Margaret Edson And John Donne Analysis

John Donne and W;t

To dwell upon ones’ notion of death, and morality, is to comprehend ones’ values and thoughts through the context of society…

Though different eras both John Donne and Margaret Edson explore similar thematic concepts: The Holy Sonnets and W;t. The presence of death, morality and conspicuous human nature, explores the ethical and moral structure of present society, and broadens our understanding of the ever changing beliefs, values, and contexts of the current audience. Edson had written her play during the mid 1990’s in a time where the secularised society viewed death as less prominent, and the consequential effect on society’s attitude towards death in Donne’s era. Edson’s play essentially transfigures the poems into a

Soul resurrecting up towards heaven and the body dwelling upon the owed sins. Bearing recites this metaphorical conceit displaying her body as unstained and her imputed “righteous self” going to heaven, and ‘earth born body’ remaining bound to the eternal sins. Edson depicts Bearing ascending towards the beam of light once dead depicting the splitting of soul and body, this reflects both figuratively and literally the interpretation of Donne’s poem. Thereby enhancing ones’ ability to comprehend both Edson’s and Donne’s take on the portrayal of death or at least what happens immediately after

Donne is damned with the possibility of burning in hell with his sins being odious if not equal to that of “serpents, lecherous goats, and poisonous mineral. As Bearing recites “If poisonous minerals, and if that tree” the poem is projected on her, as she lectures her students about John Donne. Edson uses this device to convey intertextuality that promotes a number of impressions to the audience; that Donne’s poetry is found within Bearings character, it reflects not only on Vivian but Donne too. Edson demonstrates a bias towards intellects and wit over the emotions and poeticism of Donne’s purpose, insisting that the “Christian doctrine assures that no sinner is denied forgiveness” Alluding to one’s moral and ethical behaviours, thus enhancing our understanding one the principle of the human nature. It also contradictory to Donne’s assertion that serpents, lecherous goats, and poisonous minerals have unequal sins if “no sinner is denied forgiveness”.

Thus, through the following John Donne and Margaret Edson, contextualises the values depicted in the Holy Sonnets and W;t, in order to enhance our understanding, of the ever changing beliefs, values, and contexts of the present day