John Donne
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- Category: English: Poetic Works
- Date Submitted: 05/13/2013 05:29 AM
- Pages: 6
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Donne expresses more intense passion for his woman than for his God. Discuss the extent to which you agree with this statement by using at least two poems as your reference
“Donne draws on the Neoplatonic conception of physical love and religious love as being two manifestations of the same impulse” (SparkNotes Editors). According to Answer.com, “the founder of Neoplatonism was Plotinus, who constructed an elaborate hierarchy of spiritual levels through which the individual soul could ascend from physical existence to merge with The One”(The Supreme). As we delve into John Donne’s sonnets, this progression of love that transcends into love of God, or spiritual fulfillment becomes clear. The transcendence from raw physical needs to one of pure devotion for his God is explored in Sonnet 14 and The Apparition.
The poet employs graphic images of haunting and the haunted in The Apparition to express his love for his lady, but upon closer scrutiny, the speaker appears to be threatening her. In the first line, he addresses her as a “murd'ress” as though to give the impression that his love for her is so strong that if she does not return his affections, he would simply die. The speaker immediately arouses sympathy for himself with this pitiful visual image; in addition, he also paints a picture of a cruel woman when he uses the word “scorn”. This forms an image of a haughty lady who gives no regard for anyone who does not meet her fancy. But then, like a snake striking, he tells her that “thou think'st thee free” as though to imply that it would not end there. The speaker resorts to eerie visual imagery and tells her that his “ghost” will haunt her. The speaker does not only threatens her, but he accuses her of feigning her virtue as though to create a sinful image of her. He proceeds to paint a colourful picture of a wanton whose husband would not be able to satisfy her insatiable sexual appetite. Within these images, the speaker also seems to be saying that she...
“Donne draws on the Neoplatonic conception of physical love and religious love as being two manifestations of the same impulse” (SparkNotes Editors). According to Answer.com, “the founder of Neoplatonism was Plotinus, who constructed an elaborate hierarchy of spiritual levels through which the individual soul could ascend from physical existence to merge with The One”(The Supreme). As we delve into John Donne’s sonnets, this progression of love that transcends into love of God, or spiritual fulfillment becomes clear. The transcendence from raw physical needs to one of pure devotion for his God is explored in Sonnet 14 and The Apparition.
The poet employs graphic images of haunting and the haunted in The Apparition to express his love for his lady, but upon closer scrutiny, the speaker appears to be threatening her. In the first line, he addresses her as a “murd'ress” as though to give the impression that his love for her is so strong that if she does not return his affections, he would simply die. The speaker immediately arouses sympathy for himself with this pitiful visual image; in addition, he also paints a picture of a cruel woman when he uses the word “scorn”. This forms an image of a haughty lady who gives no regard for anyone who does not meet her fancy. But then, like a snake striking, he tells her that “thou think'st thee free” as though to imply that it would not end there. The speaker resorts to eerie visual imagery and tells her that his “ghost” will haunt her. The speaker does not only threatens her, but he accuses her of feigning her virtue as though to create a sinful image of her. He proceeds to paint a colourful picture of a wanton whose husband would not be able to satisfy her insatiable sexual appetite. Within these images, the speaker also seems to be saying that she...