Donne poem summaries

?

The Flea

- Speaker trying to persuade his lover to lose thier virginity to him

- Uses the flea to suggest that by their bloods mingling inside the flea, it has done what she will not do.

- When the flea is finally killed,he argues that is was so easy to kill it, it will be just as eady to yield to him.

1 of 9

The Sun Rising

-He places himself and his lover at the centre of the universe, with the sun as their servant.

-Treats the sun with disdain- believes that the love between himself and the lover is better than anything the sun offers.

-Idealistic and hyperbolic attitude to love.

2 of 9

The Good Morrow

Complex nature of love-

Initially love is presented with an element of fun and sex but with dawn, the true nature of things becomes clear. 

The pure love in their relationship provides the lovers with a complete world that is not subject to time or death.

3 of 9

Since She Whom I Loved

-Speaker addresses the subject of his love for his wife and his gried over her death.

-The speaker tries to persuade himself that her death was 'in accordance with divine justice and mercy' but at the same time, and in the same words, the poet presents a feeling of injustice.

4 of 9

The Apparition

An outpour of anger and bitterness  towards a woman he feels has betrayed him by being with another man.

5 of 9

Batter My Heart

The speaker expresses his uncertainty and ambiguity in his relationship with God/ religion

6 of 9

The Canonization

-Positive and serious view of love

-Main idea is that love doesn't interfere with other people's lives so why should they take exception to it.

-Their bodies and souls become one.

7 of 9

Thou Hast Made Me

The speaker fears death and growing old and is in essence asking God “shall thy work decay?”

8 of 9

To His Mistress Going To Bed

-Speaker describes his mistress in stages- taking off clothing

-Excitement and desire increasing

-Given no sense of the lover's character of inner life- she is only a body.

9 of 9

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar English Literature resources:

See all English Literature resources »See all Donne resources »