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Title
and Publication Information
The poem first appeared as
“Holy Sonnet X” in a collection of 19 sonnets by John Donne (1572-1631).
However, its title came to be known as “Death, Be Not Proud” (after the
first four words of the poem) or simply as “Death.” It was written between
1601 and 1610–the exact year is uncertain–and published after Donne died.
Type
of Work
"Death, Be Not Proud" is
a sonnet (14-line poem) similar in format to that established in Italy
by Petrarch
(1304-1374), a Roman Catholic priest who popularized the sonnet form before
it was adopted and modified in England.
Petrarch's sonnets each consist of an eight-line stanza (octave) and a
six-line stanza (sestet). The first stanza presents a theme, and the second
stanza develops it.
Rhyme
Scheme and Meter
The rhyme scheme of "Death,
Be Not Proud" is as follows: ABBA, ABBA, CDDC, EE. The meter varies, although
most lines are in iambic pentameter.
Theme
 “Death
Be Not Proud” is among the most famous and most beloved poems in English
literature. Its popularity lies in its message of hope couched in eloquent,
quotable language. Donne’s theme tells the reader that death has no right
to be proud, since human beings do not die but live eternally after “one
short sleep.” Although some people depict death as mighty and powerful,
it is really a lowly slave that depends on luck, accidents, decrees, murder,
disease, and war to put men to sleep. But a simple poppy (whose seeds provide
a juice to make a narcotic) and various charms (incantations, amulets,
spells, etc.) can also induce sleep–and do it better than death can. After
a human being’s soul leaves the body and enters eternity, it lives on;
only death dies.
Figures
of Speech
To convey his message, Donne
relies primarily on personification, a type of metaphor, that extends through
the entire poem. (Such an extended metaphor is often called a conceit.)
Thus, death becomes a person whom Donne addresses, using the second-person
singular (implied or stated as thou, thee, and thy).
Donne also uses alliteration, as the following lines illustrate:
Line 4: Die
not, poor Death,
nor yet canst
though kill
me
Line 6: Much
pleasure; then from
thee much
more
must
flow
Line 13: One
short sleep past, we
wake
eternally (Note: One begins with a w sound; thus, it alliterates
with we and wake.)
Donne ends the poem with paradox
and irony: Death, thou shalt die.
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Death, Be Not Proud
By John Donne
Written Between 1601
and 1610
| Text of the Poem |
Annotations |
| Death,
be not proud, though some have called thee |
Death
. . .proud: Personification/metaphor
in which death is compared |
| Mighty and dreadful, for
thou art not so; |
to a person |
| For those whom thou think'st
thou dost overthrow, |
overthrow:
kill |
| Die not, poor Death, nor
yet canst thou kill me. |
|
| From rest and sleep, which
but thy pictures be, |
thy
pictures be: rest and sleep mimic death |
| Much pleasure; then from
thee much more must flow, |
|
| And soonest
our best men with thee do go, |
soonest:
willingly; as soon as |
| Rest of their bones, and
soul's delivery. |
Line 8: their bones go to
their earthly rest but their souls do not die |
| Thou art slave
to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, |
slave:
death is only a servant of events that end life: bad luck, |
| And dost with poison, war,
and sickness dwell; |
accidents, royal decrees,
murder, war, and illness |
| And poppy
or charms can make us sleep as well |
poppy
or charms: charms and drugs made from poppy seeds can |
| And better than thy stroke;
why swell'st thou then? |
also induce sleep–and do
it better than death can |
| One short sleep past, we
wake eternally, |
why
swell'st thou: why do you swell with pride? |
| And death shall be no more;
Death, thou shalt die. |
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