Donne By Karen Lee JOHN DONNE HOLY SONNETS

Donne By: Karen Lee JOHN DONNE HOLY SONNETS XI.

Background John Donne was born in the midst of probably the largest religious upheaval in England’s history. Born to a Catholic family after Henry VIII had moved the country into Protestantism. By the time Donne was born, the level of pressure to conform to Anglicanism had been well-established.

Holy Sonnets Written when he was struggling to transition from Catholicism to Anglicanism- Protestant Conveys his spiritual fears, thoughts and hopes. Spiritual growth and journey of Donne. Themes of the Holy Sonnets deal with death, sin and the struggle against the flesh, a desire for grace and the seeking of sanctification, and wonderment at Christ’s sacrifice.

Themes of Holy Sonnet XI. Shows his intense awareness of the effects of sin in his flesh. The struggle between death and weight of sin in the Flesh. Highlights his guilt and desire to pay for his sins. His love for God

ANALYSIS TIME! BTW, IN CHRISTIANITY, PRICE OF SIN= DEATH.

Spit in my face, you Jews, and pierce my side, Buffet, and scoff, scourge, and crucify me, Starts with a direct address to the Jews Asks to be treated the same way as they did to Jesus Plosives words are used which makes the 2 lines sound harsh. i. e “spit” “pierce” “buffet” “scoff” “scourge” The detailed description of Jesus’ torture= Poet’s guilt as he wishes to be treated the same way

For I have sinn'd, and sinne', and only He, Who could do no iniquity, hath died. Reveals his need to be punished. “I have sinn’d and sinne’” His sins should be punished and yet He (Jesus) who did no wrong had died for him. Repetition of sin = reinforces his sense of being damned and unworthy of God’s grace. Poet continues sinning while the Jesus (sin-less person) had died for him = INTENSIFIED feelings of guilt. Juxtaposition of himself and Christ. Iniquity= sin

But by my death can not be satisfied My sins, which pass the Jews' impiety. His death alone would not be able to account for his sins His sins are so great they surpassed the Jews’ “impiety” (their disrespect of God)

They kill'd once an inglorious man, but I Crucify him daily, being now glorified. “They” = Jews. Killed him once but the poet “crucify” him daily as he continues to sin Donne inverts 1 Cor 15: 31, where Apostle Paul says “I die everyday!” for his sinful nature. The poet sees himself killing Jesus everyday by committing sins that Christ had died for in the first place despite the fact that he has risen and is “now glorified” in Heaven.

O let me then His strange love still admire ; Kings pardon, but He bore our punishment ; Donne admires the “strange love” that goes beyond a normal King’s pardon as “He bore our punishment” Agape Love. The selfless love that Christ showed by dying for our sins. Punishment of sin= Death

And Jacob came clothed in vile harsh attire, But to supplant, and with gainful intent ; Refers to Jacob’s impersonation of his brother Esau to gain their father’s blessings (that was meant for the first born son, Esau) Compares Jacob’s impersonation with God’s act of taking form of a man.

God clothed Himself in vile man's flesh, that so He might be weak enough to suffer woe. Vile man’s flesh= demeans man Doctrine of Incarnation Took form of a man to pay for his believers’ sins. Christ sacrificed himself to atone for the sins.

Rhyme This sonnet follows the typical Donne rhyme scheme abba cdcd ee, combining the structure of the Elizabethan (or Shakespearean) sonnet with the rhyme of the Italian (or Petrarchan) sonnet. This allows the first two quatrains to be considered together as an octet. Last two lines = Shakespearean couplet as it delivers the moral or conclusion of sonnet.

Meter Each line has 10 syllables Dactylic pentameter (/UU) “Spit in my face, you Jews, and pierce my side, ”

TQ