭a‬‭faith‬‭which‬‭will‬‭satisfy‬‭the‬‭inner‬‭cravings‬‭and‬‭anarchies.‬‭Donne‬‭was‬‭in‬‭such‬
‭a‬ ‭situation‬ ‭when‬ ‭he‬ ‭wrote‬ ‭this‬ ‭poem.‬ ‭It‬ ‭contains‬ ‭an‬ ‭account‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬ ‭endeavor‬ ‭for‬
‭exploration‬‭of‬‭fundamentals‬‭of‬‭spiritualism.‬‭He‬‭was‬‭not‬‭satisfied‬‭with‬‭Christian‬‭faith.‬‭So‬
‭he assesses the current faiths and thereby gives a new dimension to Christianity.‬

‭Donne's Spiritual Dilema:‬

‭Donne‬ ‭speaks‬ ‭of‬‭his‬‭spiritual‬‭ill‬‭health‬‭in‬‭terms‬‭of‬‭physical‬‭malady‬‭choking‬‭of‬‭the‬
‭spleen‬‭and‬‭swelling‬‭of‬‭eye-lids.‬‭There‬‭is‬‭a‬‭sort‬‭of‬‭physical‬‭suffocation‬‭which‬‭reflects‬‭the‬
‭inner‬ ‭tension‬ ‭and‬ ‭anxiety.‬ ‭Pity‬ ‭and‬ ‭scorn‬ ‭are‬ ‭of‬ ‭no‬ ‭avail.‬ ‭The‬ ‭poet‬ ‭finds‬ ‭an‬ ‭outlet‬ ‭in‬
‭railing‬ ‭to‬ ‭let‬ ‭out‬ ‭this‬ ‭inner‬ ‭tension‬ ‭and‬ ‭suffocation.‬ ‭Religion‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭fair‬ ‭lady‬ ‭for‬ ‭whose‬
‭love‬‭all‬‭types‬‭of‬‭men‬‭aspire.‬‭Some‬‭want‬‭the‬‭fair‬‭lady‬‭for‬‭lust,‬‭other‬‭for‬‭true‬‭devotion.‬‭In‬
 ‭28‬

‭pre-Christian‬‭times,‬‭virtue‬‭was‬‭sought‬‭as‬‭the‬‭goal‬‭of‬‭men.‬‭The‬‭heathens‬‭won‬‭heaven‬‭by‬
‭leading‬ ‭a‬ ‭life‬ ‭of‬ ‭virtue.‬ ‭Christians‬ ‭have‬ ‭great‬ ‭courage‬ ‭but‬ ‭they‬‭waste‬‭their‬‭energies‬‭in‬
‭religious‬‭disputes‬‭and‬‭quarrels.‬‭Various‬‭religious‬‭sects‬‭engage‬‭in‬‭open‬‭conflicts‬‭for‬‭the‬
‭sake‬ ‭of‬ ‭proving‬ ‭he‬ ‭superiority‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬ ‭doctrines.‬ ‭Courage‬ ‭or‬ ‭valor‬ ‭has‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭used‬
‭properly‬ ‭and‬ ‭for‬ ‭a‬ ‭good‬ ‭cause.‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭cites‬ ‭ironically‬ ‭the‬ ‭example‬ ‭of‬ ‭'children‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬
‭oven'‬ ‭-‬ ‭who‬ ‭walked‬ ‭bare-feet‬ ‭on‬ ‭flaming‬ ‭ovens.‬ ‭Courage‬ ‭has‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭used‬ ‭against‬‭real‬
‭enemies‬ ‭of‬ ‭religion:‬ ‭Know‬ ‭thy‬ ‭enemies‬ ‭and‬‭fight‬‭against‬‭them.‬‭The‬‭greatest‬‭enemy‬‭of‬
‭religion‬‭is‬‭the‬‭Devil'‬‭who‬‭is‬‭both‬‭inside‬‭man‬‭and‬‭outside‬‭man,‬‭and‬‭our‬‭aim‬‭should‬‭be‬‭to‬
‭carry on a ceaseless fight against him.‬

