Batter My Heart
Batter My Heart
John Donne was a 16th and 17th century English priest, poet, dean, and lawyer. “Batter My Heart” is the fourteenth and one of the most well-known of the Holy Sonnets. The sonnets were written during a hard time in his life in which he was struggling financially and was in the midst of converting from Roman Catholicism to Anglicanism. The last few sonnets were thought to have been written after the death of his wife causing his writing to be more in depth and focused around that tragedy (John Donne). The rest of the Holy Sonnets reflect on Donne’s “religious convictions and address the themes of divine judgment, divine love, and humble penance” (Clements). Donne also reflects on personal hardships and his writing is heavily influenced by Renaissance style. The Holy Sonnet XIV is especially an example of these themes. In John Donne’s poem “Batter My Heart, Three Person’d God” he is crying out to God to save him from himself.
Of the many themes and ideas displayed in the Holy Sonnets, “Batter My Heart” particularly presents the themes of divine love, humble penance, and shows his time of hardships. Donne displays his conviction and personal hardships very clearly in this poem. He is speaking very humbling by begging God to remove him from the worldly sin he has fallen into. Donne knows he is “betroth’d” to God’s enemy, but is aware of God’s strength to “ravish” him. Donne’s pleading with God and willingness to submit to God show the divine love Donne has for God and that God has for him.
The themes of “Batter My Heart” closely tie into the mood because Donne can easily make the reader feel what he feels. His longing for repentance is shown in his language and metaphors. He uses strong words and phrases like “Batter my heart,” “break, blowe, burn and make me new.” He feels guilty for his sins and knows that he deserves the wrath of God. The strong love that Donne discusses stirs emotion in the reader so they can understand Donne’s reverence for
John Donne was a 16th and 17th century English priest, poet, dean, and lawyer. “Batter My Heart” is the fourteenth and one of the most well-known of the Holy Sonnets. The sonnets were written during a hard time in his life in which he was struggling financially and was in the midst of converting from Roman Catholicism to Anglicanism. The last few sonnets were thought to have been written after the death of his wife causing his writing to be more in depth and focused around that tragedy (John Donne). The rest of the Holy Sonnets reflect on Donne’s “religious convictions and address the themes of divine judgment, divine love, and humble penance” (Clements). Donne also reflects on personal hardships and his writing is heavily influenced by Renaissance style. The Holy Sonnet XIV is especially an example of these themes. In John Donne’s poem “Batter My Heart, Three Person’d God” he is crying out to God to save him from himself.
Of the many themes and ideas displayed in the Holy Sonnets, “Batter My Heart” particularly presents the themes of divine love, humble penance, and shows his time of hardships. Donne displays his conviction and personal hardships very clearly in this poem. He is speaking very humbling by begging God to remove him from the worldly sin he has fallen into. Donne knows he is “betroth’d” to God’s enemy, but is aware of God’s strength to “ravish” him. Donne’s pleading with God and willingness to submit to God show the divine love Donne has for God and that God has for him.
The themes of “Batter My Heart” closely tie into the mood because Donne can easily make the reader feel what he feels. His longing for repentance is shown in his language and metaphors. He uses strong words and phrases like “Batter my heart,” “break, blowe, burn and make me new.” He feels guilty for his sins and knows that he deserves the wrath of God. The strong love that Donne discusses stirs emotion in the reader so they can understand Donne’s reverence for
Cited: Clements, Arthur. "John Donne 's Holy Sonnets." Enotes.com. ENotes.com Inc., 2010. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. "John Donne: Life and Works." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Info Please, 06 June 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2013.