Critical Analysis of "The Indifferent" by John Donne
"The Indifferent" by John Donne is a relatively simple love poem in comparison to his other, more complicated works. In this poem, "he presents a lover who regards constancy as a 'vice' and promiscuity as the path of virtue and good sense" (Hunt 3). Because of Donne's Christian background, this poem was obviously meant to be a comical look at values that were opposite the ones held by Christians. According to Clay Hunt, "['The Indifferent'] is probably quite an early poem because of the simplicity and obviousness of its literary methods, its untroubled gaiety, and its pose of libertinism, which all suggest that Donne wrote [the poem] when he was a young man about town in
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This is first introduced in the last line of the first stanza, and continues throughout the entire poem. The speaker desires a solely sexual relationship with his women, and he believes that such a relationship cannot exist if they are truthful to one another. According to Eleanor McNees, "Donne realizes that erotic license is irreconcilable with norms of truth and troth" (207). Over the first stanza, the speed of the rhythm also increases with the importance.
"There is a rhythmic progression from the even, steady movement and moderate stresses of the opening lines to the slower pace, the stronger stresses, and sharply defined metrical pattern of 'her, and her, and you and you,' and finally the very heavy accents on 'any' and 'true' in line 9" (Hunt 5).
In the second stanza, the speaker continues upon the theme of faithfulness being a "vice," and sexual promiscuity being a virtue. "The sexual tone which was suggested in the first stanza in the anti-romantic details of
'spongy eyes' and 'dry cork' is intensified by the connotations of the words
'know' and 'rob me'; and the sexual pun on the word 'travail' in the following line" (Hunt 5). The speaker is trying to convince the women that he is talking to that promiscuity is a good thing and that neither he, nor the women should be faithful to their mate. This is evident in the lines:
Will no other vice content you? . . .
Or doth a fear that men are true, torment you?
Oh
During the writing of the novel, Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, the author of the book, saw the way society was beginning to change. Throughout the story, he explores many different predictions that he has seen create an affect our world today. One of the main predictions he made was on the way promiscuity has changed the view of romantic relationships. As Huxley began to see people’s sexual behavior change he used his ideas to integrate in with how the world would turn out. Huxley incorporates promiscuity in his utopian society called the World State, to foreshadow how the world is conforming to the beliefs incorporated in the novel.
On the surface, John Donne’s poem “The Flea” dramatizes the conflict between two people on the issue of premarital sex, however, under the surface, the poem uses religious imagery to seduce the woman into having sex. The speaker in this poem is a man, who is strategically trying to convince a woman to have premarital sex with him through the conceit based on a flea, however, the coy lady has thus far yielded to his lustful desires. The speaker’s argument has the form of logic, which contradicts to its outrageous content.
One’s identity may be questioned when suffering; ultimately suffering is what creates one’s sense of self or what destroys it. The poetry of John Donne and the play W;t, 1993, by Margaret Edson, both illustrate and explore a sense of suffering and identity. In John Donne’s poetry, suffering, both emotionally and physically allows the speaker to understand their identity in more depth, in comparison to Margaret Edson’s play, W;t, Vivian’s suffering leads her identity to be stripped away. In Donne’s sonnet, ‘If poysonous mineralls’ we are shown suffering religiously and emotionally, through one’s sin’s, questioning god’s justice, which leads to a realisation of one’s identity. In Margaret Edson’s play, W;t, Vivian’s emotional suffering
Throughout the novel, Brave New World, liberal views on sex very frequent. The novel starts with a thoroughly detailed description of the test-tube process of human reproduction. The reproductive function of sex was scientifically disconnected; the act of sex was mainly for physical pleasure. The sexual activity in Brave New World had no weight, “no-strings-attached”, purely casual. Reproduction was scientifically engineered, and consequently sex was a purely leisure and casual activity in the World State. Monogamy was no principle the people of World State followed: promiscuity was considered mutually beneficial and superior to monogamous relationships. The Controllers realized that fidelities caused by committed relationships resulted in conflicts between partners: upsetting productivity and harmony. As seen here, “Mother, monogamy, romance. High spurts the fountain; fierce
his perusers to comprehend that being eager can cause you harm and is reprimanding individuals who are insatiable.
