Annotation John Donne s Holy Sonnet IX
Annotation John Donne’s
Holy Sonnet IX
Holy Sonnet IX
If poisonous minerals, and if that tree,
Whose fruit threw death on (else immortal) us,
If lecherous goats, if serpents envious
Cannot be dammed, alas ! why should I be ?
Why should intent or reason, born in me,
Make sins, else equal, in me more heinous ?
And, mercy being easy, and glorious
To God, in His stern wrath why threatens He ?
But who am I, that dare dispute with Thee ?
O God, O ! of Thine only worthy blood,
And my tears, make a heavenly Lethean flood,
And drown in it my sin 's black memory.
That Thou remember them, some claim as debt ;
I think it mercy if Thou wilt forget.
Structure
1 If poisonous minerals, and if that tree,
2 Whose fruit threw death on (else immortal) us,
3 If lecherous goats, if serpents envious
4 Cannot be dammed, alas ! why should I be ?
5 Why should intent or reason, born in me,
6 Make sins, else equal, in me more heinous ?
7 And, mercy being easy, and glorious
8 To God, in His stern wrath why threatens He ?
9 But who am I, that dare dispute with Thee ?
10 O God, O ! of Thine only worthy blood,
11 And my tears, make a heavenly Lethean flood,
12 And drown in it my sin 's black memory.
13 That Thou remember them, some claim as debt ;
14 I think it mercy if Thou wilt forget.
Poetic
Traditions
Meditativ e poetry
Sonnet 9
Structure
oSonnet has a rhyme scheme of
ABBAABBAACCDEE oShows emphasis on line 12 oEmphasis on lines 13 and 14 also because of change in rhyme scheme oHas structure of meditative poetry: 1) focus of setting 2) analysis of points 3) colloquies (dialogue with God) oDonne is often known for using parts of meditative poetry structure, usually colloquies. oSonnet 9 uses trifled of meditative poetry while using traditional rhyming scheme and metaphors of traditional poetry oFocus of sin in the Garden, followed by analysis of reasoning that are directed to God
Religious References
1 If poisonous minerals, and if that tree,
2 Whose fruit threw death on (else
Holy Sonnet IX
Holy Sonnet IX
If poisonous minerals, and if that tree,
Whose fruit threw death on (else immortal) us,
If lecherous goats, if serpents envious
Cannot be dammed, alas ! why should I be ?
Why should intent or reason, born in me,
Make sins, else equal, in me more heinous ?
And, mercy being easy, and glorious
To God, in His stern wrath why threatens He ?
But who am I, that dare dispute with Thee ?
O God, O ! of Thine only worthy blood,
And my tears, make a heavenly Lethean flood,
And drown in it my sin 's black memory.
That Thou remember them, some claim as debt ;
I think it mercy if Thou wilt forget.
Structure
1 If poisonous minerals, and if that tree,
2 Whose fruit threw death on (else immortal) us,
3 If lecherous goats, if serpents envious
4 Cannot be dammed, alas ! why should I be ?
5 Why should intent or reason, born in me,
6 Make sins, else equal, in me more heinous ?
7 And, mercy being easy, and glorious
8 To God, in His stern wrath why threatens He ?
9 But who am I, that dare dispute with Thee ?
10 O God, O ! of Thine only worthy blood,
11 And my tears, make a heavenly Lethean flood,
12 And drown in it my sin 's black memory.
13 That Thou remember them, some claim as debt ;
14 I think it mercy if Thou wilt forget.
Poetic
Traditions
Meditativ e poetry
Sonnet 9
Structure
oSonnet has a rhyme scheme of
ABBAABBAACCDEE oShows emphasis on line 12 oEmphasis on lines 13 and 14 also because of change in rhyme scheme oHas structure of meditative poetry: 1) focus of setting 2) analysis of points 3) colloquies (dialogue with God) oDonne is often known for using parts of meditative poetry structure, usually colloquies. oSonnet 9 uses trifled of meditative poetry while using traditional rhyming scheme and metaphors of traditional poetry oFocus of sin in the Garden, followed by analysis of reasoning that are directed to God
Religious References
1 If poisonous minerals, and if that tree,
2 Whose fruit threw death on (else
References: Archer, Stanley. "Meditation and the Structure of Donne 's "Holy Sonnets"“ ELH 28.2 (1961): 137-147 Poisonous Minerals '." Renaissance and Reformation/Renaissance et Réforme 29.4 (2005): 41-55 Through Contemporary 105.3 (2008): 535-569. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.