Doubt, Diction, and John Donne
Target Audience
AS Level English Literature students interested in improving their close-reading and analytical
skills.
Key Concepts
Historical context; close-reading; poetry; analysis; vocabulary; syntax.
The Activity
Using the Oxford English Dictionary at http://www.oed.com/ research some of the key
words from one of John Donne’s most famous Holy Sonnets below. Pay attention to
etymologies and changes in meaning over time. How does knowing the historical origins
of a word change or challenge your understanding of the poem?
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Background Knowledge
None needed for this activity, as this exercise is based on illustrating the importance of the OED
in close-reading analysis, particularly when looking at historical sources.
Resources
The OED is a fantastic resource for any Literature student. To familiarise yourself with the
website, you might like to start this task by looking up the word “sonnet”. Take some time to
read through Donne’s religious sonnet, below. Next, look up each of the words in bold on the
OED, and see what their meaning was c.1633. How does this help to develop your
understanding of the poem?
Batter my heart, three person'd God; for, you
As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow mee, 'and bend
Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurpt towne, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weake or untrue,
Yet dearely I love you, and would be lov'd faine,
But am betroth'd unto your enemie,
Divorce mee, untie, or breake that knot againe,
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.
Outcomes
This is designed to make you aware of the OED as a research tool, and highlights its
significance in English Literature. This is probably best as an individual task, but your teacher
may have some advice about approaching it as a group.
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Helpful hints
You may find the following useful in your analysis of the poem:
- What kind of sonnet form does Donne use? (I.e: Elizabethan or Petrachan). If you are
unsure about how to identify different types of sonnet, try reading the useful guide at
http://www.utm.edu/departments/english/everett/sonnet.htm
- How would you characterise the speaker’s relationship with God?
- What kind of imagery is employed, and to what end?
Going further
- Why does the speaker employ sexual imagery in a poem about religious faith?
- Why might this be considered an atypical religious sonnet?
- If you would like to read more of Donne’s poetry, this site has an excellent range of
Donne’s work, including his love poetry:
http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/donnebib.htm
- Consider how this poem is sometimes considered semi-autobiographical by reading
John Donne’s fascinating biography:
http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/donnebio.htm
- If you have enjoyed this sonnet, you may wish to explore other famous examples of
the genre. Sonnets were often written in a cycle or sequence, and intended to tell a
story.
- You can read
Sir Philip Sidney’s romantic sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella here:
http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/Astro1.htm.
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