Death be not proud by John Donne | Death be not proud | Holy Sonnet X | John Donne | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Critical Appreciation | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons

Death, be not proud

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Death be not proud by John Donne: YouTube Link

Death be not proud Analysis

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
Explanation: In this line, Donne is directly addressing Death, personifying it as one might a person. He tells Death not to be proud, despite some people describing it as “mighty and dreadful”. He challenges this perception, stating that Death is not as powerful or as terrifying as it thinks itself to be.

Poetic Device
Apostrophe: Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the poet addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing. In this case, Donne uses apostrophe to address Death as if it were a person capable of feeling pride.
Personification: Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea, object, or animal is given human attributes. John Donne is using personification by giving death human qualities, such as the ability to feel pride. This allows him to argue against it, belittling its power and impact.

For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
Explanation: In this line, Donne is challenging the power of Death. He argues that those who Death thinks it overthrows do not actually die. This could be interpreted as a belief in the immortality of the soul or life after death. He further challenges Death’s power by boldly stating that Death cannot kill him. This could be seen as a statement of faith in eternal life.

Poetic Device
Apostrophe: Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the poet addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing. In this case, Donne uses apostrophe to address Death as if it were a person capable of overthrowing or killing him. This personification of Death allows Donne to argue against it, challenging its power and impact.
Irony: Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. Here, Donne ironically refers to Death as “poor Death”, implying that Death is not as powerful as it thinks it is because it cannot truly kill him. This is ironic because Death is usually perceived as a powerful and fearful entity.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure;
Explanation: In this line, Donne is drawing a comparison between Death and two states of being that are generally considered pleasurable: rest and sleep. He suggests that Death is merely a representation or image (“thy pictures be”) of these states. This comparison serves to diminish the fear associated with Death, presenting it instead as a form of ultimate rest or sleep that should not be dreaded but seen as a source of “much pleasure”.

Poetic Device
Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things that are similar in some way. In this case, Donne uses a metaphor to compare Death to rest and sleep, two states that are generally considered pleasurable and peaceful. This metaphor serves to challenge the traditional perception of Death as something to be feared, instead presenting it as a form of ultimate rest or sleep.

then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Explanation: In these lines, Donne continues his argument against the power of Death. He suggests that if rest and sleep (which are likened to Death) can bring pleasure, then Death itself must bring even more. He acknowledges that even the best men eventually die (“soonest our best men with thee do go”), but he views this not as a tragic end, but as a form of rest for their bones and a deliverance for their souls (“Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery”).

Poetic Device
Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things that are similar in some way. In this case, Donne uses a metaphor to compare Death to a form of rest and a deliverance for the soul. This metaphor serves to challenge the traditional perception of Death as something to be feared, instead presenting it as a form of ultimate rest or sleep.
Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect. Here, Donne exaggerates by stating that “soonest our best men with thee do go”, implying that even the best and most virtuous people cannot escape Death. This hyperbole serves to emphasize the inevitability of Death.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
Explanation: In these lines, Donne further diminishes the power of Death by stating that it is a slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men. This means that Death is not an autonomous entity, but is controlled by these factors. He also states that Death is associated with negative aspects such as poison, war, and sickness. However, he argues that poppy (a reference to opium) or charms can induce a sleep that’s as good as or even better than what Death can offer. He ends with a rhetorical question, challenging Death’s arrogance or pride (“why swell’st thou then?”).

Poetic Device
Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things that are similar in some way. In this case, Donne uses a metaphor to compare Death to a slave, suggesting that it is controlled by other factors and is not as powerful as it seems.
Rhetorical Question: A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked to make a point rather than to elicit an answer. Here, Donne uses a rhetorical question (“why swell’st thou then?”) to challenge Death’s arrogance or pride, further diminishing its power.

One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
Explanation: In these lines, Donne presents the Christian belief in eternal life after death. He suggests that after a short sleep (death), we wake up to an eternal life where Death no longer exists. In this way, Death itself dies. This is a powerful statement of faith and a final blow to the personified Death, further diminishing its power and impact.

Poetic Device
Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things that are similar in some way. In this case, Donne uses a metaphor to compare Death to a short sleep, suggesting that it is merely a temporary state before the awakening of eternal life.
Apostrophe: Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the poet addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing. In this case, Donne uses apostrophe to address Death as if it were a person capable of dying. This personification of Death allows Donne to argue against it, challenging its power and impact.