Poem | Death Be Not Proud - John Donne Flashcards
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee (A)
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; (B)
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow (B)
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.(A)
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,(A)
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,(B)
And soonest our best men with thee do go,(B)
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.(A)
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,(C)
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, (D)
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well (D)
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then? (C)
One short sleep past, we wake eternally (E)
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die. (E)
Summary
Form
Form
Form
The poem is a sonnet with 14 lines.
Structured as:
3 quatrains (groups of 4 lines) exploring different ideas about death.
1 couplet (final 2 lines) summarizing the main point and offering a conclusion.
Written in iambic pentameter, giving it a steady rhythm.
ABBA ABBA CDDC EE rhyme scheme,
(blending Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnet styles.)
Meaning (Key Ideas in Each Section)
Lines 1-4: Death is not as powerful as it thinks.
* Death is personified and addressed directly (apostrophe).
* The speaker mocks Death, calling it “poor” and powerless, as it cannot truly “kill.”
* Death is not mighty or dreadful but merely a transition.
Lines 5-8: Death is like sleep, which is pleasant.
* Sleep is a “picture” of Death; if sleep brings pleasure, Death must bring even more.
* The best people willingly embrace Death because it brings rest for their bodies and freedom for their souls.
Lines 9-12: Death is a slave, not a master.
* Death is controlled by “Fate, chance, kings, and desperate men.”
* It operates through poison, war, and sickness, showing it is dependent on external forces.
* Drugs like poppies or charms can induce better sleep than Death.
Lines 13-14 (Final Couplet): Death is defeated.
* After death, humans wake to eternal life, so Death becomes powerless.
* The ultimate paradox: Death itself dies, as it no longer has power over humans.
Key Literary Devices
Apostrophe:
Directly addressing Death gives it a human quality but also diminishes its power by confronting it.
Key Literary Devices
Paradox:
Central paradox: Death itself will die because eternal life makes it meaningless.
“Death, thou shalt die.”
A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory or impossible at first but reveals a deeper truth when you think about it. It often challenges common beliefs or logic, forcing the reader to look at an idea in a new way.
Example in “Death Be Not Proud”:
“Death, thou shalt die.”
At first, it seems impossible—how can Death itself die?
But the deeper truth is that through eternal life (resurrection), Death loses its power, becoming irrelevant, and is metaphorically “killed.”
Paradoxes are often used in poetry to emphasize complex ideas and provoke thought.
Key Literary Devices
Imagery:
Sleep imagery: “From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be.”
Violence and destruction: “poison, war, and sickness.”
Key Literary Devices
Sarcasm:
Mocking tone with words like “poor Death” and “why swell’st thou then?” undermines Death’s supposed power.
List of Ways Death is Personified
- Death is arrogant and proud: “why swell’st thou then?”
- Death is a slave to external forces: “slave to Fate, chance, kings, and desperate men.”
- Death is portrayed as an agent of rest: “Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.”
- Death is shown as weak and defeated: “Death, thou shalt die.”
Paradox in the Poem
The poem’s central paradox is that Death, which is feared for its finality, is actually powerless and temporary.
Through eternal life, humans overcome Death, making it irrelevant:
“Death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.”
A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory or impossible at first but reveals a deeper truth when you think about it. It often challenges common beliefs or logic, forcing the reader to look at an idea in a new way.
Example in “Death Be Not Proud”:
“Death, thou shalt die.”
At first, it seems impossible—how can Death itself die?
But the deeper truth is that through eternal life (resurrection), Death loses its power, becoming irrelevant, and is metaphorically “killed.”
Paradoxes are often used in poetry to emphasize complex ideas and provoke thought.
Tone and Mood
Tone and Mood
**The tone **is assertive and confrontational, as the speaker challenges Death’s authority.
**The mood **shifts from one of fear to one of confidence and hope, reflecting a journey from despair to acceptance.
The concluding lines evoke a sense of triumph over death, reinforcing the poem’s central message.
Metaphor
**Poppy ** refers to opium (from poppies) or drugs that induce sleep.
**Charms **refers to spells or magical remedies that can also cause sleep.
Both are metaphors for alternative ways for humans to achieve rest or escape, which are even more effective and pleasant than Death.
“Rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be”
Death is compared to rest and sleep, suggesting it is peaceful and temporary, not something to fear. Sleep acts as a metaphor for the restful state of death.
“Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men”
Death is metaphorically described as a “slave,” implying it is powerless and controlled by external forces like fate, chance, and human actions.
“And soonest our best men with thee do go, / Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery”
Death is a metaphorical “delivery” or transition point, setting the soul free from the body.
“One short sleep past, we wake eternally”
Death is metaphorically referred to as a “short sleep,” emphasizing its temporary nature before eternal life.
Themes and Analysis
Themes and Analysis
Defying Death
* The speaker talks directly to Death, treating it like a person.
* He argues that Death isn’t as powerful or scary as people think.
* The poem shows Donne’s belief in eternal life, saying that Death can’t destroy the soul.
Death and Sleep
* Donne compares Death to sleep, saying both are temporary.
* The line “One short sleep past, we wake eternally” means Death is just a step to eternal life.
* This idea makes Death seem less frightening and more natural.
