Death Be Not Proud
Death Be Not Proud
Introduction
One of the most valued forms of poetry is the sonnet. It is a poem which is quite tricky to
compose, but very inspiring to read. Holy sonnet 10 by John Donne’s is not different; it is a great
example of the moving strength of the sonnet. In “death be not proud” Donne portrays profound
personal meaning as illustrated by his depiction of personal feelings. He writes fervently about
his thoughts towards death and his conviction that death is not dreadful or mighty thing that
many people dread. To illustrate this, the poem can be analyzed by looking at 3 elements as
follows:
Structure.
“Death be not proud” is an Elizabethan, or Shakespearean sonnet. It is made up of 14 lines that
adhere to a strict structure and rhyme scheme. The poem is made up of 3 quatrains and 1
couplet. Each of the quatrains is made up of four lines, while the couplet is made up of 2 lines
which hold then final punch. The couplet says that “one short sleepe past, wee wake eternally/
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die”. Nevertheless, the poem’s rhyme scheme
belongs to the Petrarchan sonnet (abba abba) which usually has the first 8 lines being an
octave or group. In a typical Shakespearean sonnet, the rhyme scheme is normally abab cdcd.
Nevertheless, this poem’s couplet has an ee rhyme scheme which is compliant with the
Shakespearean form.
Language.
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Death Be Not Proud
In “death be not proud” the language is striking, Donne favors dramatic monologues and
apostrophe which give an urgency and immediacy to his rhetoric. In the begging of the poem he
writes “Death be not proud” this is an apostrophe that is used in addressing death which is an
abstract figure. He also employs a large percentage of monosyllabic words. He addresses death
in words which are in total contrast with those normally used in describing death such as “nor
yet thou kill me”, “slave”. In addition, the monosyllabic accuracy of such words leave no doubt
that Donne is bullying death. In the poem Donne personifies death, he addresses death telling it
that it is not as powerful as people believe it to be, it is only an escape from life peacefully. He
uses poetic devices to amplify his message, and to depict the importance and significance of his
theme. Donne carefully chooses his vocabulary to effectively create a specific attitude about
death, especially his use of the implication of the words he chooses.
Symbols
In this poem Donne has used the words “die” and “death” to symbolize many things. In line 14
he used the perception of death in 3 different ways. “And death shall be no more; death, thou
shalt die”. the first use off the word death which is the second word refers to the physical and
real death, the second use of the word death personifies it, and the third use of the word “die” is
symbol of something that is non-existent, which ceases to exist. The use of the words “sleep”
and “rest” are symbols of the period when one is dead as used by Christians. “Sleep” and “rest”
symbolizes the period one is dead before the day of judgment arrives.
Conclusion
Similar to other Shakespearean sonnets and metaphysical poems, “death be not proud” uses
intricate figures of speech and unusual verses to elaborate the profound personal meaning as
illustrated by the depiction of personal feelings. Donne discusses death in unexpected and
eccentric chains of reasoning to illustrate his perspective on death. His language, style and
symbols develop several arguments that he uses in humbling death.
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Death Be Not Proud
Reference:
Gwynn, R. S: Literature; a pocket anthology. (2006). 3rd Ed. Longman
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