John Donne and Matthew Arnold, two poets of different time periods both wrote two very similar poems, which were very well recognized for their extended metaphors. Their poems compare life and society to an island or a continent, and there is a force either trying to, or is connecting humans to one another.
In both poems, they are using an extended metaphor in comparing life in their present society to an island or continent. The common ground of the poem is the metaphor, and how there is a social situation being compared to this island or continent. Other than that idea, the views of Arnold and Donne differ, but are connected together at the same time. .
Arnold explains how society was once all connected as a whole, and how their society was broken up into many little islands within a sea. The sea represents life and how it is always flowing, and the islands symbolize the people within this sea. Arnold tells how these islands were all once connected as a whole, but then were separated and isolated because of diversities and beliefs. The channels between the islands are the emotions and experiences of all the different people that cannot be shared and are isolated from everyone. There are many attempts to connect the islands, but people's diversities get in the way. Within all of these differences there is a common ground within all of the islands, and that is the signing of the nightingale. Everyone can hear it, and it is the only hope that there is to reunite all mankind again. When everyone can hear that song and forget the differences, only then will man be as one again. These people were all once connected as one society, and there is hope that eventually will happen. There is a need for change in accepting diversity and the isolating human experience does not feel any connection with other people as easily as it should. .
Donne is comparing life and society as one unified continent, rather than being separated and not feeling others emotions.
In 1867 Arnold wrote his most famous poem "Dover Beach". ... It is possible that Arnold wrote this poem while on the shore side of Dover Beach. This poem is about Arnold's battle with life, love, and faith in religion. ... The images are seen throughout Arnold's work. ... Matthew Arnold uses many images, sounds, diction and conflict to portray his feelings to the reader. ...
John Donne Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation 17 Ann's father, Sir George More, was furious when he became aware of the secret marriage. ... Donne's hope for worldly success was gone. ... It was during this time period that Donne supposedly wrote his "sad letter to his Wife" that contained the following well known line: "John Donne, Anne Donne, Un-done." ... The court decided in Donne's favor. ... However, Carey is not too harsh on Donne. ...
John Donne uses poetry to explore his own identity, express his feelings, and, most of all, he uses it to deal with the personal experiences occurring in his life. ... This essay will discuss some elements of John Donne's biography and how the issue of death is brought about in his Holy Sonnet 10, commonly called, "Death be not proud". John Donne was born into a prosperous Roman Catholic family in London in 1572. ... These harsh experiences brought out a fascination with death in John Donne. ... It is very clear that John Donne has a severe obsession with death. ...
In 1865 Matthew Arnold wrote, "The Function of Criticism at the Present Time". ... Arnold feels that Byron lacked this ability and that is why his legacy did not last. ... With this, Arnold begins to lay down a set of rules that the critics should follow. ... Has it actually produced an epoch of creativity as Arnold had hoped? ... I think that Arnold would be quite ashamed of this, but apparently Arnold just underestimated the force of politics and the power of Capitalism...
METAPHYSICAL CONCEITS IN DONNE"S "THE RELIC" In most, if not all, of his works, John Donne uses the concept of "metaphysical conceits" to extensively compare one thing to another. ... Donne uses this word to describe he and his lover after they are deceased. ... Donne uses this definition of the word to describe himself and his deceased lover. ... When referring to the "Bishop" and the "King", Donne is clearly speaking of God and Christ. ... And it is in this description that yet another of Donne's metaphysical conceits becomes clear. ...
Wit and Religious Imagery in "The Flea" In his funny little poem "The Flea," John Donne merges wit with religious imagery in an attempt to convince a woman to sleep with him. In the first stanza Donne cleverly uses the humorous image of an insignificant flea that has just sucked the blood of both Donne and his intended lover as he tries to convince his beloved that the mingling of bodily fluids during intercourse would be just as innocent as their blood mingling inside the body of the flea. ... Donne ends the poem on this note, but it is interesting to notice that through a clever use of ...
DONNE"S IMAGERY Imagery is the expressions of sense experience impressed upon the mind of a writer through touch, smell, hearing & taste. ... In the poetry of John Donne , the leader & the first metaphysical poetry of English literature. ... The images in most of Donne's poems are certainly far-fetched. ... But donne is not much interested in nature images& avoids gods & goddesses except when he is in petrarchan mood in some of his poems.so, there's amarked departure from the conventional love poemsof the Elizabethan in donne's poems in so far his imagery is concerned. ...
When Death Dies: John Donne's Positive Spin on Death Death is ordinarily viewed with a certain finality that causes it to be viewed negatively. However, John Donne refutes this common belief in his poem, "Death, be not proud". Although death is the end of mortal life, Donne establishes it as a positive occurrence resulting in eternalness. ... Donne's first quatrain declares that death is not powerful because although it may think that it's killing people, it's really not. ... John Donne's final quatrain does more than just pronounce death's goodness but g...
