TPCASTT Analysis of Death Be Not Proud by John Donne (poetry)

TPCASTT Analysis of Death Be Not Proud by John Donne

Connotation

- Metaphor: Sleep vs. Death.

- Personification: Death (death symbolizes a poser, it is not actually tough)

- Paradox: Death shall die

John Donne, as a metaphysical poet, expressed his ideas in this sonnet through the use of a conceit, alliteration, an iambic pentameter, and rhyme scheme.

Conceit:

Donne considering death, an obscure broad entity, to be condensed within a human form and personifies death with human qualities.

In line 9, ‘Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men.’

In line 14, ‘And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.’

In line 1, ‘Death, be not proud.’

Alliteration:

In line 3, ‘For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow’

In line 4, ‘Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow’

In line 5, ‘And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?’

Iambic Pentameter & Rhyme Scheme:

-          ABBA, ABBA, CDDC, EE

-          Lines 5-7 for iambic pentameter

……1…………….2……………...3……………4……………5

From Rest...|…and Sleep…|…which But…|…thy Pic…|…tures Be…

…....1…………….2……………….3………………4……………….5

Much Plea…|…sure; then…|…from Thee…|…much More…|…must Flow

…..1…………….2……………3……………..4………….5

And Soon…|…est Our…|…best Men…|…with Thee…|…do Go

Shift

Through the whole poem, Donne gives us the reason why death can't harm us. The shift occurs in the last two lines where Donne includes Christianity, by saying we live eternally. He also changed the subject from death kills to death will die.

In line 13 'One short sleep past, we wake eternally'

In line 14 'And death shall be no more, death, thou shalt die.