You Ravish Me
The Holy Sonnets, written by John Donne during the early seventeenth century, primarily
consist of religious struggles within the sinful heart. Sonnet Fourteen includes Christian content;
however, it also embraces sexual expression. While this stark contrast may seem absurd, the
juxtaposition of these two ideas reveals characteristics of Donne along with the dilemma
illustrated throughout the poem. By the end of Sonnet fourteen, the request made in the word
“ravish” provides a chaste solution to Donne’s sinful vice that causes him guilt.
Over the years, the word “ravish” has generally maintained its definition. According to
the Oxford English Dictionary “to ravish” means to transport an individual with the strength of
emotion or to fill with intense delight or sensuous pleasure. Another interpretation of “ravish”
commonly used during the 17th century meant to remove a person from earth, especially to
heaven, or to transport someone in spirit. These two quarreling definitions from the Oxford
English Dictionary reflect Donne’s struggle between love for Christ by following his
commandments and Donne’s physical urge for sexual action.
Donne’s Anglican background proves to be a vital part of this sonnet. Although he grew
up a part of the Roman Catholic Church, Donne converted to Anglicanism after his brother’s
murder over Catholic practices. He later entered the Anglican ministry in 1615 and served as a
minister. As a result of his lifestyle, Donne chose to write on spiritual topics (poets.org).
The allusion to God’s nature and identity in line one unveils critical information about
Donne’s desires. Line one reads, “Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you” (Line 1).
Although Donne does not write the word “you” at the beginning of the line, he implies
placement for this subject. Therefore, the line would read “You batter my heart, three-person’d
God.” According to Laura Gerigus, from La Sierra University, “the line thereby performs the
unspeakable and invisible nature of God, the addressee of the poem, by the use of the silent
imperative form” (Gerigus 156). In other words, this “you” creates a command for God to
follow. However, the noun relating to the implied “you” does not become evident to readers until
the middle of the line with the phrase “three-person’d God.” This added appositive without a
direct noun referent remains relevant due to the implied “you.” Finally, the pronoun “you” at the
end of the line becomes an “incarnation of the silent, absent “you” (Gerigus 156). The implied
“you,” “three-person’d God,” and pronoun “you” at the end of line one destabilize due to the
absent subject. This grammatical structure beautifully represents the idea of a triune God as
being three innate persons in one being. According to Gerigus, these three references to God
presented in the sonnet’s first line can be further understood in relationship to the three parts of
the Christian Godhead, the trinity. “The unseen, unspeakable subject of the imperative references
the invisible but omnipresent nature of God the Father; the representational proximity of the
appositive stands for the supportive and definitional purpose of God the Holy Spirit; and the
visible, dangling pronoun performs the incarnational role of God the Son” (Gerigus 157). By
considering this provision of syntactical ordinance, readers can see both the visible command for
God to remake Donne’s heart and his desire to have a relationship as intimate as the Holy Trinity
(Gerigus 156).
Donne’s understanding of a relationship with God solidifies his reason for calling upon
the Lord for help. Line two contains important reference to scripture. He appears to be alluding
towards Matthew 7:7 which states, “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find;
knock and the door shall be open unto you.” This passage gives immense comfort to believers. It
states that God will always provide for those who desire his help. Evidence of this part of
scripture’s relevance can be found through the words “knock” and “seek.” Although Donne
never uses the word “ask” in this line, the sonnet as a whole makes up for the absence. Donne
consistently begs the Lord to make him a new person. Support for this claim can be found in line
one when Donne writes, “Batter my heart, three-person'd God” (Line 1). In this line, Donne
requests for the passions of his heart to be brutally destroyed. Gerigus also supports this idea by
stating, “Donne demonstrates “implicit hopefulness” about the seeming impossibility of divine–
human intimacy because he views its realization as dependent upon God’s goodness and
greatness being able to “batter” man’s sinful resistance and “ravish” him into salvation” (Gerigus
157). In other words, Donne realizes that he cannot reach salvation on his own; therefore, he
humbles himself in order to save himself and gain holy intimacy.
Further support for Donne’s familiarity of Biblical teachings can be found in line six and
seven which states, “Labour to admit you, but Oh, to no end. Reason, your viceroy in me, me
should defend” (Line 6 and 7). Donne professes his knowledge of God’s rule in his heart through
these lines. Ephesians 4:7, 8 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and
this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Line
six and seven directly parallel Donne’s profession. Donne realizes that he cannot change his own
desires and passions within his heart. Rather, he needs the help of the Lord to cleanse his soul.
Therefore, Donne demands assistance, as seen in line two, because without Christ, he remains a
slave to his sinful nature.
Donne’s commitment and love for God paired with a corrupt human nature creates the
driving force of guilt that causes him to submit to the Lord’s reconstruction of his heart. In
Petrarchan and Repentance in John Donne’s Holy Sonnets by Gary Kuchar, Kuchar supports
this claim by stating that “the fundamental drama of the Holy Sonnets is characterized by the
speaker’s terrifying recognition that repentance requires him to experience his lack of
autonomy—to undergo a psychically violent process” (Kuchar 537). The octet clearly shows
Donne’s guilt and submission to God’s will through his demands. Donne uses spondis and
changes in rhythm to especially emphasize these points throughout the sonnet. Examples of this
can be seen in the first line of the poem with the word “batter,” in the second line with the words
“breathe, shine, and seek,” and in the fourth line with the words, “break, blow, burn.”
