Donne's Use of Personification

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Recommended: Death and dying in different religions

There are many literary devices at the disposal of writers that are used to emphasize ideas. In his sonnet "Death, be not proud", John Donne chooses to use personification. He personifies death in order to emphasize the idea that Christians have victory over death, and the promise of eternal life, where death is no more.

In the first four lines of the poem, the speaker tells Death that even though some have though him to "mighty and dreadful", he is not. The reason he is not is that those he thinks he has dominion over do not actually die. The speaker emphasizes this saying that neither can Death kill him. Death cannot kill him because of his faith in Christ. This idea can be found in the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, the Apostle Paul asserts that at the return of Christ there will be a resurrection from the dead, where the perishable will be changed to imperishable. Since death is a permanent concept, Death cannot kill those in Christ, as they will be resurrected.

In lines 5-8, Donne elaborates on the concept of victory over death. He compares Death to rest and sleep, saying that rest and sleep are smaller copies of Death. This again speaks to the impermanence of death. Because of the hope of resurrection, death is merely a prolonged sleep for the bodies, and a deliverance of the soul into eternity. This then is actually more pleasurable than sleep, and many men have been eager to embrace Death, ready to receive their inheritance in Christ.

In lines 9-12, Donne speaks to death in a way that is belittling. It is as if he were trying to make Death feel small and inadequate. Death is told that he is a slave to chance and to certain men, and that he dwells with poison, war and sickness. The speaker is referring to the fact that killing can happen at the will of someone other than Death. The speaker then informs Death that drugs are able to make us sleep as well if not better than the sleep of Death. Why then is Death proud ("why swell'st thou then"), he asks, implying that Death has nothing to boast in. This all shows the powerlessness of Death.

The final two lines of the poem are simply a summation of all the ideas that have been brought to mind in the rest of the poem.

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