A2 Unit 3 - Poetry Pre-1900 and Unseen Poetry (A720U101)
Other
John Donne Context and Criticism - FULL REVISION NOTES
87 views 1 purchase
Course
A2 Unit 3 - Poetry Pre-1900 and Unseen Poetry (A720U101)
Institution
WJEC
Book
Selected Poems
Contextual background and critical perspectives to support learning of John Donne's poetry. Concise and clearly separated under headings. Key information grouped into themes providing background on Donne's life and contemporary literary culture (AO3). Also containing a varied selection of critical ...
John Donne Poems Analysis - elegies and religious poems (A**)
John Donne Poems Analysis - 22 secular poems and songs (A**)
All for this textbook (6)
Written for
A/AS Level
WJEC
English Literature
A2 Unit 3 - Poetry Pre-1900 and Unseen Poetry (A720U101)
All documents for this subject (63)
Seller
Follow
eb1301cc
Reviews received
Content preview
DONNE A03
Donne’s autobiography
b. 1572 into a devout Catholic family
studied at Oxford, travelled on the Continent, studied law at Lincoln’s Inn
1596, Donne joined the Earl of Essex’s military expeditions to the Cadiz Islands and the
Azores
1597, Donne becomes secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton
Donne falls in love with Egerton’s niece Anne More.
1601, Donne secretly marries Anne More
Donne loses his position in Egerton’s service but marriage is declared legal in 1602
Following his marriage Donne is an MP and Justice of the Peace. He obtains temporary
positions and patronage from a number of aristocrats e.g. Countess of Bedford
1615, ordained as an Anglican minister.
1617, Anne More dies in childbirth to their 12th child
1621, Donne appointed Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral
Reputation as a wit, ladies’ man and priest
CONTEXT POINTS
Monarchy - Courtship rituals and conventions
Twilight of Elizabethan era (some say misogyny in elegies is a critique of female power)
- Uncertainty of a new era. Phoenix is an outdated Elizabethan image
- Spenser’s The Faerie Queen
James I comes to power in 1603. King’s new ‘real’
- Divine Right of Kings
Elizabeth I’s court was based off the ideals of preferment and favour found in Petrarch
- Donne had patronage from many aristocrats such as the Countess of Bedford
Jacobean court – Machiavellian body politick
- Catholics denied preferment
- Gluttony and feasting, corruption at court, £100 k to favourites in 1607
The church, religion and the afterlife
Time of great religious turmoil, Catholic persecution following Bloody Mary’s reign
- Gunpowder Plot 1605
Donne originally a devout Catholic, yet converted to Protestantism
- Catholic imagery is often ironic as Donne is an apostate, and would have been sent
to hell for this.
Ideas and beliefs about personal morality
Ideas and beliefs about religion and the afterlife
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller eb1301cc. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $21.32. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
