#engl311

[therealryanjohn]

#10 JD: The Flea

- As is in all of Donne's metaphysical realm, the use of imagery is plentiful. This poem revolves around a certain set of images that can be described as odd and obscure.

- "...three sins in killing three." (Donne) This portion symbolizes that killing the flea, as minute as it is, would be killing all three people involved in this story; the speaker (assumed to be Donne), the lover, and the life of the flea.

- It's almost as if Donne, who I assume to be the speaker, is attempted to tempt the lover into intercourse, thus saving the flea's life.

[therealryanjohn]

#8 Sir RF: Patriarcha

Filmer speaks here about political aspects of society, noting the importance of patriarchy. He compares and contrasts monarchy and patriarchy and even mentions it as if it is the same aspect of civilization. Filmer also uses the grand old story of Adam and Eve in a way that communicated to the reader how important patriarchy is and uses this specific story to draw historical context. the comparison was mostly between Adam ad patriarchy, as Adam had the power of creation in the old fable.

[therealryanjohn]

#6 BJ: On My First Daughter

Clearly Jonson had rotten luck with regards to the health of his offspring, as he lost two at an early age. In his first dedication to his daughter, he insinuates that even the Virgin Mary (referred to here as the mother of heaven) cries herself at the death of the pure toddler. Jonson mentions the 'safety of her innocence' (Jonson 147) as it will guide her to heaven, obviously being a virgin at 6 months.

[therealryanjohn]

#5 JD: A Valediction: Forbidden Mourning

This is perhaps my favorite piece of John Donne's work, and my favorite piece of metaphysical metaphor. Donne replaces the two hands on the compass to represent two lovers bound to each other. The woman is represented by the small foot, rotating in circles symbolizing the household she takes care of. While the breadwinner male is the larger hand, orbiting around the surface of the compass and ultimately protecting the woman. woman duty fulfilled = take care of the house and nurture home, man's job fulfilled = protect and work. A truly beautiful comparison and is typical of Donne's metaphysical work.

[therealryanjohn]

#4 JD: A Sun Rising

john Donne's A Sun Rising embodies his metaphysical work as he speaks of his love with Anne in comparison with the sun and earth the celestial sphere. He draws the comparison between an inanimate body (the sun), and the human emotion of love, as him and Anne in bed represent the orbiting body that is earth. Donne applies humanistic emotion to the sun as he des frequently among his metaphysical work, where love between man and object is translated through paradox and conceit to represent a more vivid picture of everlasting love.

[therealryanjohn]

#3 JD: A Hymn to God the Father

- Donne asks for forgiveness which is from the sin of where he was created. (fornication)

-also asks for forgiveness so he can enter heaven as he lays on his deathbed. He doesn't want to be stuck in limbo when he dies. The place between heaven and hell.

- Speaks of raising his son, which will bring him joy, but resent as the act of penetration again would be a sin in his eyes.

- Donne acknowledges the sin, knows it wasn't his fault because he wasn't conscious, but apologizes anyways.

[camillejoanc-blog]

Winstanley, A Declaration

Gerrard Winstanley lives in a fantasy world that exists without coin-based economy. Winstanley and his fellow levelers maintain that men “should neither buy nor sell” and now that they are without the king, they should “buy wine and milk, without money; or without price, as Isaiah speaks.” Scripture is used to back up these opinions. However, the levelers should have known this wasn’t going to happen. Shouldn’t they have realized that this was too radical a change for an entire country to undergo? Maybe their plan was too go radical enough to shift affect the view of the population just a little bit. If they hadn’t gone so radical, maybe nobody would’ve noticed them.

[camillejoanc-blog]

“Corinna’s Going A Maying”

The fact that the only purpose of the speaker of this poem is to get his girlfriend to go sleep with him somewhere outside in the nice and fresh spring air aside, I actually enjoyed reading this poem. Herrick’s descriptions of flowers and foliage and the happy spirit of spring made me long for nice weather. “See how Aurora throws her fair / Fresh-quilted colours through the air”. The imagery is clever and engaging. Another great line is “Each flower has wept, and bow’d toward the east”. This poem very much reminds me of the way my mother used to bug me to get out of bed and into the back yard on similarly beautiful spring Saturdays when I was a kid. Of course, my mother never mentioned “green-gown”s and “locks picked”. I wonder if maybe Corinna isn’t better off staying in bed rather than hanging out with this desperate chump.