JOHN DONNE

1572-1631

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59-60 “Death Be Not Proud” Words Worth Knowing

Metaphysical Poetry: a term applied to difficult and abstract poetry by seventeenth-century poets (Donne, Marvell); intellectual and detached

Sonnet: 14-line lyric poem, usually iambic pentameter, one of several rhyme schemes. 2 major types: Italian and English.

Apostrophe: figure of speech, speaker directly addresses absent or dead person, abstract quality, or nonhuman thing as if present and capable of responding.

Review: Sonnet Forms [IN 60]Similarities: 14 line lyric poem, strict rhyme scheme, iambic pentameterShakespearean (English)

Petrarchan (Italian) Spenserian

•3 Quatrains: lines of 4; express related ideas; abab cdcd efef rhyme scheme•Rhyming Couplet: sums up the poet’s message; gg rhyme scheme

•Octave: 8 lines; establishes the speaker’s situation; abbaabba rhyme scheme•Sestet: 6 lines; resolves, draws conclusions about, or reacts to situation; cdecde or cdcdcd rhyme scheme•Turn: transition from octave to sestet

•3 Quatrains: lines of 4; express related ideas; abab bcbc cdcd rhyme scheme•Rhyming Couplet: commentary on the ideas developed; ee rhyme scheme

–Turn occurs between quatrains and couplet

“Death Be Not Proud” [IN 60]

In the margins on page 60, annotate the poem for understanding, focusing on the sonnet form appropriate for this poem

“Death Be Not Proud” [IN 59]

Develop an original parody of “Death be not proud” Begin with an apostrophe Follow the sonnet’s form

I Hide Myself Within my Flowerby Emily Dickinson

I hide myself within my flower,That wearing on your breast,You, unsuspecting, wear me too—And angels know the rest.I hide myself within my flower,That, fading from your vase,You, unsuspecting, feel for meAlmost a loneliness. 

Scarvesafter Emily Dickinson

I drape myself with scarvesThat wearing on my shoulders,You, unsuspecting, think me chic—But I know the truth.I drape myself with scarves,That wrap me, protect me,And you, unsuspecting, do not knowI am lonely too.

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Table of Contents61-62 “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”

Words Worth Knowing Conceit: fanciful and elaborate figure of speech,

makes surprising connection between two seemingly dissimilar things

Poem in a Nutshell (ala Shmoop)John Donne (like all metaphysical poets) was a big fan of wild comparisons. His difficult metaphors have taunted (and haunted) students for hundreds of years. In one poem, he uses the death of a flea as a pick-up line. I mean, we at Shmoop have used arachnids, bedbugs, wood ticks, even a big, fuzzy caterpillar once to try to get to know someone—but fleas? Now that's just silly.

"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" is one of Donne's most famously metaphorical poems. Donne wrote the poem in 1611, just before he left for a long trip from his home in England to France and Germany. His wife Ann was going to be stuck at home, and that was probably going to be pretty tough. See, she bore him twelve kids—an even dozen. So, he wrote her a gorgeously romantic poem to try to say: "Look, we have to be apart, but that doesn't mean we have to fall apart."

The poem is an argument. Donne had the education of a lawyer and was also a famous preacher so most things he wrote had a pretty strong logical, oratorical bent. His argument unfolds as a catalogue of bizarre comparisons. He compares their love to dying old men, earthquakes, stars, gold, and a mathematical compass. It's tricky to follow, but comes together to form a perfect picture of love, love that isn't tied to a person's physical presence, but a spiritual love that can endure even the toughest situations.

“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” [IN 61]What does the metaphysical conceit in lines 25-26 suggest about love?

The metaphysical conceit suggests that love is _____. The speaker says, “_____” (line ___).In other words, _____.This demonstrates that love is _____ because _____.Another example of this is when the speaker says “_____” (line ___).To put it another way, _____.This reveals that love is _____ because _____.