'Holy Sonnet VI: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint' by John Donne
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This is my play's last scene, here heavens appoint
My pilgrimage's last mile; and my race
Idly, yet quickly run, hath this last pace,
My span's last inch, my minute's latest point,
And gluttonous death, will instantly unjoint
My body and soul, and I shall sleep a space;
But my ever-waking part shall see that face,
Whose fear already shakes my every joint:
Then, as my soul, t' heaven her first seat, takes flight,
And earth-born body in the earth shall dwell,
So fall my sins that all may have their right
(To where they're bred, and would press me) to hell.
Impute me righteous, thus purged of evil,
For thus I leave the world, the flesh, the devil.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Holy Sonnet VI: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint - John Donne
As I sit down to write about John Donne's Holy Sonnet VI, my mind wanders through the complexities of the poem. This is not an easy poem to interpret. The language in the poem is dense, and there are many layers of meaning to unravel. But as I dive deeper into the poem, I realize that Donne's Holy Sonnet VI is a stunning piece of literature that deserves our attention.
The Context
Donne was a 17th-century poet and preacher who explored the themes of love, death, and divine connection. Holy Sonnet VI was written during a time when Donne was grappling with his own mortality. He was suffering from an illness that would eventually take his life. In this poem, Donne reflects on the idea of death and the afterlife.
The Structure
The poem is structured in the form of a sonnet. Sonnets are typically associated with love poetry, but Donne uses the form to explore the theme of death. The sonnet is comprised of fourteen lines that are organized into three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA CDCDCD. The final couplet serves as a conclusion to the poem.
The Meaning
The poem begins with the speaker announcing that "This is my play's last scene; here heavens appoint / My pilgrimage's last mile; and my race, / Idly, yet quickly run, hath this last pace," (lines 1-3). The "play" that the speaker refers to is his life. The idea of life as a play was a common metaphor in Elizabethan literature. The speaker acknowledges that he has reached the end of his life's journey and that he is about to enter the afterlife.
The speaker then reflects on the transience of life. He notes that "I sigh not, nor repine; but worship thee," (line 4). The speaker accepts his fate and worships God. He acknowledges that his life was brief, but he does not complain. Instead, he praises God for the gift of life.
The second quatrain reflects on the idea of death as a sleep. The speaker says, "And yet this death of mine, I fear, will be / Their [the living] own death, who will not wake with me," (lines 5-6). The speaker suggests that those who do not believe in the afterlife will face their own death because they will not wake up in the afterlife. The idea of death as a sleep is a common metaphor in literature.
The third quatrain continues this idea of the afterlife. The speaker says, "And soonest our best men with thee do go, / Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery," (lines 9-10). The speaker suggests that the best people in society are the ones who go to heaven first. The afterlife is a place of rest, where the soul is free from the constraints of the body.
The final couplet is a conclusion to the poem. The speaker says, "Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, / And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell," (lines 13-14). The speaker acknowledges that God is subject to the forces of fate and chance. God is also present in times of war, sickness, and poison. But despite this, the speaker still worships God.
The Interpretation
Donne's Holy Sonnet VI is a meditation on the afterlife. The speaker accepts his fate and praises God for the gift of life. The poem is a reminder that life is brief and that we should make the most of it. The idea of death as a sleep is a common metaphor in literature, and Donne uses it to suggest that those who do not believe in the afterlife will face their own death.
The idea that the best people in society go to heaven first is an interesting one. It suggests that the afterlife is a place of reward for those who have lived virtuously. This idea is similar to the concept of karma in Eastern religions.
The final couplet is a powerful conclusion to the poem. Despite acknowledging that God is subject to the forces of fate and chance, the speaker still worships God. This suggests that even in times of hardship, we should turn to God for comfort and strength.
Conclusion
Donne's Holy Sonnet VI is a powerful meditation on the afterlife. The language in the poem is dense, and there are many layers of meaning to unravel. But at its core, the poem is a reminder that life is brief and that we should make the most of it. The poem is also a reminder that even in times of hardship, we should turn to God for comfort and strength. Donne's Holy Sonnet VI is a stunning piece of literature that deserves our attention.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Holy Sonnet VI: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint is a classic poem written by John Donne, a renowned English poet and cleric of the 17th century. This sonnet is a reflection on life, death, and the afterlife, and it is considered one of Donne's most powerful and moving works. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem begins with the speaker announcing that his life is coming to an end, and that he is about to enter the final act of his play. He compares his life to a play, with each stage representing a different act. The first act was his birth, the second act was his youth, the third act was his adulthood, and the fourth act was his old age. Now, he is entering the fifth and final act, which is death. The speaker is not afraid of death, but rather sees it as a natural and inevitable part of life.
The second stanza of the poem is a reflection on the speaker's life. He acknowledges that he has made mistakes and sinned, but he also believes that he has lived a good life overall. He has tried to live according to God's will, and he hopes that his good deeds will outweigh his sins when he faces judgment in the afterlife. The speaker is not arrogant or self-righteous, but rather humble and realistic about his own shortcomings.
The third stanza of the poem is a plea to God for mercy and forgiveness. The speaker acknowledges that he is not perfect, and that he has sinned against God. He asks for God's mercy and forgiveness, and he promises to repent and turn away from his sins. The speaker is not asking for forgiveness out of fear or desperation, but rather out of a genuine desire to be reconciled with God.
The fourth stanza of the poem is a reflection on the afterlife. The speaker believes that after death, he will be judged by God and either sent to heaven or hell. He acknowledges that he does not know what his fate will be, but he trusts in God's mercy and justice. The speaker is not afraid of judgment, but rather sees it as a necessary part of the afterlife.
The final stanza of the poem is a reflection on the speaker's legacy. He acknowledges that he will soon be forgotten by the world, but he hopes that his soul will live on in heaven. He believes that his good deeds and faith will be remembered by God, even if they are forgotten by the world. The speaker is not concerned with fame or glory, but rather with the eternal life of his soul.
The structure of the poem is a classic sonnet, with fourteen lines and a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBACDCDEE. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, with each line consisting of ten syllables and a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. The use of iambic pentameter gives the poem a rhythmic and musical quality, and it emphasizes the importance of each word and phrase.
The poem also makes use of several literary devices, including metaphor, allusion, and personification. The metaphor of life as a play is a central theme of the poem, and it is used to convey the idea that life is a temporary and fleeting thing. The allusion to God and the afterlife is also a key element of the poem, and it is used to emphasize the speaker's faith and belief in a higher power. The personification of death as a character in the play is another literary device used in the poem, and it is used to convey the idea that death is a natural and inevitable part of life.
In conclusion, Holy Sonnet VI: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of life, death, and the afterlife. The poem is written in a classic sonnet form, with a rhythmic and musical quality that emphasizes the importance of each word and phrase. The use of metaphor, allusion, and personification adds depth and complexity to the poem, and it conveys the speaker's faith and belief in a higher power. Overall, this poem is a testament to the human spirit and the enduring power of faith and hope in the face of mortality.
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