Death as a Weak Figure in Donne's Death Be not Proud

Introduction

John Donne was a leading figure in metaphysical poetry, and his work is a great example of this genre. This poem by John Donne conveys the message that death is not what we make it out to be. His poem is based on the premise that we see death as an ominous entity, something to be afraid of. This is evident throughout the ages in our religion and literature, where death is a god and comes to collect souls and take them to the afterlife, and authors would write tales about heroes narrowly escaping death's clutches. However, Donne argues that death is, in fact, powerless and not frightening at all. He does this by personifying death as a weak figure and using metaphors to compare it to other things.

Death as a Weak Figure in Donne's Death Be Not Proud

I find Donne's use of personification crucial to his argument because by making death seem more human, it takes away the sense of divine power it carries. For example, in the poem, he states, “Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful...” and “Death, thou shalt die.” These statements personify death as a figure who perceives itself as powerful and terrifying, when in reality, that is not true, because the author believes that death cannot kill him but simply deliver pleasurable rest. By doing so, Donne demystifies death, suggesting that it is not an omnipotent force but rather a natural part of life. And although we know that death cannot actually die, what I think the author actually meant was that if we do not hold death in such high regard, it will become meaningless. By characterizing death in such a way, he takes away the preconception that death is something to be afraid of.

The Role of Metaphors

The use of metaphors in the poem is also vital in developing the author’s argument. For example, in the poem, he states, “Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men.” Here, Donne is comparing death to a slave. He makes this comparison by concluding that death simply follows the bidding of fate, chance, or men. This portrayal of death as subservient further diminishes its feared status. And that anyone could take their own life and leave death powerless. To further humiliate death, he compares it to rest and sleep, as I mentioned before. And if sleep and rest bring comfort to a person, then eternal sleep can’t be that bad. Donne later states that “And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well... why swell’st thou then?” He is again belittling death by saying that drugs can also put a man to sleep, so what does death have to be proud of?

Life After Death

Besides the way we should see death, I believe there is another message within the poem, that after death, there is eternal life waiting for the good man. I came to this conclusion from several pieces of text from the poem, one being, “nor yet canst thou kill me.” This statement hints at immortality of sorts. Another being, “And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery,” this suggests that good men don’t have to fear death because they are being freed from their body and delivered to heaven. And finally, “one short sleep past, we wake eternally,” this is pretty straightforward; once you die, you will enjoy eternal life. This idea resonates with many religious beliefs, reinforcing the notion that death is not an end but a transition.

Conclusion

Something interesting I came across during my research was that John Donne suffered from a near-fatal illness, so perhaps this poem was created from his struggle with death. This personal encounter with mortality may have profoundly influenced his perspective on death. And after coming to terms with his life, he experienced an epiphany of sorts and made this poem to share his thoughts. I believe these messages served to reassure readers that death is the gateway to the afterlife and is not something to be afraid of.

References

Donne, J. (2023). Death Be Not Proud. In The Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Donne. Modern Library Classics.

Smith, A. (2023). Understanding Metaphysical Poetry: The Works of John Donne. Oxford University Press.