Holy Sonnet #9

1) Title: From Holy Sonnets #9 Author: John Donne
2) John Donne married a sixteen-year-old girl whose family disapproved of their marriage because they didn’t believe he was good enough to marry their daughter. He was sent to prison for a short while. When he was released from prison he lived with his wife on a farm while pursuing his love of poetry. They had 12 children and lived an economically strapped life. His wife died at the very young age of 33. The King later suggested that Donne become a minister. Although he was reluctant, he became a minister and a very talented one.
3) Else-immortal- Otherwise immortal
Lecherous- Erotically suggestive
Heinous- Hateful, totally reprehensible
Lethean- In classical mythology, the waters of the river Lethe, in the underworld, caused total forgetfulness.
Wrath- Vengeance or punishment
4) -In what line does Donne’s attitude change from anger to remorse?
-Why is he so angry in lines 1-4 and who is he angry with?
-What is the significance in the repetition of the ideas of sin and death?
-What are the connection between Donne’s past and the poem?
-Why does he think he is so sinful?
5) Summary: It starts out with him asking why he should be punished for his sins. He thinks that God made him like that so it shouldn’t be a sin. He is arguing with God and then he discovers that it is pointless. He starts to beg for forgiveness, he wants to erase his past.
6) Analysis: By looking at Donne’s past, he was told to be a minister against his will, his passion was poetry and was told to do something that he didn’t have a big passion for. The poem follows that theme. In the beginning he is angry, when he was told he should be a minister against his wishes like he is being punished for his choices, “Why should intent or reason, born in me, make sins, else equal, in me more heinous?” He doesn’t think that he should be punished for his desires and personal beliefs. However, he does decide to accept the fact that he is good at being a minister and that he will still be punished for his actions. After he accepts his future, he tries to make a deal with god; God can punish him for his sins, but he asks, that when he dies, they be forgotten.