DEATH BE NOT PROUD

1. DEATH BE NOT PROUD JOHN DONNE MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

2. MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

3. Death be not proud 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. MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

4. MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

5. Allusion - the poem alludes to THE FOLLOWING EXTRACT FROM THE SCRIPTURES: "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet . . . . then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15: 51-57 MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

6. Structure of the poem • Italian or Petrarchan Sonnet in structure • In terms of ideas the poem is divided into three quatrains and a couplet – Shakespearian. • Poem consists of octave and sestet. • Arrangement of sestet is unusual since it consists of a quatrain and a couplet. • The couplet is spoiled by impure rhyme: eternally and die • Rhyme scheme: a b b a a b b a c d d c e e MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

7. Theme: • Death is powerless – a passing moment in time before man achieves eternal life. Death is personified as a hateful person whom the poet dislikes. MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

8. Line 1 Death has nothing to boast / brag about Death be not proud, though some have called thee Present perfect tense Apostrophe Irony It is implied that only a small number of unknown people call death dreadful The poet addresses death directly It has happened in the past and will still happen in future. MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

9. Line 2 Powerful Fearful Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so, Emphatic statement - the poet is totally convinced of his point of view MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

10. Line 3 Death's opinion For those, whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow, Those people who have died conquered MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

11. Line 4 Poet's opinion Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me. The poet now boasts that death cannot 'kill' him Tone of contempt – Sarcastic exclamation in a Mock-sympathetic tone MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

12. Line 5 Rest and sleep are imitations of death From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, metaphor MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

13. Line 6 If the imitations are so enjoyable the real thing must be even better Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow, alliteration MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

14. Even strong, powerful and brave men die eventually - sometimes sooner than expected Line 7 And soonest our best men with thee do go, Good, virtuous men welcome death! MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

15. Metonymy - bones represent the body Line 8 Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. Man is reborn - set free from earth and his temporary body. MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

16. Destiny, fortune providence Line 9 Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men, accidental coincidental What causes death? People die because of sickness. Or maybe a murderer kills them. Or perhaps a tyrannical king decrees a death sentence. In all of these cases, Death has no option but to come along and claim the victim. Death therefore has no freedom. Death is simply a slave to things like Fate, etc. MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

17. Line 10 Birds of a feather flock together You are known by those with whom you associate yourself And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell. live and associate All negative things - associated with destruction MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

18. Line 11 When a certain species of poppy seeds is crushed, it produces a paste called opium which, when heated, gives off a smoke that produces a wonderfully peaceful hallucinatory sleep. And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well. People sleep deeper from these than from death magic spells - hypnotism MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

19. Line 12 Pun Stroke - * death blow * stroke of luck * stroke an animal And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then? Comparative degree - not as good as... • Why do you have such high opinion of yourself? • (puffed up with pride) MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

20. Line 13 One short sleep past, we wake eternally, Triumphant declaration of our victory over death MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

21. Line 14 Man's death is only the beginning of his eternal life And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die. "You will go" means a wish or an intention, that you will go unless something stops you whereas "you shall go" is a command rather than a wish, meaning that nothing will get in the way of your going! "Death, thou shalt die" therefore is a command. Nothing will get in the way of Death's demise . Death will die and there is no further argument about it! There is no question about it! MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

22. Therefore this should not be the picture we have of death MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

23. You should think of death as a triumph over death itself MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH

24. Tone: The poet is mocking or ridiculing death • Hostile • Contemptuous Mood: • Mocking • Challenging MADE BY RONEL MYBURGH