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  • Death Be Not Proud - John Donne Analysis

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    Kareema Mohammed
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    The poem argues that death should not be proud of its power and ability to kill. It asserts that death does not truly end life, but rather frees the soul and leads to eternal life. Through logical reasoning, the poet denies death's authority, saying it does not actually kill but instead allows one to rest before awakening eternally without death. In the end, death itself will cease to exist.

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    Death be Not Proud- John Donne Analysis

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    The poem argues that death should not be proud of its power and ability to kill. It asserts that death does not truly end life, but rather frees the soul and leads to eternal life. Through logical reasoning, the poet denies death's authority, saying it does not actually kill but instead allows one to rest before awakening eternally without death. In the end, death itself will cease to exist.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    703 views3 pages

    Death Be Not Proud - John Donne Analysis

    Uploaded by

    Kareema Mohammed
    The poem argues that death should not be proud of its power and ability to kill. It asserts that death does not truly end life, but rather frees the soul and leads to eternal life. Through logical reasoning, the poet denies death's authority, saying it does not actually kill but instead allows one to rest before awakening eternally without death. In the end, death itself will cease to exist.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 3

    Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

    Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

    For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow

    Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

    From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

    Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

    And soonest our best men with thee do go,

    Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.

    Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

    And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

    And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

    And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?

    One short sleep past, we wake eternally

    And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.


    Also known as Holy Sonnet (a poem comprised of 14 lines. In this sonnet, John Donne has

    combined the Shakespearian and Petrarchan style. The division of the sonnet reflects the

    Shakespearian structure, whereas the rhyme scheme shows the structure of Petrarchan

    sonnet..) X, this sonnet was written by John Donne in 1633. John Donne was a famous

    metaphysical poet. The popularity of this poem lies in its unique subject, as it was a

    devotional as well as a warning to ‘personified’ death. Using the metaphor of death, the poet

    argues that death is not permanent and it serves as an eternal pathway to life hereafter. He

    also has demonstrated the Christian doctrine of resurrection and immortality of the soul,

    calling death as an inferior.

    “Death, be not Proud” a representative Poem of Logic: Donne has presented death as a

    powerless figure. He denies the authority of death with logical reasoning, saying the death

    does not kill people. Instead, it liberates their souls and directs them to eternal life. He does

    not consider it man’s invincible conqueror. Instead, he calls it a poor fellow without having

    free will. The arrival of death is also compared with a short rest and sleep that recuperates a

    person for the upcoming journey. The poet’s denial to the conventional approach of death

    gives the reader a new interpretation.

    LITERARY DEVICES

    Personification: Personification means to attribute human features to non-human things.

    Donne has personified death throughout the poem, stating it should not be proud. Being

    proud is a human quality. Hence, death is given a human quality of having feelings and

    emotions.
    Metaphor: There are three metaphors in this poem. The first is used in the opening line

    “Death, be not proud.” Here death is compared to a proud man. The second is used in the

    ninth line, “Thou art slave to fate.” In the last line in an extended metaphor where death is

    compared to the non-existent or unrealistic object.

    Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds in the same lines of

    the poetry such as the use of /th/ in “And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then” and

    /m/ sound in “Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow.”

    Metonymy: Metonymy is a type of metaphor in which an object is used to describe

    something closely related to it. In this poem, “poppy” and “charm” are used to produce gentle

    sleep or death.

    Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of the vowel sounds in the same line of poetry such as

    the sound of /a/ in “Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,” and the sound

    of /e/ in “And soonest our best men with thee do go.”

    Irony: Irony means a statement that may mean something different from, or the opposite of,

    what is written. Irony often expresses something other than their literal intention, often in a

    humorous. For example: “Death, thou shalt die.”

    Take a look at this video for a more conceptual understanding!

    https://youtu.be/RSS7KBBxl7k

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