Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 65 views

    Central Theme of Death Be Not Proud

    Uploaded by

    Brahmankhanda Basapara HIGH SCHOOL
    The document discusses John Donne's poem "Death Be Not Proud". It analyzes the poem's form, which follows the structure of a Shakespearean sonnet but borrows the rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet. The central theme is that the poet challenges death's power and authority, arguing that death is not something to be proud of and does not truly end life. The poem personifies death and tells it not to see itself as mighty or threatening to humans.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Central Theme of Death Be Not Proud

    Uploaded by

    Brahmankhanda Basapara HIGH SCHOOL
    65 views2 pages
    The document discusses John Donne's poem "Death Be Not Proud". It analyzes the poem's form, which follows the structure of a Shakespearean sonnet but borrows the rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet. The central theme is that the poet challenges death's power and authority, arguing that death is not something to be proud of and does not truly end life. The poem personifies death and tells it not to see itself as mighty or threatening to humans.

    Original Title

    Central-theme-of-death-be-not-proud

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document discusses John Donne's poem "Death Be Not Proud". It analyzes the poem's form, which follows the structure of a Shakespearean sonnet but borrows the rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet. The central theme is that the poet challenges death's power and authority, arguing that death is not something to be proud of and does not truly end life. The poem personifies death and tells it not to see itself as mighty or threatening to humans.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    65 views2 pages

    Central Theme of Death Be Not Proud

    Uploaded by

    Brahmankhanda Basapara HIGH SCHOOL
    The document discusses John Donne's poem "Death Be Not Proud". It analyzes the poem's form, which follows the structure of a Shakespearean sonnet but borrows the rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet. The central theme is that the poet challenges death's power and authority, arguing that death is not something to be proud of and does not truly end life. The poem personifies death and tells it not to see itself as mighty or threatening to humans.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Central theme of Death Be Not Proud

    ( BA Part 1 Paper 2 Eng Hons 2019-20 )


    Dr. Vishnulok Bihari Srivastava
    Department of English
    Rohtas Mahila College
    Sasaram, VKSU, Ara
    Mob – 7061253035
    Vishnuloksrivastava@gmai.com
    Death be not Proud is the most celebrated poem written by John
    Donne. IT has been written in the form of sonnet which finds a peculiar
    blend of Elizabethan as well as Petrarchan sonnet. It follows the
    structural pattern of Elizabethan or Shakespearean sonnet which
    consists of three quartets followed by a couplet whereas it borrows
    the rhyming pattern of Petrarchan sonnet which is ABBA. The poet
    raises the problem in the quartets that death no longer be dauntless.
    There is no valid ground for death treating it the most powerful. It
    cannot cause any threat to human beings. Its mystery has been
    revealed. IT is an extended version of rest and sleep. As we emerge
    more fresh and energetic after taking sleep. In the same manner we
    enjoy even greater pleasure after embracing death. One is all set to
    join the company of God after one’s body is consigned to flame which
    seems to be a boon in disguise to him. Another important feature of
    the poem is that here death has been personified with the poet
    challenging his authority telling him not to treat him very powerful
    which is on the wane. Donne employs apostrophe, the technique of
    directly addressing an abstract idea. The opening line is an imperative
    sentence the speaker tells, death , ‘’be not proud’’. He makes an
    alteration by adding a Volta, Death, thou shalt die, towards the end of
    the poem cutting across the accepted line.
    In the first stanza the poet recalls the belief that people in
    the past had the wrong perception that death ends the life of a person
    but the poet rejects the wrong precedence that death destroys the life
    of man. Man enjoys even greater pleasure therefore the question of
    death posing and threat doesn’t carry any meaning.
    In the second stanza the poet’s belief that death finally
    culminates into a bliss acquires a concrete shape. He no longer treats
    death as the end of life. There is even a greater pleasure awaiting him
    at the doorstep. He is hopeful that it might culminate into a much
    bigger reward. In the third stanza the invincibility of been death has
    been challenged. Death itself cannot cast a spell on human being.
    Death can be rewarded in the form of war poison and misfortune. As
    the fact that death can cause human to sleep it does not death special.
    Therefore there is no reason to be proud. In the last stanza the speaker
    says that death can make humans sleep for a short time after which
    they will awake eternally.

    You might also like

    pFad - Phonifier reborn

    Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

    Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


    Alternative Proxies:

    Alternative Proxy

    pFad Proxy

    pFad v3 Proxy

    pFad v4 Proxy