John Donne by Zoë Plöger https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2 200 words: How sincere do you find Donne's poetry to be? en-us 2022-01-21 07:38:02 UTC 2025-11-20 02:48:38 UTC hello@padlet.com kate s208161 https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201895524 john donne's poetry in my opinion varies in sincerity. Some of his poems refer to only the attraction and sexual desire he feels towards his wife and others is the emotional connection felt between him and his wife. Although some of john donne's poetry seems to frivolous to be considered sincere his poems are all talking about deep and personal connections in his life. If I were to describe john donne's poetry in one sentence I would say his poetry is logically constructed arguments in order to persuade his lover, I say this because the poets success is based on the complete strength of the argument.]]> 2022-05-27 06:51:09 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201895524 Vivica https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201896525 Sincerity in itself is hard to judge, we can only judge sincerity by actions because we cannot look into somebody's mind. Words in this sense do not mean anything. We do not know if he was actually sincere or if his poems were just a fleeting moment of adoration and inspiration. Hence I do not have a clear opinion if his poetry is sincere. There are two ways as to approach poetry: interpreting the poem alone and then informing oneself about the author, perhaps reading other poems, letters and biographies. In the case of sincerity I think that judging it based on a broader literary horizon would give a more precise opinion. By looking at the holistic picture behavior and lifestyle can be identified, and in this case as previously mentioned, actions speak louder than words. So, in conclusion, I cannot give my judgement as I do not know anything about the personal life of John Donne. Then again, comparing love to a flea might not be considered to be very sincere nowadays but maybe it was no big deal back then. ]]> 2022-05-27 06:52:18 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201896525 Katarina https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201897102 I find Donne's poetry to be sincere to a  great extent, since he provides some of the most intimate details and aspirations throughout the finest literary devices he uses. For example, in "The Flea", when he writes "And in this flea, our two bloods mingled be", he uses a strong metaphor that proves how synthesized him and his lover are in one, and therefore they should commit to the act of "blood mingling"  even though it may not be the acceptable thing to do before marriage. This proves a great extent of sincerity of Donne's poems, since he expresses his desire and longing for something that shouldn't have been desired at that historic period and shows how candid his poetry was. 

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]]> 2022-05-27 06:52:55 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201897102 https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201897402 the topic of sincerity comes up within the elaborative poems which he has concise, not once has he claimed for his unyielding passionate love towards his underages wife, and on the slightest chance, he would pounce on yet another woman, furthering this madness he would describe it as a biblical experience which is simply unjust. So no, there isn't a slight remnants of sincerity within the individual known as John Donne.
Dolev, Roman]]> 2022-05-27 06:53:17 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201897402 Ural https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201899038 The theme that intertwines all of the poems is love. The definition of true love implies that the lovers are sincere. John Donne, through his use of language, demonstrates his attempt to put love into words. However, it seems as if Donne through his poetry shows, that something as strong as love can only be partially expressed in words. Nevertheless, in most of the poems, Donne only shows the sexual aspect of love, which can suggest the insincerity in his intentions as he only desires sex from his partner. In "The Flea" and "To His Mistress" he portrays his relationship with a woman as an act of holiness, which combined with his colonial attitude towards exploration gives a sense of authority and power. In this case, love is more about conquering somebody rather than living on mutual terms, which reflects on the time the poem was published. However, his description of the beauty of women shows that he values their appearance and considers them lovable. The only exception to that is "A Valediction: Forbidden Morning" where Donne portrays love as a powerful force that binds the two lovers together, two "compasses" that are attached to each other. Therefore, I think Donne is sincere in his poem but in some cases, he is too sincere, which can be looked upon as weird or inappropriate.]]> 2022-05-27 06:55:12 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201899038 Olga https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901019 Because of how relatable it can be even to our current time period to some extent of psychological factors, the main prospect in his poetry is love, the kind of love a feminist wouldn't accept over her dead body but still love to some extent, pure, boundless, feral and natural. Differs with understandings of life in general for out generation compared with John Donnes.]]> 2022-05-27 06:57:19 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901019 Anfisa P https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901419 I find that in his poetry John Donne is being honest with himself and with the reader. However the thing that amuses me is that he sincerely writes about cheating and womanising. What makes his poetry captivating for the reader and remarkable for the world literature is its sincerity, it is like reading his persona diary. Yet, if we assume that he is fully honest and sincere in all his poems, we will see that he is writing about things one should not be proud of (cheating, sex outside of marriage, physical attraction to virgins) without any shame or repentance for it (To his mistress, The Flea). Yes, he writes about warm feelings and universal love towards his wife (Valediction), but it does not cancel out the fact that in other poems he glorifies sin, in my opinion.]]> 2022-05-27 06:57:47 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901419 John Donne is an interesting individual with interesting poets, since he shows a lot of emotion towards women he wants to sleep with, it seems as if he puts more work into seducing them rather than working on himself, which is a joke of course, just like his poems, his style of writing is rather bizarre, because he sounds sincere but he doesn't transfer it very well, as he likes to compare sleeping with women to things that shouldn't be mentioned with someone your trying to have intercourse with which are grounds that make us doubt his sincerity https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901603 2022-05-27 06:57:59 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901603 Elina https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901701 From one perspective, John Donne portrays himself as a character charmed and owned by a religion of Love and sensuality. Even though such taboo poems as "The Flea " or "To His Mistress Going to Bed" keep their focus on the portrayal of sexual rather than a romantic relationship, Donne shows his sincerity and ability to define the spiritual value of feelings, ethereal and spiritual connection, regardless of its physicality, such as in "A Valediction". Personally, I see Donne as a duplicitous author, who confuses the readers of his true intentions through logical fallacies, and nontypical, metaphysical conceits, depicting both sides of the coin, particularly his mind. He describes feelings, regardless of morality, tradition, and social values. It seems like he writes for himself – not (to please) the audience, which in a way makes him sincere. ]]> 2022-05-27 06:58:06 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201901701 Anfisa G s19693 https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201902411 Comparing to common intellectualized poems of that time , no matter if he is joking around, or being sincere, his poems are very personal. I personally don't think that sincerity is what makes a poem great, if it conveys its message - its job is done, and there is no need in wondering if the author is being sincere or not. John Donne's poetry is very explicit, and he definitely manages to get to the point and express his feelings about romantic or sexual relationships with women in detail (especially in 'To His Mistress Going to Bed' as he is excessively describing the feelings she provokes in him with her appearance). Some other poems, such as 'The Sun Rising', raises more romantic aspects of his relationships.]]> 2022-05-27 06:58:45 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201902411 melanie https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201903629 I think that Donne's poetry is not always sincere, as he uses unusual comparisons to describe his relationships. In "The Flea", for example, he uses a poetry conceit to compare his erotic relationship with a flea, which can be interpreted in an ironic way. By comparing his relationship with a flea sucking his blood, Donne is in a way exaggerating his emotions to try and convince his lover to have sexual relationships with him, which I think shows a lack of a real connection. However, in "Valediction" he talks about his personal  and deep feelings, and his aim is to convince his lover that  their connection is so strong distance won't affect then. I think that in this case he is being sincere, as he seems desperate to make his lover understand that their relationship is not based on physical touch, but a deeper and stronger connection.]]> 2022-05-27 07:00:10 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201903629 shaan https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201904203 I believe that Donne's poetry is quite sincere in the way that it honestly depicts his lustful feelings through the use of metaphors and allegories, which was incredibly unconventional and controversial for his time. His poems could be seen as a reflection of the "true" sentiment regarding sex in England during the early 17th century, not the socially acceptable viewpoint at the time. John Donne writes more about his emotions and romance in certain poems, and may be considered more "sincere" in such poems, though one should not undermine his poems containing more erotic imagery and consider them "less sincere", as his ability to openly write about these topics, considered taboo at the time, demonstrates his acceptance of his feelings and sincerity with the reader regarding these feelings. ]]> 2022-05-27 07:00:50 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201904203 Al€x$e¥4ik https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201905025 I believe that John Donne’s poems stand out from most of the intellectualized works of 17th century as they explore more personal topics, most of which were seen as a taboo of that time. I believe that his sincerity various in different works. Some of them are focused on the portrayal of sexual, rather than romantic relationship which may be seen as both sincere and insincere as we don’t know what goal did he pursue. ]]> 2022-05-27 07:01:46 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201905025 AL https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201980422 Too sophisticated, sometimes it's really hard to understand the implications of his words like they're some kind of mystery to solve even though he mostly uses those words to express his sexual intentions. too personal, he uses a very personal context in most of his poets, he's sincere in if that context but, if you see it from a different direction, he uses inappropriate context and very far from it's time in the 17th century. effect on the reader, in all his poets, i find john donne's poetry's effect on the reader a very inappropriate one, as he uses a very unhealthy language and it's context always leads to his sexual intentions which is not a very sincere poetry for the readers point of view, especially in the time it came out, it's very unlikely to see such poets. thirsty, he uses his poetry to mostly talk about his private life and intentions and very far from it's time. ]]> 2022-05-27 08:35:18 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2201980422 Ural (PEAL) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2221902822 The poet John Donne uses the microcosm-macrocosm in his description of romantic relationships, in particular, the innocence and grandeur that it can represent. In A Valediction: Forbidden Mourning in which Donne depicts the departure from his wife, he uses the pathetic fallacy of “Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears," to show what happens globally whilst one partner goes away from the lover. The movement of earth, or the tectonic plates, is shown as the movement of celestial bodies, whereas the departure seems comparingly innocent. The microcosm is used to convince his lover that the departure is not doomsday. The microcosm-macrocosm analogy demonstrates the beauty of romantic relationships on a small scale, a spiritual balance that cannot be unshaken but also that on a large scale that even the harshest and hazardous events cannot disrupt the lovers.]]> 2022-06-15 12:08:57 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2221902822 Elina (PEAL) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2221957467 John Donne refers to dramatic monologue, as a form of storytelling, to emphasize emotionality and sensuality arousing the interest of the reader in the poem's main conflict. Such literary device is illustrated in the poem "The Flea", where the speaker – Donne himself, uses dramatic features such as colloquialism and rhetorical questions, for example, "Mark but this flea. . ." (line 1), or "Cruel and sudden, hast thou since/Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence?" (line 19-20). Such dramatic elements help achieve the poem's contextual purpose – representation of sexual coercion in favor of sexual union with a lady of interest. Moreover, the use of dramatic monologue and its elements, as a whole, highlights the provocative and playful tone of the poem while referring to the intimate theme portraying sensuality. ]]> 2022-06-15 13:11:01 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2221957467 Ural (Paradox) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223774820 1) 'Canonization'

The title itself is a paradox. The poem is about love, whereas the title implies religious or saintly connotation.

2) "Our two souls therefore, which are one,
      Though I must go, endure not yet"

3) "Yet thou triumph’st, and say'st that thou   
      Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now;"

4) "Busy old fool, unruly sun,
...
Thy beams, so reverend and strong
       Why shouldst thou think?"
]]> 2022-06-17 06:11:59 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223774820 Amirreza (Paradox) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223782213 1-In "the flea" by John Donne, he states that killing the flea that contains our mixed blood is a sacrilege but when it is dead he says that
it was insignificant and having intercourse with me would lose you as much honour as murdering that flea 
2-he speaks of honour and social status but in the poem he is doing what is seems his utmost in order to seduce a woman into premarital sex which is very looked down upon]]> 2022-06-17 06:21:40 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223782213 Elina (17.06.2022) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223783592 Paradox example: In "Holy Sonnets: Batter my heart, three-personed God", the paradox lies in line 3, where Donne uses imperatives in a paradoxical context, using verbs "break" and "burn"  to describe resurrection, as a restoration of the human soul.

"That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend/Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new."

Contradictions: "A Sun Rising" –  "Busy old fool, unruly sun,/Why dost thou thus,/Through windows, and through curtains call on us?" and "Thine age asks ease, and since thy duties be/To warm the world, that's done in warming us."

"The Flea" –   "Let not to that, self-murder added be,/And sacrilege, three sins in killing three." and "Yet thou triumph’st,/and say'st that thou/Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now;".

Contradictory qualities in "The Good-Morrow": "For love, all love of other sights controls,/And makes one little room an everywhere."

