About
John Donne, born in London in 1572 into a Catholic family, is a major figure of English metaphysical poetry. After studies at Oxford and Cambridge, he studied law and took part in naval expeditions. His secular career was shattered by his secret marriage to Anne More in 1601, which led to a brief imprisonment and a decade of poverty. Ordained priest in 1615 at the insistence of James I, he became Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in 1621. His love poems and holy sonnets, mostly published posthumously in 1633, are distinguished by their intellectual wit and bold conceits. His sermons and Devotions (1624), including the famous 'No man is an island', mark the religious prose of his time. Rediscovered in the 20th century, he influenced T.S.
* 1572-01-01 — † 1631-03-28
Major works
- Songs and Sonnetspoetry collection
- Holy Sonnetspoetry collection
- Anniversaries (1611)poem
- Pseudo-Martyr (1610)treatise
- Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1624)devotional prose
Key milestones
- 1601Secret marriage to Anne More, leading to his imprisonment and disgrace.
- 1615Ordained as an Anglican priest at the insistence of King James I.
- 1621Appointed Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London.
Themes
Love and sensualityDeath and mortalityReligion and faithMetaphysics and spiritualityIdentity and vanity
Sources: britannica.com · poetryfoundation.org · hertford.ox.ac.uk
