After the great poetry in the 13th century, which was highly influenced by the Franciscan religion, the English religious lyric found a new age in the 17th century. Two of the main poets of this time, also called “metaphysical poets”, are John Donne and George Herbert, whose poems will be analyzed in this term paper. Reading “Batter my Heart” and “The Collar” raises not only the question of religiosity but also of the speaker’s relation to God. Apart from the religious content, there are also stylistic devices, which are crucial for the time of metaphysical poetry. But, before it comes to an analysis, there will be given a short overview about the historical background, the importance of religion for the poets at that time and their impact on poetry to understand the meaning of their poems in a better way. Finally, there will be made a comparison of the two poems concerning the way they deal with religiosity and how they implement their idea of the speaker’s relation to God.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Historical background
3. Analysis
3.1 “Batter my Heart”
3.2 „The Collar“
4. Comparison
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic paper examines the manifestation of religiosity in 17th-century metaphysical poetry, specifically focusing on the relationship between the speaker and God in John Donne’s "Batter my Heart" and George Herbert’s "The Collar."
- Analysis of the speaker's internal struggle with faith and divinity.
- Exploration of historical contexts influencing metaphysical poets.
- Examination of stylistic devices, form, and metaphorical language in devotional verse.
- Comparison of how different speakers navigate their perceived relationship with God.
- Reflection on the compatibility of complex theological concepts with poetic expression.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 “Batter my Heart”
The poem “Batter my Heart” by John Donne was first published in 1633, two years after his death (Cf. Burrow xvi.) as most of his poems but probably written and already in circulation as a manuscript between 1609 and 1611. It is seen as one of his “Holy Sonnets” which are all more or less about the human’s position between sin and mercy (Cf. Esch 46). Consequently, it can be seen as a metaphysical poem, which is written as a sonnet and deals specifically with a speaker who prays to God to ask for battering his heart to get it reshaped by the Lord.
In the first quatrain, the speaker asks for the penalization by God, which has not happened yet so that it is described with a clustering of verbs: “knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend (l.2)” He speaks to the “three personed God (l.1)” to emphasize his sincerity, which means not only the Creator as the God-Father, but also his son Jesus Christ whom he sent to earth to die for the human race and the Holy Ghost who came through the people to strengthen their believe. These verbs describe gentle sanctions by God, which is not to equate with the speaker’s demand to “batter” his heart that expresses a stronger meaning. In contrast to these gentle and harmless verbs, stand the verbs “to break, blow, burn, and make me new (l.4)” as a comparison in exact parallelism (Cf. Esch 50). Here the speaker says what he really expects by God in a metaphorical way.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the rise of 17th-century metaphysical poetry and establishes the central research interest regarding the speaker's relationship with God.
2. Historical background: Provides an overview of the cultural and religious climate of the 17th century and the personal biographies of Donne and Herbert.
3. Analysis: Investigates the specific poems, evaluating how their form and language reflect the internal conflicts of the speakers.
3.1 “Batter my Heart”: Examines the imagery and sonnet structure used to express the speaker's desperate desire for divine intervention and structural change.
3.2 „The Collar“: Analyzes the rebellious tone and eventual resolution in Herbert's work, interpreting the titular metaphor within the context of priesthood.
4. Comparison: Identifies shared thematic elements and stylistic contrasts between the two poems, highlighting their mutual portrayal of a torn relationship with the Creator.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes findings and reflects on the broader challenge of expressing religious devotion through human language and literature.
Keywords
Metaphysical Poetry, John Donne, George Herbert, Religious Lyric, 17th Century, Faith, Devotional Poetry, Speaker, God, Relationship, Paradox, Sin, Mercy, Priesthood, Symbolism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the depiction of the speaker's relationship with God in 17th-century religious literature, specifically through the works of John Donne and George Herbert.
Which specific poems are analyzed?
The study conducts a detailed analysis of John Donne’s "Batter my Heart" and George Herbert’s "The Collar."
What is the main objective of the author?
The goal is to determine how metaphysical poets utilized form, style, and religious themes to express the complexities of the human-divine relationship.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, focusing on form, rhyme schemes, meter, stylistic devices, and the interpretation of metaphors within their historical context.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The body includes a historical contextualization, detailed stylistic and thematic analyses of the two primary poems, and a comparative section highlighting their similarities and differences.
Which keywords define the core themes?
Key terms include Metaphysical Poetry, Faith, Devotional Poetry, God, Paradox, and Priesthood.
How does the author interpret the title "The Collar"?
The author interprets "The Collar" as a symbol with dual meanings: a clerical collar representing priesthood and a restraint (like a dog collar) symbolizing the speaker's struggle with their religious duty.
What significance do the "paradoxes" hold in "Batter my Heart"?
Paradoxes, such as the speaker wishing to be enslaved by God to achieve true freedom, reflect the speaker's deep internal uncertainty and the inherent difficulty of describing the divine.
How does the "turnaround" in "The Collar" affect the poem's conclusion?
The sudden turn in the final quatrain, where the speaker hears God’s voice, moves the poem from a state of chaotic rebellion to one of peaceful acceptance and realization of one's place in the divine order.
- Quote paper
- Melanie W. (Author), 2014, Religious Poetry. The Speaker's Relation to God in Donne's "Batter my Heart" and Herbert's "The Collar", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/283384
