John Donne And George Herbert Poetry Analysis

“The Early Modern Period stretches from the Middle Ages until the late 18th century” (). During this time, many countries were expanding and discovering cultures never before experienced. The Christian Church was also expanding and with that, many writings, paintings, and other artwork of divine nature. During the latter part of the Early Modern Period, a new idea of introspection, or looking inward to the self, began to rise amidst all of the expansion. John Donne and George Herbert, both clergyman of Christian churches in the early 1600’s, wrote poems whose themes were introspection and divinity (). Though the authors shared these similar themes, they differed in rhyme-scheme, form, and figurative language. The fact that Donne and Herbert created new forms and shared ideas that were not previously seen allowed for them to be leaders in this new era of writing. The two themes of divinity and introspection are especially apparent in John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”, Donne’s “Death Be Not Proud”, and George …show more content…
“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is a 36-line poem with metaphors throughout most of the piece and an ABAB rhyme scheme. “Death Be Not Proud” is shorter in length with only 14 lines, however it is only one sonnet of a larger group called the Holy Sonnets. Each of the sonnets in this group use a mixture of Shakespearean and Italian forms (Spenserean). This Spenserean form gives an ABAB BCBC CDCD EE rhyme scheme. In this poem, Donne does not use as many metaphors, but rather focuses on common, realistic aspects of death. Further from either of the previous two, “Easter Wings” is made into a pattern poem, a form that allows the poem itself to have a metaphorical shape. In “Easter Wings,” Herbert forms the poem to look like literal wings, as can be seen in the following