Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Essays

Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Essays Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Paper Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Paper Essay Topic: Donne Poems Poetry Much poetry from the 16th and 17th Centuries, was based around religion, addressing God, and asking for His help and advice. Two such examples of the authors who wrote this poetry are John Donne and John Milton. Both these men were highly religious people, and used their poetry to question and criticise God, as is shown in the two poems that I have studied below. In Johns Donnes poem, Holy Sonnet 14, Donne is demanding Gods help. He uses violent masculine imagery as well as passive feminine imagery to make these demands. Donne also uses metaphors and paradoxes in order to show his need for God in his life. In the first six lines of Holy Sonnet 14, Donne uses a metaphor with which his life is a usurped town. He says in the first line, batter my heart, three personed god. Here, Donne demands that God break into his town and allow the people to follow. In line two he starts to complain about how little God has done in pushing his way through the gates of his town. He tells God to oerthrow me demanding that God overthrow his town (soul) and take it over. The fourth line begins with Donne showing how Gods power could break into the town and make it new. He uses powerful verbs such as break, blow, burn when describing Gods powerful means. Then in lines five and six, Donne proclaims to God that he wants to let God into his heart but that he has failed in doing so. Although Donne takes responsibility for his failure in letting God in, he criticises gods viceroy (reasoning). In line seven, Donne shifts his feelings of self-remorse and turns them into criticisms of reason. He begins this shift by starting the sentence with reason. Reason not only signifies a shift in his tone and feeling, but it also represents Gods viceroy, his representative, within Donnes soul. The second part of this poem begins Donnes second metaphor. In this part of the poem Donne demands things of God that would be more like characteristics of things that are against what God stands for. In line nine, Donne proclaims his love to God and he tells God he wants to be loved back. But in line ten he says he is betrothed unto your enemy. Here, betrothed is inferring his relationship is so close to the enemy that it can be compared to marriage. Donne has become so close to Gods enemy that he feels helpless against him. In the next two lines Donne pleas for Gods help. Donnes plea for help is reflected in action phrases such as divorce me, break that knot again. He also pleads for action, saying ravish me and enthrall me. Donne is telling God, paradoxically, that he will never be pure or virginal unless God rapes him and will never be free unless God enslaves him. A paradox Donne uses is how he asks God to take over his body. He uses sexual images as if he was a female. Sexual imaginary is best shown in his final line, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me. Being ravished or chaste is most commonly associated with women. He is saying in order for him to be virginal again, he must be raped and enslaved by God, becoming no longer pure. But when done by God, it will return him back to a virginal state. Another interesting paradox is why he uses the word reason when referring to Gods viceroy. Traditionally the word reason has been used to try and contradict religious influences. This may imply along with the poems mixed syntax Donnes confused state of mind when writing this poem. These types of things may also imply his insecurity with his faith in God. It seems as if he is using this poem to cry out for help from God. Donne uses metaphors and paradoxes in this poem to aid the reader in visualising God taking over Donnes body and spirit. His first metaphor compares his life with an usurped town. He uses a towns physical imagery in order to give an animated description of God usurping his soul. In the second half of the poem, Donne uses God and his enemy as the second metaphor. Here, God has to play the roles of his enemy in order to take over Donnes heart. Miltons Sonnet 19, When I Consider How My Light is Spent, shows a religious doubt within the author regarding his relationship to God. This doubt, possibly caused by the narrators recent loss of sight, stems from his confusion over what God wants him to do. Ultimately, there is no easy solution to the authors problem of religious, and Milton suggests that any clearness and happiness to be found can be had only with patience. The structure of the sonnet, which is Petrachian in style, is a conversation with God in the form of a question and an answer. It is divided into an octet which shows the reader the problem and leads to the question, and into a sestet which offers a sort of answer to the problem. The use of the word fondly in Line 7, which translates to foolishly in new English, shows that the author has doubt as to whether questioning God was the right thing for him to, and shows concern that he has made his relationship with God even more tenable. We are shown at the start of the poem, that since his blindness became apparent, Miltons talent has become ineffectual, and he has a feeling of not being able to serve his God in the ways that he has done before. We are not told exactly what Miltons line of work, or talent was, but it is clear that his life is feeling dark and empty while he is unable to perform his previously usual tasks, which is obviously making him feel like he is worthless in Gods eyes. We presume that the reply comes from a source of God, either being directly from Him, or indirectly via a messenger or angel. In reply to Miltons question as to whether a man has to be a hard worker to gain the respect of God, God says that it is not the hard-working man that comes off best, but the loyal, and believing one. The loss of light in this poem can be literal (physical blindness) or figurative (his understanding crippled, leading to a mind full of doubts). Milton doesnt understand how God can afflict him with this illness, and yet still expect him to perform his usual duties to him There is a Biblical reference within the poem to a parable in the gospel of Matthew, in which one mans talent is taken away from him, and he is left in darkness, and yet another man has five different talents Milton, as a religious man, would more than likely been aware of this story, and be worried that he had offended God in such a way that he has replayed it upon him. Ultimately, I dont think Milton is criticising God for withdrawing his sight, but is more concerned as to what he has done to deserve it, and has a worry as to how he can continue to serve God without the use of his sight. To conclude, both the poems are very emotionally and religiously charged, both asking for answers from God, and asking for some form of help. Both men seem to be in a state of religious confusion, not sure which way to turn next within their lives, nor how to regain the loyalty to God that they think they have lost. As religion is no longer as prominent in society as it was in the 16th/17th Century, the poems are not as easily related to a modern audience, and it is more difficult to understand the importance that religion had within the lives of everyday people.

