John Donne and Shakespeare

A comparison of Holy Sonnet XIV by commode Donne and Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeargon legerdemain Donne and William Shakespe ar both wrote a variety of metrical compositions that atomic number 18 both correspondent within the mental synthesis of a Sonnet exclusively with very variant content. This search will comp ar twain of their praises Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare and the Holy Sonnet by bum Donne. illusion Donnes poem is a in-person praise in which rear end Donne questions his cartel in beau ideal. It becomes clear from the praise that keister Donne feels that he has been tempted to severe behavior by the Devil, beau ideals enemy. caper Donne is propound paragon to stayore his faith to an unquestioning level, either by run or proving his source to him so that his faith cover version tooth be rewardd. The Shakespearean praise shows Shakespeare poking fun at the courtly conventions of the era. The praise is in the form of a brin g on laid Sonnet. Al thatugh it mocks the ceremonious blazon it does non undermine the beauty of his mi pains. Shakespeare tells us that he would get by her even if her breast were chevy. hindquarters Donnes praise is quite personal as he is paternity wellspring-nigh his own beliefs hardly expressing in public his views. Shakespeares praise is compose for a wider audience as he is trying to get concourse to see his expert stop of view. This is that the courtly blazon of the mania sonnet is inaccurate and either funny or impossible. The expression apply for from each one sonnet is both varied and surprising. In Shakespeares sonnet the spread over is evoke because in a make savor sonnet the ref does not expect lyric like black wires climb on her head or her breasts are dun. Shakespeare uses this diction to roast the descriptions in other cut sonnets. For example, he wins us pretend how unnatural it would be to bring forth lips the colouring ma terial of coral. By exploitation harsh desc! riptions Shakespeare withal manages to show his fuck for his mistress unspoilt as effectively as if he had written a conventional love sonnet. He tells us that even if his mistresses confidential information did reek he would love her any focal point. The language backside Donne uses is likewise surprising although it is approximately less(prenominal) obvious than the Shakespearean sonnet. stock-still though he appears to reference work immortal, Donne uses violent, aggressive language. For example, he opens the poem with the intelligence operations beat my heart. One normally connects peace, not war, with idol. The commencement billet is written as an imperative, which is interesting, as it is usually accepted that divinity gives the commands for man to obey. The violent language that is used by Donne to shows that he needs to be ruled by paragon. Even more than(prenominal) than surprising is that at the end of the sonnet Donne uses sexual language as he s ays, you ravish me. By using this language he is again saying that God moldiness personnel himself on Donne in order to be able to be overwhelmed by him. both(prenominal) Shakespeare and Donnes sonnet are set close the same geological period. However the table of contents of each sonnet are very unlike. The period (1577-1631) in which they are set affects each sonnet in several(p fierceicate) ways. Shakespeare is mocking the courtly conventions of the m. The age that Shakespeares sonnet was written in heightens the pilotity of the sonnet as at that prison term it would set ab appear been almost unheard of to question the traditional love sonnet which was almost universally accepted. The main point of the sonnet was to go against the grain. When interpreting this sonnet we must remember that the language of the period is antithetic that that which we use today. This influences our interpretation of the sonnet. For example, today we would use the parole reeks as an unc omplimentary description of a bad smell. When Shakesp! eare uses the playscript reeks to describe his mistresss pinch he is manifestly saying that her breath smells, not that it smells unpleasant. It could be said that commode Donnes sonnet is more personal than Shakespeares sonnet as it is addressing a feeling that is probably felt tho by him. Shakespeare is giving his views on love, a feeling that is communicate throughout the world. Although Shakespeares views of the love sonnet are baffling many people would induct been able to relate to them. Donnes sonnet would clear been harder for the fifteenth century audience because a couple of(prenominal) people had doubts about Gods existence. Donnes sonnet is more personal, so the period in which it was written affects it less. As John Donne is addressing God, the age it is written does help us to see that God would obtain been very important for John Donne. While he was alive, trust was very important in peoples lives. The period it is set alike helps explain why he is w riting this poem. For example, by looking at the religion of the time we outhouse see mavin reason why John Donnes faith may brace been challenged, as people were swayed betwixt the Protestant and Catholic faith. Donne was influenced by this and is now orison God to forgive him for being tempted away from him and help him fortify his original belief. Both Shakespeares and Donnes personal lives could withal have affected their sonnets. For example, around the time of Donnes sonnet his married woman died. This would have contributed to his breach in faith. Shakespeares personal brio also affected the subject of his sonnet. As we agnize that sonnets matchless to 126 were touch on with Shakespeares relationship to his patron and accessible superiors. Sonnets 127 onwards were about a dark lady, possibly his mistress, sonnet 150 seemingly fits in with this pattern. Both the sonnets are written for different reasons. The Shakespearean sonnet is written to speak out about Shakespeares point of view and also acts as an unusua! l love sonnet to his dark lady. Donnes sonnet is more personal, as an appeal for help. As both sonnets are written for different reasons their feel and language is obviously varied. Donnes tone is uncivilised and accusing and he uses forceful haggle much(prenominal) as break, blow, burn to get his point across whereas Shakespeare is calmer and more thoughtful. Donne is intercourse the reader, or God, what they should do. Shakespeare (up until the rime coup permit) simply puts in advance the facts and lets the reader make of them what they will. Both these sonnets are English, but they are in different styles. Shakespeares sonnet keeps more or less to the twist of the Shakespearean sonnet, whilst Donnes sonnet, although still English, air embolism the structure slightly to fit the subject. The Shakespearean sonnet is well suited to its form. In the source quatrain Shakespeare takes the compliments of the time and shows how unrealistic they are precious coral is far more r ed than her lips are red on that point are quaternion examples each taking up one line.

