The Broken Heart a Poem by John Donne Essay - 754 Words

Being a human being comes with several feelings and experiences that shape who we are, some favourable and beneficial some shattering and distressing, one of the most common is that of love, Love is the single most celebrated human emotion, though nevertheless love can end in heartbreak. A broken heart can be considered a painful empty feeling or the writhing of the soul. The Urban Dictionary defines a broken heart as ‘the feeling of complete devastation, and extreme sadness after a break-up of a relationship or loss of a spouse/relative.’ Throughout history, a vast body of literature examines its influences and explores its meanings. Typically, poets and authors examine loves countless virtues. Numerous poets have commented on the nature†¦show more content†¦John Donne was born into a catholic family in 1572, during a strong anti-Catholic period. Throughout Donne’s life he wrote poems renouncing his anti-Catholic faith. In 1615 he converted to Anglicanis m and was appointed Royal Chaplin. His elaborate metaphors, religious symbolism and flair for drama soon established him as a thriving preacher. In 1617 Donne’s wife Anne Moore died shortly after giving birth to their twelfth child. It is believed that Donne was completely and utterly heartbroken by the passing of his wife, this enlightens the motive behind the broken heart. STRUCTURE The Broken heart is a type of writing style known as a sonnet. A sonnet has come to be known generally as a poem containing fourteen lines of iambic pentameter (Sonnet Writers, 2011.) The Broken Heart has four paragraphs (octets) following an ababccdd rhyme scheme. Although the key image in the poem is a heart broken into a hundred pieces, the poem has a well-ordered pattern, and instance of Donne’s common usage of contradiction. TONE It can be said that a melancholy tone is set just through the title of the poem, â€Å"The Broken Heart.† Throughout the entirety of this poem, the gloomy tone continues. Donne begins the poem with negative words such as decaying, devouring, and plague to describe the effects of love. These words sufficiently create unpleasant images of mold taking over food, a lion attacking its prey, and a disease killing a village. Not specifically how one would imagineShow MoreRelatedEssay about Imagery In John Donnes The Bro572 Words   |  3 Pages Imagery in amp;#8220;The Broken Heart; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;John Donnesamp;#8217; poem amp;#8220;The Broken Heart; is full of imagery, used to portray his broken heart. Donne uses the imagery so we can get a visual picture of what love means to him. He uses the imagery because itamp;#8217;s necessary to see a picture of the pain he lives with. 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I, like an usurpt towne, t another due, Labor to admit you, but Oh, to no end, Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captiv d, and proves weake or untrue, Yet dearely I love you, and would be lov d faine, But am betroth d unto your enemyRead More Donnes Holy Sonnet XIV - Batter my heart, three persond God1536 Words   |  7 PagesDonnes Holy Sonnet XIV - Batter my heart, three persond God Batter my heart, three persond God; for, you As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend; That I may rise, and stand, oerthrow me, and bend Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new. I, like an usurpt towne, tanother due, Labor to admit you, but Oh, to no end, Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captivd, and proves weake or untrue, Yet dearelyI love you, and would beRead MoreEssay on John Donnes Sonnet 141380 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Donnes poetry reflects many things about him as a poet. 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Most of his work is made up of poetry filled with religion, love and of course sexual activity. Donne was very different compared to his contemporaries and colleagues. He was known for a lot of dynamic language that was bold and vibrant, and was extremely creative with his metaphorsRead MoreAnalysis Of John Donne s Holy Sonnet Xiv1976 Words   |  8 Pages In Holy Sonnet XIV, John Donne directly addresses God using a desperate and forceful tone. The formal structure of Donne s holy sonnet follows the basic Petrarchan sonnet form. The sonnet has fourteen lines divided into an octave and a sestet. The rhyme scheme of the octave is abba abba. The sestet has the rhyme scheme cdcdee. Donne expresses his spiritual turmoil and longing by using this structure to present different metaphors that illustrate his condition, and he uses Petrarchan conventi ons