Lesson 30 Part 1.
Dear Edublog.
Please work.
1. In what ways does this poem conform to a common sonnet form? What variations are notable, and what is their effect?
-A common sonnet is in the form of abab cdcd efef gg. This poem is in the form of abba cddc gg. The couplet at the end is supposed to rhyme, even though I don’t see any rhyme in it. This variation is called an italian sonnet.
2. Describe Donne’s use of apostrophe and personoification. How do these devices enhance our experience of the poem?
- Donne describes death as proud, “mighty and dreadful”. He refers to death with the words “thee” and “thou”; in addtion death is capitalized, making it be a proper noun, giving it a personal value. The use of apostrophe and personification make us think that when they are talking to death telling him not to be proud that you are talking to a humanly figure.
3. Paraphrase each of the sonnet’s three quatrains, preserving the clauses but simplifying the syntax. Do the same for the paradoxical couplet. Retain the apostrophe and personifification.
-Death do not be proud even though have called you powerful and fear you, you are not. You cannot kill me or the people that you think you can over power. We get pleasure from rest and sleep, but we get more pleasure from you. Soon our good men will go die. You are fate’s slave, and all good men will get sick or poisioned. The charm will make us sleep, then after a short sleep we will be awake forever, and death will die.
Filed by tittle at March 4th, 2008 under Uncategorized