‭The Real Enemies of Man:‬

‭The‬ ‭three‬ ‭enemies‬ ‭of‬ ‭man‬ ‭are‬ ‭the‬ ‭Devil,‬ ‭the‬ ‭World‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭Flesh.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭o‬ ‭use‬
‭appeasing‬‭the‬‭Devil,‬‭because‬‭the‬‭attempt‬‭will‬‭be‬‭futile.‬‭The‬‭second‬‭enemy‬‭is‬‭the‬‭World‬
‭-‬‭its‬‭power‬‭and‬‭wealth.‬‭The‬‭love‬‭of‬‭the‬‭world‬‭is‬‭like‬‭loving‬‭an‬‭old‬‭sickly‬‭prostitute‬‭who‬‭is‬
‭subject‬ ‭to‬ ‭decay‬ ‭and‬ ‭death.‬ ‭Thirdly,‬ ‭people‬ ‭love‬ ‭the‬ ‭Flesh‬ ‭(body‬ ‭and‬‭sex)‬‭and‬‭ignore‬
‭the‬ ‭soul.‬ ‭The‬ ‭knowledge‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭soul‬ ‭can‬ ‭be‬ ‭obtained‬ ‭through‬ ‭true‬ ‭religion.‬ ‭But‬ ‭the‬
‭question is: What is true religion?‬

‭Evils in Existing Christian sects:‬

‭Donne‬‭examines‬‭critically‬‭the‬‭principles‬‭and‬‭practices‬‭of‬‭current‬‭denominations‬‭of‬
‭the‬‭Christian‬‭church‬‭and‬‭finds‬‭them‬‭inadequate‬‭and‬‭ridiculous.‬‭Roman‬‭Catholicism‬‭with‬
‭its‬ ‭ritual‬ ‭and‬ ‭superstition‬ ‭-‬ ‭the‬‭worship‬‭of‬‭relics‬‭no‬‭better‬‭than‬‭rags‬‭-‬‭is‬‭no‬‭good.‬‭What‬
‭about‬ ‭Geneva,‬ ‭the‬ ‭real‬ ‭or‬ ‭pure‬ ‭Protestantism‬ ‭called‬ ‭Calvinism?‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭mocks‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬
‭rigid‬‭discipline‬‭and‬‭inferior‬‭and‬‭austere‬‭standard‬‭of‬‭life‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Puritans.‬‭The‬‭Protestants‬
‭consider‬ ‭only‬ ‭those‬‭persons‬‭religious‬‭who‬‭lead‬‭a‬‭coarse‬‭and‬‭joyless‬‭life.‬‭They‬‭are‬‭like‬
‭the‬ ‭lustful‬ ‭persons‬ ‭who‬ ‭have‬ ‭a‬ ‭liking‬ ‭only‬ ‭for‬ ‭country‬ ‭wenches.‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭compares‬
‭preachers‬‭to‬‭bawds‬‭and‬‭pimps‬‭(touts)‬‭who‬‭sell‬‭mistress‬‭-‬‭religion‬‭to‬‭all‬‭sorts‬‭of‬‭people.‬
‭The‬ ‭false‬ ‭religious‬ ‭sects‬ ‭are‬ ‭prostitutes.‬ ‭With‬ ‭great‬ ‭daring‬ ‭Donne‬ ‭pokes‬ ‭fun‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬
‭sacred‬ ‭and‬ ‭makes‬ ‭them‬ ‭appear‬ ‭vulgar‬ ‭and‬ ‭mean.‬ ‭In‬ ‭his‬‭manner,‬‭Donne‬‭exaggerates‬
‭the‬ ‭follies‬ ‭and‬ ‭quarrels‬ ‭of‬ ‭different‬ ‭sects.‬ ‭How‬ ‭to‬ ‭know‬ ‭the‬ ‭best‬ ‭religion-the‬ ‭best‬
‭mistress? Donne suggests the use of reason for this purpose.‬
 ‭29‬

‭The Spirit of Inquiry:‬

‭Truth‬‭can‬‭be‬‭known‬‭through‬‭interrogation,‬‭through‬‭inquiry‬‭and‬‭analysis.‬‭This‬‭does‬
‭not‬ ‭mean‬ ‭that‬ ‭Donne‬‭advocates‬‭atheism.‬‭On‬‭the‬‭contrary,‬‭Donne‬‭makes‬‭a‬‭passionate‬
‭plea for the search of truth which requires patience and perseverance:‬

‭On a huge hill,‬

‭Cragged and steep, Truth stands, and he that will‬
‭Reach her, about must, and about must go,‬

