JOHN DONNE

Question 1

air and angels summary:

Answer 1

• begins with speaker describing how he has loved the listener many times over and always, without knowing her
• his love exists on his own terms, separate from the listener, speaker compares his love to purity of angels
• he wonders hoe angels move through the air and from this wonders how he can make his love known
• he says his love can find a home in his lovers body however changes his mind has a woman’s strength could not balance the strength of a mans love within her, and so his love will surround her like a sphere

Question 2

the anniversary summary:

Answer 2

• donne celebrates his love which is now one year old
• poet is speaker, beloved is listener
• central theme of the anniversary is immortality of love which transcends death itself
• explains they shall be ‘thoroughly blessed’ when they die and even though their lives have ended on earth, their love will continue in heaven
• eventually realises the superiority of their love so returns to earth for a ‘second reign’
• celebratory tone, assertive, strong poetic voice

Question 3

the apparition summary:

Answer 3

• person deixis establishes conversation between 2 people yet only one is talking (assertion/strong poetic voice)
• woman rejects his love for her, causing him to launch an aggressive attack on her, claiming that she has ‘murdered’ him though hyperbolic assertion (typical feature)
• then claims he will come back and haunt her while she is in bed with another man, vowing to get his revenge when there is no one to protect her
• addresses attack will be strong (monologue) and that she is no virgin and that she has high sexual drives

Question 4

the canonization summary:

Answer 4

• donne has strong emotions and tones about his love towards another woman, convincing and persuading society to be quiet and to let him love the one he truly wants to be with, no matter how frowned upon the idea is
• explains to addressee to look to his own mind and his own wealth rather than criticising the love he feels and that people are unaffected by who he chooses to be with
• rhetorically asks how his love is harming anyone and continues to demonstrate beliefs of others about how his love shouldnt affect anyone

Question 5

the flea summary:

Answer 5

• donne is convincing a woman to sleep with him throughout the metaphysical conceit of a flea
• he initiates his proposal through their ‘mingled blood’ within the body of a flea and that this blood mixing is more than they would do (sex)
• however later in the poem in the poem tries to kill the flea as she sees no resemblance/significance to the flea
• as her actions contrast his initial argument, donne then suggests that if they slept together they would lose no more than killing the flea

Question 6

the good morrow summary:

Answer 6

• couple are laying in bed together in the morning intimately as they talk about his undying love for her and how his previous lovers are incomparable to the love and affection felt towards this woman
• poem reflects an aubade, presenting a soft and reflective tone throughout while still maintaining a strong poetic voice throughout
• donne further explains to this woman about their ‘two plain hearts’ are perfect for one another, and how the love feels pure and gentlest love hes ever felt

Question 7

the relic summary:

Answer 7

• speaker proposes a future where he has died and his remains, alongside a bracelet of his lover’s hair. are interpreted as evidence of a miracle
• in this future world, the speaker tells of how men will take that discovery to the king or bishop, and how they would be worshipped by men and women
• the 2 lovers share a few kisses here and there, and although the speaker may want more to happen between them, he understands the importance of a spiritual connection

Question 8

the sun rising summary:

Answer 8

• initially asserts a strong and attacking poetic voice, showing his frustration at the sun for disturbing him and his lover early in the morning while they are laying in bed together
• immediate anger is presented through insulting premodifiers, and belittling the Sun’s overall power
• however as the poem continues, Donne changed the tone of the poem, which is a typical feature of his poetry, to show his appreciation for the sun and how the sub should shine only on them as they are the most important

Question 9

the triple fool summary:

Answer 9

• begins poem with a tone of self-pity and self-indulgence, calling himself a fool for loving and a fool for writing about it in poetry
• the poem delves into heartbreak and the process of grieving
• he feels regret from writing about his love and heartbreak in poetry because just as the speaker thought things were getting better, his emotions get publicised, entertaining others and ‘delighting many’ and he has to start the healing process again
• donne concludes that ultimately grief will prevail

Question 10

womans constancy summary: