Renaissance

1300-1600

Time period when art, literature, and ideas became very important and a lot of art was produced

Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud

BY JOHN DONNE

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.


Summarize what happens in the poem, including..

Who is the speaker?

What is the setting/ situation?

What happens in the poem?

Identify lines of the poem that you at first do not understand.

***Re-read, chunk, rearrange the words, and/or use a reference material.

Underline the line and translate this line into your own words as best as you can.

Which words in the text are the most significant or striking? Highlight them in green.

Pick the top three most significant words and explain why you chose them.

Identify the poem’s overall TONE and MEANING.

What is the main attitude or tone of the speaker in the poem?

What is the main message or meaning of the poem?

How does a word’s multiple meanings (its connotative, figurative, or technical meanings) contribute to the main MEANING of the poem?