John Donne!

[aya91]

Hi,

So I've studied Shakespeare before, and understood his language quite easily, but now we're studying John Donne, and since he lived around the same time I figured it wouldn't be too difficult to understand his poetry... but it is! The first poem we studies was okay, I didn't get it right away but after 3-4 times reading it I understood what it's about, but the one we're studying now I still don't get even after a bunch of times reading it - I need help, tips or something! Those of you who have studied him, what helped you to understand?

Thanks

[Sandwich]

I actually find Donne much easier to understand than Shakespeare because it's much less cultural referencing and most of his 'ye olde' words are actually still in use today because he's not quite as into naming contemporary objects as Shakespeare was...

Anyway, I actually find a lot of Donne is just skipping letters. Other than that, it's just anachronistic forms like lest instead of 'unless', or thou instead of you, and a lot of 'hast'ing, 'was't'ing and 'didst'ing where 'st' is used as a verb ending or just generally as part of the verb. Other than those, which I'm sure you'll get used to meaning of as you go, I've never seen much else that could be tricky in a Donne poem.

Is that the sort of stuff you mean? I find that if you read the poem out loud in your mind as you go through it as if you were some medieval messenger, it helps both in the sense that it contextualises words better (so you can work out their meaning) and also that the sound of it totally clues you into the modern version of the word

Which of his poems are you doing?

[aya91]

Well I didn't mean the language.. I actually meant the content... he's kinda vague sometimes. Though now we've studied another one and it was easier to understand. I think I'm just not very strong with understanding poetry

By the way, we've studied so far the good morrow, valediction: forbidden mourning, and the flea.

some of them are really absurd... I guess that's part of the "charm" huh? haha

Thanks for the help though

[DeStijl]

Ah, John Donne. I found his poems to be very romantic and full of interesting conceits, so when we studied his works in English, I got pretty engaged.

I'm familiar with the three poems that you mentioned...are there any specific stanzas or lines that have you confused? If you highlight your difficulties more specifically, I'd be glad to help.

[Flippy]

Ahh...I remember studying John Donne and his rather...randy poems ("To His Mistress Going to Bed," anyone?)
The great thing about poetry is that you can take your own interpretation from it, so even if it is "vague" its what the words mean to you that counts. I remember "The Flea" was about the poet trying to get his mistress to sleep with him (so what else is new). "The Good Morrow" is more difficult, I think, but it's got wonderful imagery. Focus on the way the words sound...what does it make you think of? I know that sounds silly but it's what I do.