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Instead, and this here is the "Holy" conceit of the sonnet, a very Christian concept, he does not cause them to fall, but helps them to rise—death is the means by which man finds Resurrection (literally, "rising again"), eternal life and immortality through Christ in heaven. “ For those, whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,ĭeath thinks that he is "overthrowing" men when he takes them, that is, conquering, vanquishing, defeating, ruining, causing to fall. Donne is saying that Death likes to think of himself as powerful and terrifying, and indeed some people have called him that, but he is not so in truth. Donne is anthropomorphizing Death, and addressing him as an equal, or indeed, as it becomes apparent later, as an inferior.

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so ” “ Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Thou'rt slave to Fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,Īnd dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,Īnd poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well,Īnd better than thy stroke why swell'st thou then ?Īnd Death shall be no more Death, thou shalt die. Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow,Īnd soonest our best men with thee do go, Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so įor those, whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,ĭie not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.įrom rest and sleep, which but thy picture be, Should you choose to use any of it, make sure to quote properly, and to give credit in your footnotes, end notes, or "Works Cited." Otherwise your professor may consider you guilty of plagiarism—academic dishonesty which is punishable in every reputable institute of academic learning. ≺J.ĭeath, be not proud, though some have called thee I do not know why explicating this poem should incite such terror, since it is really not an impossible task. I had no desire to write it, but I finally got exhausted by the sheer number and frequency of emails from people in varying stages of panic and confusion pleading for help in decrypting this poem. A Quick and Rough Explication of Donne's Holy Sonnet 10: Death Be Not Proud.