Analysis Of John Donne s Poem - 1449 Words

John Donne’s Poem asks numerous questions and can be boiled down to a rather dark and cynical conclusion. This poem interpreted through the eyes of a male writer would see hints of a past filled with betrayal, leading the poet to deem the existence of fair and true women as impossible and fantastical as literally catching a falling star. That even in a ten-thousand-day journey, with age a man would come to his sensing, understanding the fantasy during reality that good women do not exist. This idea is reinforced with imagery of witchcraft, and an allusion to sirens (singing mermaids). Taking into account the perceptions of women described in Donne’s poem, analyzing the respective story’s main female characters—Eve, Jocasta, and Ophelia, of Paradise Lost, Oedipus Rex, and Hamlet respectively, let’s talk about sex—about the gulf between the feminine and the masculine, and about the ways the sexes work and the ways they help to shape perceptions of their humanity, intent, and value. In this essay I do not seek to examine the biological differences; rather, to briefly examine the socially constructed gender roles and the role they play in the literary interpretations of these respective texts. Firmly rooted in our Western tradition of literature is the story of Adam and Eve. This tale pinpoints the infamous bite in Eden, taken by that of a female, to be the root of all of our human woe, which has survived and is imbedded our ways of understanding sex and gender roles. InShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of John Donne s Poem, A Hymn Of God The Father1492 Words   |  6 PagesMetaphysical poet John Donne poses a series of existential questions to God in his poem â€Å"A Hymn to God the Father,† a religious work, which he wrote after recovering from an illness that brought him very close to death. In â€Å"A Hymn to God the Father,† the speaker poses a series of questions and answers, using the antagonistic themes of comedy and tragedy and an alternating A/B rhyme scheme to confront the ideas of sin and salvation. The poem’s form is consistent in the first two stanzas, in which Donne uses repetitionRead MoreAnalysis Of A Valediction Forbidding Mourni ng 1108 Words   |  5 Pages An Analysis of â€Å"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning All relationships must withstand the test of time and distance. When separating, a couple will experience both physical and emotional anguish. Soulmates are said to experience a love with a deeper connection. In this complex yet completely romantic poem, A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, John Donne employs conceit, symbolism, and tone to poetically paint a picture of the true love that exist between a man and his wife. John DonneRead MoreThe Flea By John Donne1558 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Flea† Essay â€Å"The Flea† by John Donne when looked at briefly is simply a poem about a man trying to seduce a woman into participating in pre-material sexual relationship with him. However, â€Å"The Flea† constructs many more important arguments than simply that one. The poem touches on religion, love, and sex in a non-romanticized way, contrasting the normal glamorized stance seen in most of poetry. Most of John Donne’s poems have either romantic themes or religious themes; â€Å"The Flea† has both. ItRead MoreA Valediction : Forbidding Mourning1178 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is love? ( An analysis of the messages from A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning ) What is the definition of love? Importantly, what comprises love? One can speculate on what it means to be in love; though, often it takes the actual experience to know. While, there are many theories on what true love is, and how one knows their love is pristine. No one elaborates better on what true love is than John Donne. A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning by John Donne expresses what true love consistsRead MoreAn Critical analysis of the poetic elements within the little-studied The Sun Rising by John Donne.1984 Words   |  8 PagesAnalysis of Literary Technique in John Donne s The Sun Rising John Donne, author of many works of literature, including The Sun Rising, is a master manipulator of literary techniques, which he uses to convey a powerful and profound message to the reader. Published in 1633 in Donne s book entitled _Poems_, The Sun Rising is a poem depicting two lovers disturbed from their bed by the rising sun. Donne s poem, The Sun Rising, is comparable to woven fabric, each literary element tightly wovenRead MoreWriting At The University Of Sydney1506 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom the 16th Century, however my particular area of focus today is on the renowned Metaphysical poet, John Donne, and his poem titled Woman’s Constancy. Those of you who are aware of Donne and his works will know of the challenging perspectives his poems held towards the common ideologies of marriage, life and death, religion and love, proposed by the Church of England. Stylistically, Donne’s poems often present disputes between two lovers, his satirical and sometimes even sceptical interpretationRead MorePoetry Is An Expressive Language1618 Words   |  7 Pagestoo. Poems have been around for centuries whether it has been written or has been performed. Depending on the era poems have specific human issues (for example rape, murder and death) that are more spoken about than others. These issues are still drifting to modern day society. However, even though time goes by language does not stop, it alters. Poetic language has techniques, forms, structures and poetic devices. The technique of a poem concentrates on rhythm and rhymes. The form of a poem focusesRead MoreJohn Donne to his mistress going to bed comparative discussion with Courtly love or woman as thing and Unbearable Weight1724 Words   |  7 Pages3. Write a detailed analysis of ANY ONE ballad OR love poem in the Norton Anthology of Poetry drawing on a comparative discussion of AN Y TWO essays in the Norton Anthology of Theory Criticism to illuminate your argument. Many love poems are not actually about love; rather they are the objectification of a woman into a vessel for desire. John Donne’s poem ‘To His Mistress Going to Bed’1 appears on the surface to be a poem celebrating the beauty of the female body and the joys of sex. HoweverRead MoreJohn Donne : A Medieval Man But A Metaphysical Poet2279 Words   |  10 PagesRobyn Leatherwood ENGL 3313 Dr. Speller Dec 3, 2014 John Donne: A Medieval Man but A Metaphysical Poet When examining writings from the Baroque period, John Donne is widely acknowledged as the leader of metaphysical poetry. While there are other well-known writers who made this style of poetry popular, Donne is by far the most discussed and most analyzed. The term metaphysical developed from John Dryden describing Donne’s work as â€Å"[affecting] the metaphysics, not only in his satires, but in hisRead MoreThe Treatment Of Outweighing By John Donne And Shakespeare On The Writing Of The Period2782 Words   |  12 Pages (Donne, ‘Sappho to Philaenis’) Write an essay on the treatment of homoeroticism in the writing of the period. The treatment of homoeroticism is explored through the influential writings of both John Donne and Shakespeare in the Renaissance Era. Similarly, the voice of both present a scornful dismissal of the opposite sex in order to defy the typical conventions of heterosexuality. Whilst Donne explores lesbianism in his poem ‘Sappho to Philaenis’, Shakespeare reveals