Donnes Holy Sonnet XIV - Batter my heart, three persond...

Donnes Holy Sonnet XIV - Batter my heart, three persond God Batter my heart, three persond God; for, you As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend; That I may rise, and stand, oerthrow me, and bend Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new. I, like an usurpt towne, tanother due, Labor to admit you, but Oh, to no end, Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captivd, and proves weake or untrue, Yet dearelyI love you, and would be lovd faine, But am betrothd unto your enemy, Divorce me, untie, or breake that knot againe Take me to you, imprison me, for I Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me. --John†¦show more content†¦Parish: One must infer that in Knoxs opinion such symbolism shares nothing with metaphor in its effect on the imagination [College English 24 (1963): 299]. In spite of the shocking character of the poems imagery, the Holy Sonnet XIV seems coherent, its language apt; it is metrically jagged, yet traditional; its imagery is anthropomorphic, yet pious. If one may be permitted a commonplace, the poem is certainly a poem of paradoxes, as has been explored more fully in its many explications in these pages (articles appearing in 1953, 1954, 1965, 1967, and 1969, as well as in those mentioned above). However, most of these explications seem to focus on the intensity of religious ardor expressed by Donnes expansion of the boundaries of metaphorical usage within the poem. I will address more directly this metaphorical usage as it relates to Donnes experimentation with metrical freedom within the strictures of traditional sonnet form, as a further inroad to the poems theme. Both of these characteristics--the sinewy elasticity of meter and the intellectual contortion of metaphorical conceit--are attributes of the metaphysical style of poetry of which Donne is the preeminent representative. These attributes caused the critics of metaphysical poetry to label it the strong-lined style. It is, however, difficult to imagine Donnes passionate outpouring being expressed in any other way, sinceShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Holy Sonnet XIV Essay1496 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of Holy Sonnet XIV Throughout history, many people have endeavoured to convey their interpretations, or experiences, of the relationship between God and mankind. Many interpretations are positive - Psalm 139 of the Bible, for example, portrays the relationship between man and God as a personal and intimate one - yet just as many are decidedly negative. One such interpretation is Holy Sonnet XIV, an intensely personal poem by John Donne which explores the feelingsRead More Biography of John Donne Essay3729 Words   |  15 PagesDonne was an English poet and probably the greatest metaphysical poets of all time. He was born in 1572 to a Roman Catholic family in London. His father died when John was young leaving his mother Elisabeth to raise him and his siblings. Throughout Donne’s life his experiences with religion were full of trials and tribulations, something that can be clearly seen in his poetry over time. He remained Catholic early in life while he attended both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Interestingly enoughRead More Male Masochism in the Religious Lyrics of Donne and Crashaw Essay3473 Words   |  14 PagesMale Masochism in the Religious Lyrics of Donne and Crashaw The impetus of my psychoanalytic exploration of male masochism in Donne and Crashaw occurs in Richard Rambusss Pleasure and Devotion: The Body of Jesus and Seventeenth-Century Religious Lyric, in which he opens up possibilities for reading eroticism (especially homoeroticism) in early modern representations of Christs body. In this analysis, Rambuss opposes Caroline Walker Bynum who, in response to Leo Steinbergs The Sexuality