Johm Donne's stages in understanding God through the themes of his "Holy Sonnets"

Soetomo, Dianawati (1991) Johm Donne's stages in understanding God through the themes of his "Holy Sonnets". Bachelor thesis, Petra Christian University.

Abstract

This 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.

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