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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelThis thesis is a study of John Donne's "Holy Sonnets".
It is interesting to study them since their themes exhibit
Donne's own stages to understand God better, be they the
theme of death and judgement, of God's love, of sin, or of
the poet's personal problems. Besides, students very rarely
notify the importance of the existence of metaphysical poems
like those of Donne's. Most students consider Donne's divine
poems as simply an instrument to exalt the Lord and to
exploit the religious aspect at its most; therefore, the
writer of the thesis is eager to prove that they, especially
the "Holy Sonnets", consists of other valuable sides as well.
The "Holy Sonnets" are nineteen sonnets altogether, but the
writsr just takes thirteen out of them which bear the poet's
deepsst inner conflict and struggle in his striving to
comprehend God, as being explained in the first chapter,
Chapter of Introduction.
The main body of this thesis begins with Chapter II. It
deals with the Last Things, or the theme of death and
God'3 judgement. The chapter places four coherent sonnets of
"Holy Sonnets". They are entitled "Oh My Blacke Soule! Now
Thou art Summoned", "At the Round Earths Imagin'd Corners,
Blow", "If Poysonous Mineralls, and If That Tree", and "Death
be Not Proud, Though Some Have Called Thee".
Chapter III discusses God's love to Donne and his
personal response to it. It also juxtaposes four sonnets:
"Spit in My Face Yee Jewes, and Pierce My Side", "Why are Wee
by All Creatures Waited On?", "Batter My Heart, Three
Person'd God; for, You", and "Wilt Thou Love God, As He Thee!
Then Digest". They are not a sequence, yet they speak of a
single theme--love.
Chapter IV presents the rapture of grief of the poet due
to the theme of sin. The three sonnets chosen here really
form a unity. Their titles are "I am a Little World Made
Cunningly", "0 Might Those Sighes and Teares Returne Againe",
and "If Faithfull Soules be Alike Glorifi'd".
reckless soul at the beginning of each chapter; later on, it
will be obvious how his long steps during the "Holy Sonnets"
assist him excessively to enrich and improve his spiritual
life.