How John Donne Showed His Love

How John Donne Showed his Love

John Donne’s poetry has been both ridiculed and praised. One reason for the ridicule is due to the fact that many people believe his work is vulgar, and his discussion of sex may seem improper to some people. Even in this modern age some people may find it a bit offensive. You can imagine what people thought of it in the sixteenth century. His discussion of sex in this

“disgusting'; manner is more obvious and prevalent in his early work, while he still had many female acquaintances and before he was settled down with his wife. Donne eloped with his underage lover Anne More which in itself was a scandalous event. Her father, Sir George More, objected to their marriage.

Her father was so irritated he had John thrown in jail for marrying a minor without parental consent. Though the couple went through many hardships they loved each other very deeply (Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia). The words in Donne’s poetry after the marriage only proved that fact. After their marriage the words in his poetry showed a more emotional side of Doone, you could sense the feeling of true love through the words. The way he spoke about the love he and his wife shared during this time shows it was much more then just sexual, and the sex was much more meaningful. After the death of his wife in 1617, Donne was devastated and although he had already been involved in the church even becoming an ordained minister for the

Church of England (Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia). His relationship with

God became stronger almost as a replacement for his one true love Anne. At times in his poetry it is even difficult to tell if he is talking about God or his lover.

Whether you think Donne’s poetry is perverted or not one can hardly call his work anything but genius. He is after all considered to be the leader of the metaphysical school of poets. As Herbert Grierson explains, Metaphysical

Poetry “has been inspired by a philosophical conception of the universe and the rôle assigned to the human spirit in a great drama of existence'; (147-148).

As Theodore Redpath illustrates “everywhere in the poems are to be found instances of rapid and ingenious thinking'; (223). The wording which he uses in his poetry can be some what difficult to comprehend at times. Once it is understood, his emotions and feelings...

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...ertaining to his wife, he loved her deeply. I sincerely believe the poems were written for her. It is also possible that he had adulterous relationships, which he most likely did. He loved his wife nobody took her place. If he did have adulterous relationships it was just because they lusted each other and did not love each other. These adulterous relationships were entirely sexual. And that is what Bennett is trying to state. Nevertheless

Donne’s poetry is very compelling, full of great metaphors and really gives youa sense what he is feeling. The feeling of love can be felt throughout, true love.

Works Cited

Bennett, Joan. “The Love Poetry of John Donne.'; Donne 178-194.

Donne, John. John Donne’s Poetry: Authoritative Texts; criticism. Ed. Arthur L.

Clements. 2nded. New York and London: Norton, 1992.

Grierson, Herbert Sir. “Donne and Metaphysical Poetry.'; Donne 147-157.

Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, 1996 Grolier Interactive Inc. Microsoft

Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1993-1997 Microsoft Company Online.

Internet. 19 March 1999. http://www.ultranet.com/ rsarkiss/DONNE.HTM Redpath, Theodore. “The Songs and Sonnets.'; Donne 217-227.