John Donne Flashcards
What effect does the colloquial language of Donne’s poems have?
Creates a strong sense of voice.
Can mean we put Donne into the poem where perhaps we shouldn’t.
Where does a strong awareness of the ‘I’ come from in Donne?
Extremely aware of how he was perceived, evident in his unusual portraits and their clear evidence of self-fashioning.
Donne was extremely aware of how he was perceived, which is evident in his unusual portraits and the self-fashioning there, but what effect does this have in reading his poetry?
A very deliberate ‘I’
Strong awareness of the ‘I’ figure.
In Renaissance what does wit refer to (or conceit)?
Seeing similarities between different things and arguing your case.
What’s the word for the Renaissance practise of seeing similarities between different things and arguing your case.
Wit (or conceit)
Donne created for himself two identities, what were they?
Jack Donne (pre ordination) Doctor Donne (post ordination)
Clear divide between post and pre ordination. (Eg ‘reformed soul’), but not as simple as that as editions mix up chronology of poems to highlight personal growth.
In which genre of Donne’s poetry did he most use the sonnet form?
Religious poetry (rather than love)
Reflects Petrarchan character tropes? God as unobtainable lover?
What is the term that describes the idea that God has already decided who is going to heaven and who isn’t?
Predestination
Ideas of limiting free will
What does ‘total depravity’ refer to?
The idea that no area of life is untainted by sin.
There are no such things as good deeds or motivations because everything is tainted
What term describes the idea that no area of life is untainted by sin?
Total depravity
What does ‘unconditional election and irresistible grace’ refer to?
The idea that if you’re chosen, you can’t not be saved. And if you’ve been chosen to be damned, you can’t do anything about it.
What phrase suggests the idea that if you’re chosen, you can’t not be saved. And if you’ve been chosen to be damned, you can’t do anything about it.
Unconditional election and irresistible grace
What was Donne’s religious background?
Brought up as a Catholic in Protestant England. (Could not get university degree, financial penalties)
He converted to the Protestant church.