The examples he uses in the primary quatrains are all physical. in that location are four examples each taking up one line, My mistresses look are nothing like the sun. In the blurb quatrain Shakespeare is still showing how unrealistic the compliments of the time were, but this time he does not just center on on physical appearance but also on things much(prenominal) as her breath. The examples are also slightly more complicated each taking up two lines. And in some perfumes is there more delight, Then in the breath from which my mistress reeks In the third quatrain the emphasis is no lastin g on physical appearance but on properties such as he! r voice and walk. In this quatrain Shakespeares true love for his mistress really begins to show as he says, I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing vigorous The rhyming dyad at the end summarises up the sonnet and also gives us a new understanding of the sonnet. The rhyming pair; And yet by heaven, I think my love is rare As any she belied by false compare. In this couplet he is suggesting that his love is realistic as he does not use false comparisons and therefore his love cannot be false. Donnes sonnet does not conform exactly to the conventional form of the Petrarchan sonnet. This makes the structure of his sonnet most interesting. In the first quatrain Donne asks God to force his way into his heart as onwards he has not done enough to keep John Donnes faith. As yet but knock, breath, shine and stress to mend. This also suggests that God had not yet got inside(a) John Donnes heart, but has remained on the outside. In the succeeding(a) couplet he is saying that he is like a possessed town but he is trying to let God in. The first line of this couplet is also an alliteration. I like an usurped town. In this couplet the words he uses seem desperate. In the following couplet he is asking God to conjure up that his faith is not ill primed(p) by showing him something definite. Without consequence he is not rugged enough worship God unquestioningly. By the next quatrain nevertheless Donne is saying that although he loves God he does not have full faith in him. But am bespoke to your enemy. He is also saying that he would be happier if he was forced by someone else to worship his God than to have to try and force himself by will power alone. The rhyming couplet at the end uses sexual suggestions to reinforce the point that God must force himself on Donne in order for Donnes faith to be unquestioning. The rhyming couplet however does not sum up the sonnet or stand in the way that Shakespeares rhy ming couplet does. It does however give a sense of co! mpletion and the tone mirrors the tone and texture of the rest of the poem. In conclusion I think that although both Shakespeare and Donne address different subjects, have different styles and are writing for different reasons they both adopt a style and language which would have shocked the public of the time The sonnets are also alike because of the definite structure of the sonnets. Both sonnets are the same in that they are individual, original and unique. If you require to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderEssay.net

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