‭The‬‭search‬‭of‬‭truth‬‭requires‬‭hard‬‭work‬‭and‬‭devotion,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭earlier‬‭one‬‭starts‬‭in‬‭life‬
‭the‬‭better.‬‭In‬‭old‬‭age‬‭man's‬‭physical‬‭and‬‭mental‬‭powers‬‭decay‬‭and‬‭as‬‭such‬‭the‬‭search‬
‭may‬‭not‬‭be‬‭fruitful.‬‭The‬‭truth‬‭lies‬‭latent‬‭within‬‭the‬‭individual;‬‭it‬‭has,‬‭however,‬‭to‬‭be‬‭much‬
‭patent and manifest.‬

‭Attack on Ecclesiastical Laws:‬

‭There‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭vital‬ ‭difference‬ ‭between‬ ‭the‬ ‭realization‬‭of‬‭God's‬‭Truth‬‭and‬‭the‬‭laws‬‭of‬
‭religion‬‭made‬‭by‬‭church‬‭and‬‭the‬‭state.‬‭To‬‭punish‬‭religious‬‭practices‬‭under‬‭secular‬‭law‬‭is‬
‭tyrannous,‬‭Donne‬‭has‬‭in‬‭mind‬‭the‬‭persecution‬‭of‬‭Catholics‬‭under‬‭the‬‭British‬‭laws.‬‭Why‬
‭should‬ ‭men-made‬ ‭laws‬ ‭interfere‬ ‭in‬ ‭matters‬ ‭of‬ ‭faith?‬ ‭Ultimately,‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭Day‬ ‭of‬
‭Judgement,‬ ‭the‬ ‭divine‬ ‭law‬‭will‬‭prevail.‬‭The‬‭founders‬‭of‬‭different‬‭Christian‬‭sects‬‭cannot‬
‭prevent‬ ‭the‬ ‭damnation‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭souls‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬‭respective‬‭followers.‬‭Just‬‭as‬‭flowers‬‭which‬
‭grow‬ ‭at‬ ‭the‬ ‭source‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭river‬ ‭flourish‬ ‭unlike‬ ‭those‬ ‭which‬ ‭are‬ ‭uprooted‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬‭strong‬
‭flow‬‭of‬‭the‬‭current‬‭and‬‭ultimately‬‭destroyed,‬‭in‬‭the‬‭same‬‭way‬‭souls‬‭which‬‭do‬‭not‬‭cling‬‭to‬
‭the‬ ‭source‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬ ‭faith‬ ‭are‬ ‭washed‬ ‭away‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭flood‬ ‭of‬ ‭religious‬ ‭controversies‬ ‭and‬
‭destroyed. Every soul must seek God in its own way.‬

‭Critical Remarks:‬
‭Not‬ ‭blind‬ ‭faith,‬ ‭but‬ ‭faith‬ ‭modified‬ ‭by‬ ‭reason‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭best‬ ‭way‬‭of‬‭realizing‬‭religious‬
‭truth.‬ ‭Donne's‬ ‭prescription‬ ‭-‬ ‭Doubt‬ ‭wisely‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭medicine‬ ‭for‬ ‭sickly‬ ‭or‬ ‭zealous‬ ‭souls.‬
‭The‬ ‭poet's‬ ‭mind‬ ‭was‬‭disturbed‬‭by‬‭religious‬‭controversies‬‭and‬‭claims‬‭of‬‭different‬‭sects,‬
 ‭30‬

‭ ll‬ ‭of‬ ‭which‬‭proclaimed‬‭the‬‭monopoly‬‭of‬‭truth.‬‭Donne‬‭found‬‭comfort‬‭and‬‭consolation‬‭in‬

a
‭the‬ ‭search‬ ‭for‬ ‭truth‬ ‭through‬ ‭persistent‬‭effort‬‭and‬‭determination.‬‭He‬‭gave‬‭the‬‭benefit‬‭of‬
‭his‬‭experience‬‭to‬‭his‬‭reader.‬‭As‬‭is‬‭usual‬‭in‬‭a‬‭satire,‬‭the‬‭moral‬‭note‬‭justifies‬‭the‬‭mocking‬
‭tone.‬‭The‬‭moral‬‭of‬‭the‬‭piece‬‭is‬‭clear‬‭and‬‭unequivocal‬‭-‬‭"Keep‬‭the‬‭Truth‬‭which‬‭thou‬‭has‬
‭found"(L 89).‬