History of Romance Dating Customs

History of Romance Dating Customs Where would we be without romance? What was courtship and marriage like for our distant ancestors? Beginning with the ancient Greeks recognition of the need to describe more than one kind of love, inventing the word eros to describe carnal love, and agape to mean a spiritual love, take a stroll back through romantic heritage with this timeline of romantic customs, dating rituals, and tokens of love. Ancient Courtship In ancient times, many of the first marriages were by capture, not choice - when there was a scarcity of nubile women, men raided other villages for wives. Frequently the tribe from which a warrior stole a bride would come looking for her, and it was necessary for the warrior and his new wife to go into hiding to avoid being discovered. According to an old French custom, as the moon went through all its phases the couple drank a brew called metheglin, which was made from honey. Hence, we get the word, honeymoon. Arranged marriages were the norm, primarily business relationships born out of the desire and/or need for property, monetary or political alliances. Medieval Chivalry From buying a woman dinner to opening a door for her, many of todays courting rituals are rooted in medieval chivalry. During medieval times, the importance of love in a relationship emerged as a reaction to arranged marriages but was still not considered a prerequisite in matrimonial decisions. Suitors wooed their intended with serenades and flowery poetry, following the lead of lovelorn characters on stage and in verse. Chastity and honor were highly regarded virtues. In 1228, it is said by many that women first gained the right to propose marriage in Scotland, a legal right that then slowly spread through Europe. However, a number of historians have pointed out that this supposed leap year proposal statute never occurred, and instead gained its legs as a romantic notion spread in the press.   Victorian Formality During the Victorian Era (1837-1901), romantic love became viewed as the primary requirement for marriage and courting became even more formal - almost an art form among the upper classes. An interested gentleman could not simply walk up to a young lady and begin a conversation. Even after being introduced, it was still some time before it was considered appropriate for a man to speak to a lady or for a couple to be seen together. Once they had been formally introduced, if the gentleman wished to escort the lady home he would present his card to her. At the end of the evening, the lady would look over her options and choose who would be her escort. She would notify the lucky gentleman by giving him her own card requesting that he escort her home. Almost all courting took place in the girls home, under the eye of watchful parents. If the courting progressed, the couple might advance to the front porch. Smitten couples rarely saw each other without the presence of a chaperone, and mar riage proposals were frequently written. Courtship  Customs Tokens of Love Some of the Nordic countries have courtship customs involving knives. For example, in Finland when a girl came of age, her father let it be known that she was available for marriage. The girl would wear an empty sheath attached to her girdle. If a suitor liked the girl, he would put a puukko knife in the sheath, which the girl would keep if she was interested in him.The custom of bundling, found in many parts of 16th and 17th century Europe and America, allowed courting couples to share a bed, fully clothed, and often with a bundling board between them or bolster cover tied over the girls legs. The idea was to allow the couple to talk and get to know each other but in the safe (and warm) confines of the girls house.Dating back to 17th century Wales, ornately carved spoons, known as lovespoons, were traditionally made from a single piece of wood by a suitor to show his affection to his loved one. The decorative carvings have various meanings - from an anchor meaning I desire to settl e down to an intricate vine meaning love grows. Chivalrous gentlemen in England often sent a pair of gloves to their true loves. If the woman wore the gloves to church on Sunday it signaled her acceptance of the proposal.In some parts of 18th-century Europe, a biscuit or small loaf of bread was broken over the head of the bride as she emerged from the church. Unmarried guests scrambled for the pieces, which they then placed under their pillows to bring dreams of the one they would someday marry. This custom is believed to be the precursor of the wedding cake.Many cultures throughout the world recognize the idea of matrimony as the ties that bind. In some African cultures, long grasses are braided together and used to tie the hands of the groom and bride together to symbolize their union. Delicate twine is used in the Hindu Vedic wedding ceremony to bind one of the brides hands to one of the hands of the groom. In Mexico the practice of having a ceremonial rope loosely place around both of the necks of the bride and groom to bind t hem together is common.