Death, Be Not Proud

by John Donne

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 pictures 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 art 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.

Summary
Also known as Holy Sonnet X, this sonnet was written by John Donne in 1633.
John Donne was a famous metaphysical poet. The popularity of this poem lies
in its unique subject, as it was a devotional as well as a warning to
‘personified’ death. Using the metaphor of death, the poet argues that death
is not permanent and it serves as an eternal pathway to life hereafter. He also
has demonstrated the Christian doctrine of resurrection and immortality of the
soul, calling death as an inferior. Donne has presented death as a powerless
figure. He denies the authority of death with logical reasoning, saying that
death does not kill people. Instead, it liberates their souls and directs them to
eternal life. He does not consider it man’s invincible conqueror. Instead, he
calls it a poor fellow without having free will. The arrival of death is also
compared with a short rest and sleep that recuperates a person for the
upcoming journey. The poet’s denial to the conventional approach of death
gives the reader a new interpretation.

Analysis

● Personification: Personification means to attribute human features to

non-human things. Donne has personified death throughout the poem,
stating it should not be proud. Being proud is a human quality. Hence,
death is given a human quality of having feelings and emotions.
● Metaphor: There are three metaphors in this poem. The first is used in
the opening line “Death, be not proud.” Here death is compared to a
proud man. The second is used in the ninth line, “Thou art slave to fate.”
In the last line in an extended metaphor where death is compared to the
non-existent or unrealistic object.
● Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds
in the same lines of the poetry such as the use of /th/ in “And better than
thy stroke; why swell’st thou then” and /m/ sound in “Much pleasure;
then from thee much more must flow.”
● Metonymy: Metonymy is a type of metaphor in which an object is used
to describe something closely related to it. In this poem, “poppy” and
“charm” are used to produce gentle sleep or death.
● Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of the vowel sounds in the
same line of poetry such as the sound of /a/ in “Thou art slave to fate,
chance, kings, and desperate men,” and the sound of /e/ in “And
soonest our best men with thee do go.”
● Irony: Irony means a statement that may mean something different
from, or the opposite of, what is written. Irony often expresses
something other than their literal intention, often in a humorous. For
example: “Death, thou shalt die.”

The literary analysis shows that Donne has made his poem appealing using
diverse literary devices.
Form

● Sonnet: A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem in which the same idea runs

throughout the poem. In this sonnet, John Donne has combined the
Shakespearian and Petrarchan style. The division of the sonnet reflects
the Shakespearian structure, whereas the rhyme scheme shows the
structure of Petrarchan sonnet.
● Rhyme Scheme: In first, second and third quatrains the poem follows
the ABBA rhyme scheme, and in couplet the rhyme scheme is AA.
● Meter: Most of the verses of this poem are written in iambic pentameter
in which unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable, as it is
stated, “from rest,” “and ” However, the meter fluctuates, as the poem
progresses.
● Major Themes “Death, be not Proud”: The major theme in the poem
is the powerlessness of death. The poem comprises the poet’s
emotions, mocking the position of death and arguing that death is
unworthy of fear or awe. According to him, death gives birth to our
souls. Therefore, it should not consider itself mighty, or superior as
‘death’ is not invincible. The poet also considers death an immense
pleasure similar to sleep and rest. For him, the drugs can also provide
the same experience. The poem foreshadows the realistic presentation
of death and also firmly believes in eternal life after death.