The word “ravish” also appropriately fits amongst Donne’s aggressive word choice for
this visual cry out to God. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word ravish can be
replaced with the synonym abuse. In some ways, this corresponds with Kuchar’s theory and
Donne’s strategic word choice. Donne repetitiously pleads for the Lord to violently change his
heart. In part, this provides readers with understanding as to why Donne’s final request would be
for the Lord to ravish him.
Donne never directly provides readers with the offense that causes him such agony;
however, word choice throughout the poem hints at the root of his sinful desire. Terminology
such as “enthrall” and “ravish” sexually charge Sonnet fourteen. Therefore, an assumption can be
made that Donne struggles with the sin of adultery. This conjecture transforms the poem into
one that more closely models the Petrarchan tradition due to the desperation for God and
separation caused by sin. Lines nine and ten help prove this claim. They read, “Yet dearly I love
you, and would be loved fain, But I am betroth'd unto your enemy” (Lines 9 and 10). Lora
Geriguis from La Sierra University also supports this assertion by stating that the Petrarchan
relationship can be seen through the “evitable inconsistency of a faithless human lover estranged
from a beloved God” (Geriguis 155).
The fact that Donne does not directly state the sin that bothers his conscience and
replaces it instead with lines of humility emphasize the guilt of his actions. Donne realizes that
he has become a slave to sin. He exemplifies this through lines ten and eleven which read, “But I
am betroth'd unto your enemy ; Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again” (Lines 10 and 11).
Donne presents himself as meek by referring to himself in feminine terms. In these two lines,
Donne uses vocabulary such as “betrothed.” This word is often used in reference to new brides
rather than bridegrooms.
However, while these lines offer a suggestion of humility, they also provide an impact of
jealousy. The Bible often refers to God as the bridegroom and the individual believer as his
bride. Examples of this can be found in Ephesians 5:25 which reads, “Husbands, love your
wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Another example would be
the parable of the ten virgins in the book of Matthew. Donne desires more than anything to be a
part of this intimate relationship with Christ in order to escape from his bondage of sexual sins. It
is possible that Donne uses the contrasted view, a marriage with the devil, in an attempt to rouse
God’s passion for him. Through these endeavors, Donne hopes that the Lord will finally come to
his rescue from certain temptation and ravish him into a purer life.
The final three lines of the poem reveal the ultimate conclusion to Donne’s suffering.
Lines thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen read, “Take me to you, imprison me, for I, except you
enthrall me, never shall be free, nor ever chaste, except you ravish me” (Lines 13-15). Donne
states in these lines that unless God imprisons him from the devil and his sin, he cannot be free.
The most interesting word choice in these three lines occurs in the final line of the poem with the
words “chaste” and “ravish.” These opposing ideas create the ironic truth needed to absolve
Donne’s dilemma. Donne desires to be pure, free of all sexual sins. He wants nothing more than
to serve the Lord. However, he finds himself struck with desires poisonous to the heart. These
sexual sins pollute his conscience; therefore, resulting in this struggle between good and evil. In
order for Donne to relieve his pestering physical desires, he begs God to ravish him.
As stated earlier in the paper, ravish can have two drastically different meanings.
However, which definition did Donne wish to apply? While the use of sexual imagery could
point towards that of sexual pleasure, the possibility of this being a chaste reference could still be
a likely solution. As stated throughout this paper, Donne had a strong connection to the Anglican
Church and based his life on the teachings of the Lord. It would not be out of place for Donne to
ask God to remove him from temptation and transport him to heaven. Line twelve would also
agree with this statement because Donne requests to be quarantined from sin and the devil when
he says, “Take me to you, imprison me, for I,” (Line twelve). Donne wants no part of these
impure acts.
Lori Gerigus argues that Donne wishes to imply sexual content by using the word
“ravish”. Gerigus states, “The sonnet opens with a figure of militaristic incursion and closes with
sexual penetration, a combination of phallic images that Donne designs into metaphorical
architecture capable of bridging the gap separating humanity from divinity” (Gerigus 157). As
the poem continues toward the end, sexual imagery begins to become more evident. It isn’t as
hidden as it was at the beginning of the sonnet with the grammatical structure. This suggests that
Donne purposely crafted this processional unraveling in order to express the conclusion to his
struggle, to be ravished sexually by God. The erotic undertones within the poem seem to enforce
the result of eroticism behind the word “ravish.”
In conclusion, the word ravish provides Donne with a solution to his physical struggle.
Donne wishes to serve the Lord in a pure manner; however, sexual sins have caused him
temptation. In order for Donne to become unadulterated, he chooses to submit himself to the
Lord and beg to be made new. Donne desires to be ravished by God as the final resolution to his
vice. John Donne uses the word “ravish” to express his sexual sins and yearning to be saved from
them. Due to the purpose of the poem, the two definitions of the word “ravish” can appropriately
coexist; however, the physical intimacy implied throughout the poem supports the hypothesis of
an erotic meaning. Sonnet fourteen may appear surprising at first read, but through careful
examination, the complex design reveals the replication of a timeless dilemma through poetic
expression.
Works Cited
Geriguis, Lora. "John Donne’s HOLY SONNET 10." N.p., n.d. Web.
"John Donne." Poets. N.p., n.d. Web.
Kuchar, Gary. "Petrarchism and Repentance." N.p., n.d. Web.
"Zondervan Niv Study BibleGetMediafireFile.com." Zondervan Niv Study Bible. N.p., n.d. Web.
09 Dec. 2013.