What is the poet’s idea about the immortality of the soul in “Death, Be Not Proud”?
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Answer
Describe how Donne has celebrated the immortality of the soul in the poem “Death, Be Not Proud.”
Or, What is the poet’s idea about the immortality of the soul in “Death, Be Not Proud”?
In the poem “Death, Be Not Proud” (1633), John Donne (1572-1631) speaks to Death like it is a person. He tells Death not to be proud or powerful. Donne believes that Death is not strong because the soul is immortal. Death cannot kill the soul because the soul lives forever.
Death is Not Powerful: Donne says Death is not “mighty and dreadful” as people think. He believes that Death cannot really kill anyone. He says when people die, their souls do not end. Their bodies rest, but their souls continue. Donne believes no one actually dies. Death cannot kill him. As he writes:
“Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.”
Moreover, Donne argues that Death is a slave. Because it depends on other things to come. Death is a “slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men.”
Death is Like Sleep: Donne compares Death to sleep. He says sleep gives us rest and peace. Death is just a longer sleep. Donne argues that our souls become immortal and rest after death. So, Death should not be feared. It is a soft and peaceful way to reach a better life for the soul.
The Soul Wakes Forever: At the end, Donne gives a strong Christian idea. He says after death, our souls actually “wake eternally” and become immortal.
“One short sleep past, we wake eternally”
This means the soul wakes up forever in the eternal afterlife. So, Death dies, and the soul lives forever.
In fine, Donne celebrates the soul’s immortality by saying that Death is weak and not to be feared. The soul does not die. It lives on forever in the afterlife.