Paradoxal conceits play a significant role in John Donne’s poetry, as an essential part of visualizing and representing perspectives. Paradoxal nature lying in contradictions “accomplishes modulation of the tone  (Brooks), which, supported by metaphysical metaphors, builds up Donne’s implication of the main themes his poetry addresses: love, religion, world and death. John Donne introduces perspective for the reader by using paradoxes, emphasizing the relevance of observations through distortion of reality, yet implication of physicality. Paradox as well, builds Donne’s character as a poet, giving his writing a feeling of wonder with ironic elements. John Donne thereby sees poetry as a method to escape supernaturalism in literature as art, dismissing its supernatural/natural traditions and escaping societal norms, bringing sincerity and sensitivity to his poetry. 


]]> 2022-06-17 06:23:22 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223783592 Ural (Paradox Summary) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223800302 The extract is about whether a paradox is a poetic device. It suggests that there is prejudice regarding paradox as intellectual rather than emotional. However, some poets can only express their ideas in a paradox. In regards to John Donne, the author uses an example from "Canonization", in which the poet treats profane love as if it were divine love. The extract goes into detail about uncovering the paradox in each stanza of the poem. Then, the author discusses the necessity of the paradoxes. He suggests that Donne's poetry would lack necessary meaning, if, for example, the lovers were only looked at from only intellectual or emotional sides. The author states that the paradox 'unites' the two sides together, which helps to glue the complex meaning of the poem together.]]> 2022-06-17 06:45:13 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223800302 Katarina https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223811341 Although the title “The Canonization '' could mislead the reader to think of this poem as a holy religious piece, after a detailed reading, its paradoxical nature is quite obvious. Donne discusses forbidden love and questions “who’s injured by my love?”. He even discusess the sexual act between them by using an euphamism: “we’re tapers too, and at our own cost die.”, which at that time was far from holy. Him and his lover are defined by love, they are “made such by love”. Even if these themes aren’t religious for the standards of the 17th century, shouldn’t pure and sincere love be considered a holy act nevertheless? ]]> 2022-06-17 07:00:23 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223811341 Paradox Alexey https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223813437 1) “our two souls therefore, which are one” - “though I must go”
At first he says that they are a single person and soul and then, however, says that he has to leave her. 
2)  The title of the poem 'canonization' implies religion, however, the poem is about love 
3) in “the sun rising” Donne at first criticizes sun “busy old fool, unruly sun” but then asks “shine here to us”
4) holy sonnets: batter my heart, three-person’d God.
The speaker says that he loves God and promises him to “bend” him but then says that he is “betroth’d unto your enemy”]]> 2022-06-17 07:03:05 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223813437 Melanie (paradox) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223828216 The sun rising: Donne starts the poem by insulting the sun: " Busy old fool, unruly sun". However at the end of the poem he is asking the sun to stay and shine on them: "Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere"
Valediction: Donne describes their souls as one : "Our two souls therefore, which are one,". However he then talks about them as different parts of a compass that are separated (although at the end they come together)]]> 2022-06-17 07:21:56 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2223828216 Ural (How do you think Donne wants to portray himself for posterity?) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2227819675 The epitaph:

'Reader, I am to let thee know,
Donne’s body only lies below;
For could the grave his soul comprise,
Earth would be richer than the skies.'

The meaning of this epitaph is that John Donne may have passed away, but his body can give earth knowledge and continue with his legacy. It may also be that he has left a legacy for future poets, particularly the metaphysical poets that may be an inspiration from Donne's poetry. However, the epitaph takes suggests that, if his soul was preserved then "Earth would be richer than the skies" meaning that the knowledge that a person can derive from Donne's poetry is limited to the ideas that he has implemented in his poetry. The reader is only able to derive knowledge based on personal interpretation, whereas the true meaning that Donne tried to convey remains unknown.]]> 2022-06-22 12:39:23 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2227819675 Elina (22.06.2022) https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2228622792 In the epitaph, John Donne, as a writer directly advises the reader:

'Reader, I am to let thee know,
Donne’s body only lies below;
For could the grave his soul comprise,
Earth would be richer than the skies.'

The last two lines suggest the idea of Donne's legacy as a poet and his significance in literature. John Donne himself tells the reader how his presence on the Earth is eternal with his literature and poetry, making the Earth always richer than the skies. 

He sees his poetry as a definition of himself, which gives the reader the idea about his image, and his image staying eternal within his poetry. ]]> 2022-06-23 06:57:41 UTC https://padlet.com/zoeploeger1/1ku56t541zd56ez2/wish/2228622792