death-be-not-proud;-john-donne

1Introduction“Deathbenotproud”belongstothelatterpartofDonne’soutput,thereligiousworksknownashis“DivinePoems,”famousbecausetheydramaticallycreateafeelingofapersonalandoftenagonizedrelationshipbetweenthespeakerandGod.Beforecomposinghis“DivinePoems,”Donnehadachievedfameforwritingskillfulandoftencynicalpoetryincelebrationofsexuallove.Butnostrictchronologicallinesplitshissecularpoemsfromhisreligiousones.Donneapparentlylovedtheintellectualchallengesofparadox,oneofthekeycharacteristicsofmetaphysicalpoetry.HeconstructsthepoemaroundoneofthecentralparadoxesofChristianity:thatChrist’ssacrificewillultimatelymeanthedeathofDeath.ThesonnetaddressesDeathdirectlyasifitwereaperson,anexampleofthedevicesofapostrophe呼语：直接称呼不在场或虚构的人物andpersonification.SystematicallythepoeminstructsDeathtogiveupitspride,sinceitwillultimatelybedefeated.Further,eventhoughDeathhaspower,itspowerisseverelylimited.DeathalsounknowinglydoesGod’swork,sinceonlythroughDeathcanhumanityachievetheeternallifeGodpromises.PoemSummaryLines1-2ThepoembeginsbyaddressingDeathdirectly.Suchanaddresstosomebodyorsomethingthatweknowcan’tbelisteningiscalledanapostrophe.IntreatingDeathasifitwereaperson,thepoemalsouses2thedeviceofpersonification.ThefirsttwolinesshowonecharacteristicofDonne’sPoetry:theyoftentaketheformofanargument.ThefirsttwolinesofthesonnetattacksDeathforitspride.Unlikeotherpeople,thespeakerdoesnotthinkthatdeathis“mightyanddreadful.”Thenhegivesthereasonsintherestofthepoem.Lines3-4Thetwolinesintroduceaparadox,statingthatthepeopleDeath“overthrows”donotreallydie,andthatDeathisnotevenstrongenoughtokillthespeaker.IndeclaringDeath’spowerlessness,thespeakerevengoessofarastoexpresshispityfordeath,callingit“poorDeath.”But“poor”alsosuggestsanoteofcontemptforDeath’simpotence,itspovertyofresources.Lines5-6ThesecondquatraindevelopstheideathatDeathisnottobefeared.Instead,thespeakermaintainsthatdeathisasourceofpleasure.ThespeakerdrawstheconventionalanalogybetweenDeathand“restandsleep,”whichareDeath’s“pictures.”Sincewefindrestandsleeppleasurable,weshouldfindthatDeathcanprovideusmuchmorepleasure.Theninthenexttwolines,thespeakergivesusanotherexampletoprovehisidea.Lines7-8HerethespeakergivesevidenceofDeath’spleasantnessbysayingthat“ourbestmen”dieearly.Here,however,thepoemarguesinan3unconventionalway,sayingitisnotragedythatthebestmendieyoung.Rather,theydiewillingly,eagertolettheirbodiesrestinthegravesothattheirsoulsareliberatedandgotoheavenassoonaspossible.Throughtheuseofthispieceofevidence,thepoemarguesthatDeathisnotpowerful,thattheterrorwetraditionallyassociatewithdeathisgroundless,andthatDeathprovidesthepiousChristianagenuineandpleasurablereward.Lines9-10TheninthlineofanItaliansonnet,theformwhoserhymeschemethispoemfollows,usuallymarksaturn:ashiftinthetonebetweentheeight-lineoctaveandthesix-linesestet.However,thispoembehavesstructurallymorelikeaShakespeareansonnet.Insteadofastrongchangeintoneorargument,line9continuesdevelopingthespeaker’sattackonDeath.Deathisnotman’smaster;infact,itisaslaveofthosewhobringdeathtoothers,includingtheforcesoffateandchance,herepersonified,andtherealpersonsofkings.Deathalsoisaslaveto“desperatemen,”thatis,peopleindespairwhocommitsuicide.Lines11-12Inthetwolines,thespeakercontinuesdevelopingtheideathatdeathshouldnotbeproud.Death’sfellowsorfamilyarenotnoblecompanions,butsomethinghorribleanddisgusting:poison,war,andsickness,allpersonified.Death’sabilitytomakeussleepcanbeequaledorsurpassedbydrugssuchasopiumorbymagicspells.Thespeakerthenendswitharhetorical4questionaskingdeathwhyitshouldbesoproud.Lines13-14Thesonnet’slast2linesendsthepoembyofferingtheultimateevidenceofDeath’spowerlessness.Inlines5-6and11,thespeakerhasintroducedtheconventionalanalogyofsleeptodeath.Attheendofthepoem,however,thespeakerarguesthattheyarethesame.Deathisashortsleep,fromwhichwewillwakeupandentereternallife.Thisstatementexplainsalltheparadoxesinthepoem:Deathisnotanendingbutabeginning.Further,Deathprovidesthemeansforitsowndefeat,sincebydyingwewillovercomeDeath,andDeathwilldie.ThemesDeathThemostprominentthemeofthepoemisthatoneshouldnotfeardeath.Deathiswarneddirectlyto“benotproud.”Itisbelittledviolentlyasaslavewhosejob—providingrestandsleepforthesoulisbetterdonebydrugsorsimplemagiccharms.However,theveryforcefulnesswithwhichthespeakerberatesdeathindicatessomedoubtonthepoet’spart.Ifdeathweretrulydefeated,thespeakerwouldnothavetorailsoloudlyagainstit.Thepoemimpliesanunspokenfearthatdeathcanstillbepowerful—onlygoodandfaithfulChristianswillenjoyeternallife,whileeveryoneelsewillspendeternitysufferingthepainsofhell.AppearancesandRealityAnothermajorthemeisthatdeathseemsmighty,butinreality,itisnot.5Thoughthestillnessdeathbringsseemstobepermanent,thepoetasserts,wewillawakefromitonJudgmentDay.Thoughdeathseemsproudandoverpowering,itinfactisalwaysaccompaniedbypoison,war,andsickness.Thoughitappearsdreadful,deathisbutaslaveto“fate,chance,kings,”andevenlowly“desperatemen.”Despiteitsapparentabilitytostrikehumansdown,thepoetclaimsthathumbledrugsormagicspellscandodeath’sworkmuchbetter.Aboveall,death’sper