Death be not proud john donne paraphrase

William Shakespeare and John Donne

Biography:

1564–1616, English dramatist and poet, b. Stratford-on-Avon. He is thought to be the greatest

English playwright who ever lived, even the best in the world. Browse through the biographical

information about Shakespeare at Shakespeare Online: http://www.shakespeare-

online.com/biography/

Reading Assignments:

1. Read through the following information before reading the poetry:

 Introduction to Shakespeare's Sonnets: http://shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/sonnetintroduction.html

 Shakespearean Sonnet Basics: Iambic Pentameter and the English Sonnet Style: http://shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/sonnetstyle.html

 Shakespeare's Sonnet: A Scratch across the Surface: http://www.slideshare.net/vlague/shakespeares-sonnets-30189587 (Prof. Vicki Lague's SlideShare account)

2. Read three of Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets. Read each one through two or three times to get the feel of the language and the meaning of the sonnet. Then, click on the paraphrase

and analysis link below the sonnet to see if you “got it”! Only these sonnets are assigned in

this course:

 "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?"

William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor, circa 1600-1610

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/
http://shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/sonnetintroduction.html
http://shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/sonnetstyle.html
http://www.slideshare.net/vlague/shakespeares-sonnets-30189587
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http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/18.html

 "When in Disgrace with Fortune and Men's Eyes" http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/29.html

 “My Mistress' Eyes are Nothing like the Sun" http://shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/130.html

You will find many sites on the Internet, including the materials for this course, that state that the sonnets are divided into two groups, those written for a young man (Sonnets 1- 126) and those written for "the Dark Lady" (Sonnets 127- 154). No one knows definitively who the man and woman were. In 2000, for example, Shakepeare scholar Dr. Duncan Salkeld wrote in his article "Black Luce and the ‘curtizans’ of Shakespeare’s London" that there may be evidence to suggest that [the Dark Lady] was a prominent courtesan Lucy Negro, knows as Black Luce. Yet, the Dark Lady's true identity, if she actually existed, is still unknown. However, scholars are looking at this again. Some scholars believe that the sonnets are not a series of poems meant to be read together, but are instead a collection of unrelated, occasional poems, meaning poems written for particular occasions, a birthday for example. They also believe that the sonnets were written for many of Shakespeare’s friends, not a Youth and a Dark Lady as is traditionally thought, and that we may never be able to find out who those people were.

Read more about Black Luce (optional): http://www.academia.edu/1951732/Black_Luce_and_the_Curtizans_of_Shakespeares_London

3. Read excerpts from two of Shakespeare’s tragedies:

First, read Macbeth's monologue "Is This a Dagger which I See before Me" (Act 2, Scene 1) as he makes the decision to kill his king: http://shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/soliloquies/isthisadagger.html

Only this excerpt is required in this course. You can also watch the play, starring Patrick Stewart (Star Trek's Capt. Picard), online at PBS: You can watch Stewart perform this scene by scrolling the viewer to 37 minutes into the film: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/macbeth-full-episode/1030/

Second, read the famous soliloquy, "To Be or Not to Be" (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 64 – 91 from Hamlet: http://shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamlet/soliloquies/tobeornottobe.html

Only this excerpt is required in this course. Even better, watch a wonderful new version with Patrick Stewart as Claudius, Hamlet's father, and David Tenant (the 10th Doctor Who) as Hamlet. The "To Be or not To Be" scene is just over 58 minutes into the film - at PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/hamlet-full-episode/980/.

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/18.html
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/29.html
http://shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/130.html
http://www.academia.edu/1951732/Black_Luce_and_the_Curtizans_of_Shakespeares_London
http://shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/soliloquies/isthisadagger.html
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/macbeth-full-episode/1030/
http://shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamlet/soliloquies/tobeornottobe.html
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/hamlet-full-episode/980/
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4. Romeo and Juliet Film Versions - (Optional but well worth your time):

Romeo and Juliet. Director, Franco Zeffirelli. 1968. If you have time for just one, watch this one. It's perfect! Read more about this film at the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063518/

Romeo + Juliet. Director, Baz Luhmann. 1996. Read more about this film at the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117509/

5. While Shakespeare was the master of the sonnet during his lifetime, he was not the only poet writing this type of poem. A slightly younger John Donne (1572-1631) also used this genre.

Read about Donne’s life at Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/john-donne

Donne’s most famous sonnet is called “Death Be not Proud.” Read it here at Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/death-be-not-proud-holy-sonnet-10 As with all poetry, note the punctuation as you read. Pauses are not necessarily at the ends of lines. Rather, they occur at the punctuation, the commas and periods, etc. If you read by following the poet’s punctuation, the meaning of the poem will be clearer to you.

Discussion Board:

Literature stands the test of time when its message is still relevant to contemporary readers.

For your new discussion post, write a short essay of at least 300 words about one of the

Shakespearean sonnets or excerpts from Hamlet or Macbeth or, if you prefer, about Donne’s

sonnet. Explain how someone reading the poetry can relate to its message. Keep in mind that

this new post is a Gordon Rule assignment, meaning that the quality of your writing as well as

the length will be considered during the evaluation/grading process.

Then, reply to at least 3 of your classmates to get full credit for this assignment. Replies an be

30-40 words.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063518/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117509/
http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/john-donne
http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/death-be-not-proud-holy-sonnet-10
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Works Cited

Hamlet. Dir. Gregory Doran. Perfs. Sir Patrick Stewart and David Tennant. Great Performances. Public

Broadcasting Company. 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. Streaming.

Mabillard, Amanda. Shakespeare Online. Amanda Mabillard. n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

Macbeth. Dir. Rupert Goold. Perfs. Sir Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood. Great Performances. Public

Broadcasting Company, 6 Oct. 2010. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. Streaming.

Salkeld, Duncan. "Black Luce and the 'curtizans' of Shakespeare's London." Signatures 2(2000):

1-10. 15 Nov. 2014. Web. 19 Dec. 2014.

Taylor, John, attributed. William Shakespeare. Circa 1600-1610. National Portrait Gallery, Main

Collection, London. National Portrait Gallery. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.