Indifference is a “blurred line between light and darkness.” Indifference is “dangerous.” Indifference is “seductive.” Indifference is “unnatural.” Indifference is “tempting.” Indifference is “careless.” Indifference is “not a beginning, it is an end.”
On April 12,1999 as part of a Millennium Lecture Series at the White House hosted by the former President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hilary Clinton distinguished author Elie Wiesel gave a speech entitled, "The Perils of Indifference". The speech was a moving testimony about the trials he faced as an adolescent and the devastating effects that could occur if people do not take a stand against people who threaten others basic rights as a human. Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, was only a teenager when in the summer of 1944 he and the rest of his family were deported by the Nazis to Auschwitz extermination camp. During his time there he endured constant abuse and was subject to starvation, but was later liberated from the camp in the Spring of 1945. During his life after the war he went on to receive several awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Noble Peace Prize. He has written numerous books; however, his most recognized work is Night, a memoir of his experience in Auschwitz. Wiesel took the initiative to deliver a speech to inspire citizens across America to take action in times of injustice and violence in an attempt to prevent events such as the Holocaust from reoccurring by recounting the horrors he lived as teenager while standing firm in the belief that one cannot stand idly by.
Indifference is defined as a lack of interest, concern or sympathy. Indifference is portrayed throughout Night with religion and about with the people. In “The Perils of Indifference” Elie Wiesel talks about how people who are indifferent are causing as much harm as the people doing the actual damage. He also says when evil is happening people need to stand up as one and fight against it together. Throughout Night he does not just straight out say those exact words but it is easy to tell that in the book the jews do get indifferent by the end about religion and their own well being.
Indifference is a peril. Indifference is a “blurred line” between good and evil. Indifference is “unnatural.” But most of all, indifference is an end. Famous author and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel in his speech, “Perils of Indifference,” argues that since indifference is the inability to tell the difference between good and evil, indifference is dangerous. He supports his claim by first expressing his thanks to America for saving him from a horrid fate during the Holocaust. From this point, Wiesel goes on to explain how indifference is the key to conflict and how ¨dangerous¨ and ¨seductive¨ indifference can be. Wiesel also asks his audience, which are a variety of politicians, law makers, ambassadors, and members of congress, why hadn't
that this act of the flea having both of their blood in its body is
To this day John Donne is still considered to be one of the greatest love poets from England. He was born to a Elizabeth Heywood and John Donne, some time between January 24th and June 19th in 1572. His mother Elizabeth Heywood was the youngest of her siblings and the grand-niece to the Catholic Martyr Thomas More. His father John Donne was a prosperous London merchant, but his actual father died when Donne was only four and was believed to be a descendant from an ancient family in Wales. The family was Roman Catholic and this was a very anti-catholic period in England and this would greatly affect Donne in many ways throughout his life.
“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” by John Donne explores love through the ideas of assurance and separation. Donne uses vivid imagery to impart his moral themes on his audience. A truer, more refined love, Donne explains comes from a connection at the mind, the joining of two souls as one. Physical presence is irrelevant if a true marriage of the minds has occurred, joining a pair of lovers’ souls eternally.
The poem, ‘The Ecstasy” is one of the more well-known works written by John Donne. In the poem, Donne seems to agree with the philosophy that true love can only be available on a spiritual level and explains what the process is to get there. The purpose of this essay is to analyze how the poem expresses the unique ideas of love and how two people make connections through different pathways, aside from just the physical bonds.
Indifference is the lack of interest, concern, or sympathy. Indifference tells of how people throughout history will turn their backs on certain situations and injustices that are happening in front of them. The United States of America is one of the main offenders of indifference occurring in their society and government. The U.S. continually shows indifference in the way the people treat others, both in their own country and foreign ones. The states show indifference by acting and showing racism, intolerance, and discrimination to those that are different from them. Even after everything the United States has been through, they still continue doing what their forefathers did before them by being indifferent to these subjects.
The Renaissance period was marked with bouts of religious change, from the Protestant Reformation in Germany to the formation of the Church of England. Much of the literature published during the Renaissance was a reaction to these constant changes – the works of John Donne and Francis Bacon are no different. Donne and Bacon were prominent writers of their time. They were well-known for indulging in religious debate through their work, especially with relation to other societal issues such as the rise of science. Donne's Satire III highlights the issue of religious uncertainty