Batter My Heart : Summary
Batter My Heart is a notable literary work by John Donne. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Batter My Heart.
Summary
Religious Doubt
The speaker talks directly to God. He tells God, who is three-personed: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to attack his heart strongly. This is because the speaker is struggling with religious doubt. He wants to restore his faith in God. But he cannot do it by himself. So he is asking God to help him. He says God has only tried to change him gently. The speaker says gentle methods are not working. If God really wants him to rise and become strong in faith, then He must use full power. God should break, blow, burn, and remake him. He wants a complete change, not a soft fix.
His Heart is like an Usurped Town
He compares himself to a city that has been taken over by the enemy (Satan or sin). He says he really belongs to God, but his soul is now under the enemy’s control. He tries hard to let God in, but it does not work. The speaker says that his Reason (the part of his mind that should help him make good choices) was given by God to guide him. But Reason has been captured by sin. It is now weak and cannot protect him.
Praying for God’s Love
The speaker says he deeply loves God. He wants God to love him. But he is already promised or married to God’s enemy (Satan or sin). This makes him feel guilty and helpless. He begs God to divorce him from that enemy. He wants God to break that connection. He tells God to make him His own, even if He has to imprison him. The speaker says he will never be truly free or pure unless God captures him completely.