John Donne Context Flashcards
1
Q
John Donne Context
How old was Ann when she met Donne
A
17
2
Q
What is the story of the 7 sleepers referenced in “The Good Morrow”
A
It is a biblical story of 7 Christian children, who when facing persecution slept for 187 years, and were found alive
3
Q
What is the context for “The Good Morrow”?
A
- Seven sleepers allegory
- cordiform maps were heart shaped, so when he and his lover combined they made up the world
- Aristophanes theory that humans were both male and female, and were shaped like globes originally. But due to them mounting an attack on the gods, they were punished by being split in half and left to find their ‘other half’
- “was not mixed equally”… thus is a reference to how they believed diseases were caused by an imbalance of chemicals (humours). They believed if you loved each other equally and had the perfect balance, that “none can die” as love conquers death.
- sun was worshiped and seen as sacred, Donne dismissed in the poem- seen as outrageous
4
Q
What is the context for “The Sun Rising”
A
- belief of The Great Chain of Being; everything has a place in the eyes of god. The king was the highest being in this chain, as was placed there by God to rule.
- medieval cosmology; belief that everything in the sky rotated around earth on spheres- the plants were closer to God
- belief of alchemy disproven. Metal can’t be turned to gold.
