No man is an island

John Donne

First listen to these bells

• What type of mood is created?

• What event might the ringing of the bells signify?

The Title

• The Title of this poems is

• “No man is an island”

• In pairs discuss, what this might mean?

• Have you heard this expression before?

The first four lines

No man is an island,Entire of itself.Each is a piece of the continent,A part of the main.

• As a whole class discuss, what the poet means by this?

In pairs

• Do you agree everyone is connected together?

• Can you give an example of how you have connected with someone else today?

• Is it possible to give an example of how you are connected to someone you’ve never met before today?

In the next part of the poem

• You’re going to meet some unusual words.

• Clod• Promontory• Manor

• Do you know the meaning of these words?• If not use the following slides to help you.

ClodA lump of earth or clay.

PromontoryA high ridge of land or rock jutting out into a body of water; a headland

ManorA large country house with lands

No man is an island...(cont)

No man is an island,Entire of itself.Each is a piece of the continent,A part of the main.If a clod be washed away by the sea,Europe is the less.As well as if a promontory were.As well as if a manor of thine ownOr of thine friend's were.

Group Questions

• Why would Europe be less, if a clod is washed away?

• Can you write your own version of Donne’s lines but change the nouns.

If a ______be washed away by the _______,_________ is the less.As well as if a _________ were.As well as if a ______ of thine ownOr of thine _________ were.

The ending

• Donne writes the following lines to conclude his poem:

Each man's death diminishes me,For I am involved in mankind.Therefore, send not to knowFor whom the bell tolls,It tolls for thee.

Poet’s Intention

• Why does each death diminish (become less) the poet?

• Why does the bell toll for thee (you) ?

Read the whole poem and select your favourite word or phrase

No man is an island,Entire of itself.Each is a piece of the continent,A part of the main.If a clod be washed away by the sea,Europe is the less.As well as if a promontory were.As well as if a manor of thine ownOr of thine friend's were.Each man's death diminishes me,For I am involved in mankind.Therefore, send not to knowFor whom the bell tolls,It tolls for thee.

A prayer or a poem?

• When Donne first published his works it wasn’t a poem but a type of prayer called “Meditations”. He wrote it as he was recovering from a very serious illness.

• In what way does the poem remind you of a prayer?

Influence• Donne first wrote the lines in 1624. However, his words

still inspire far and wide today.

• In 1940 Ernest Hemingway, a famous American author, wrote a book called “For Whom the Bell Tolls”.

• Martin Luther King quoted the poem in his Nobel Speech on Poverty and Justice in 1964.

• Metallica a heavy metal band wrote a song (see the start) “For Whom the Bell Tolls” in 1985 inspired by Hemingway’s novel.

Legacy

• Why do you think Donne’s poem remains an inspiration to so many today?