According to Stewart (5), John Donne was one of the most well-known philosophical poets of his day, who discussed many topics related to nature and truth in life in his poetry. As a lawyer and a minister, Donne gave sermons and wrote poetry from personal experience, earning him the moniker "love poet." Poetry was composed in the form of sonnets and poems that could be sung throughout his day and became known as the Elizabethan form. One of Donne's poems, Love's Growth' which is also the subject of this paper, exemplifies his extraordinary use of style in exploring the conflict between spiritual righteousness and physical pleasures. The poet addresses issues of extra-marital affairs and social discrimination against women which was common during his time. He portrays women as knowledgeable and more than sex idols. The poet points out the complex nature of love which he admits to having misinterpreted. This paper is organized into three sections, the introduction, the historical context, and conclusion. The introduction provides background information on the poem under analysis and the poet John Donne, a statement of thesis and significance of the study are given in the introduction section. The historical context forms the body of the paper, and it discusses the religious, social, economic and political setting of the poem. The conclusion gives a summary of the issues addressed and provides the rationale for the research other articles have been referenced to give relevance and support the arguments made in this study. Thesis Statement According to Olins (244), analyzing the historical setting of words and actions of people helps to understand and appreciate the motivation behind their behavior. He goes forth to define historical context as the political, social, religious and economic conditions that existed at a place during a specific time. This paper seeks to analyze the social, religious, political, and economic aspects as depicted in John Donne's poem Love's Growth.' The poem examines the theme of love which is a mix of many elements both spiritual and physical. Historical Context of the Poem Donne depicts the Neoplatonic notion of physical and religious love as two expressions of the same inclination. For instance, in the Symposium, probably in 3rd or 4rth century, Plato gave a description of love as one of the lowest level of a ladder. Hence, with regards to Platonic formulation, human beings get attracted from very beginning to only one beautiful individual and later spread to many beautiful people in general (Gimelli 144). After that they tend to be attracted to beautiful minds, attractive ideas, and finally to beauty itself, which in this case is the topmost rung of a ladder. In subsequent centuries, Christian Neoplatonist became accustomed to this notion in a way that the progression of love ends in Gods love. In nature, Donne made the use of his religious poetry to put on a pedestal the Christian love of God. Nonetheless the Neoplatonic idea of love manifests itself in his love of poetry, although slightly twisted. For example, in the Bawdy, Elegy 19, To His Mistress Going to Bed (1669), the orator argues that the love he has for a naked woman exceeds pictorial illustrations of biblical vistas. Thus, Donnes illustration fall in this category of ancient illustration of love, in which people considered and believed that love is a purer feeling that stands for the sentiments felt for divine. Religious Context Donne's parents were Catholics at a time when the royal family persecuted those who claimed Catholicism. His uncle was hanged for being a priest and his brother imprisoned for giving shelter to a Catholic priest. Having witnessed the predicament of the religious conflict, Donne sought a different path as a truth-seeker yet rebellious of the shortcomings of religious organizations. Donne's view of true religion is a major theme in most of his works. This particular poem communicates some of the religious teachings and values which were considered essential during Donne's time. Religion emphasized the purity of the body, mind, and soul which was to be reflected in the actions of people (Swales 237). In the first stanza of the poem the poet confesses, "I scarce believe my love to be so pure, As I had thought it was" (lines 1-2). This statement is open to multiple interpretations. In the entire flow of this poem, Donne is portraying divine illumination as a type or preferably a component of sexual ecstasy. He compares the logic of satisfaction to be obtained from religious worshiping in the kind of pleasure drawn from sexual activities which are shocking but a revolutionary kind of comparison, for this period. For instance, the speaker in Holly Sonnet 14(1633), the narrator is asking God to rape him. He believes that if God grants him his request, he will be relieved from worldly concerns. Paradoxically, in the act of rape, the speaker will be purified. Besides, in the Sonnet 18, (1899) as described by Swales the speaker draws similarity that subsists between getting into one true church and getting inside a woman at the time of intercourse. In this context, the speaker illustrates that Christ is going to be pleased when the speaker does intercourse with Christs wife who often is embraced and unbolt to most men. However, this poem appears irreligious; their religious passion excludes them from committing sacrilege. Therefore, brimmed with religious enthusiasm, people are deemed to have the capability to be as delightfully satisfied as they often are after sexual intercourse. First, religious teachings encourage truthfulness which the poet demonstrates through his confession of the misinterpretation he had about his love. Second, this revelation could mean that the poet had strayed from the right path. Another view of the statement could be the realization that he initially lacked knowledge of the true nature of love. Love as a religious virtue is expected to be immortal and unchanging regardless of time or place. However, the poet admits that this is not the case, his description of love portrays a virtue that is seasonal " I lied all winter when I swore, My love was infinite if spring makes it more". The royal family valued spirituality they had a church which was established by Queen Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII. They, however, persecuted Catholics, and their kind of love was only shown to those who took their side. Donne was denied an opportunity to join college because of his faith. Therefore, line 1 and 2 of the poem, the speaker points out those things are not as he had thought. Social Context This refers to the social conditions that prevailed at the time the poem was written. It includes the actual practices and surroundings that influence the poet. In the second stanza, the speaker mentions a Mistress " which have no mistress " (line 12). A mistress in literature means a lover. The social setting of the poem is one in which married men are free to engage in extramarital affairs although this is considered a vice according to the religious standards and teachings (Mitchell 57). According to the poet, those without mistresses have a wrong interpretation of social issue like love, " love's not so pure, as they use to say which have no mistress " (line 12). The measure of a man's knowledge in the society depicted by the poem is perceived as his experience with sexual relationships. Women have been known to be the anchor of any society today; this, however, was not the perception in early times. The societal setting of this poem portrays women who are knowledgeable and also hold power and authority. A mistress also means a female figure of authority. The phrase mistress' was used to refer to women from a noble lineage, meaning royalty. Unlike most societies in which men hold and control all the power, the societal context of this poem illustrates women empowerment. Women have a say and social identity as explained by Martin (159). However, this is a biased privilege to those with high backgrounds. Women also had a considerable contribution to the knowledge of their men, " love's not so pure as they use, To say those who have no mistress but their Muse." A muse is a term in literature used to refer to a goddess or a woman with vast knowledge. A Mistress seems to be more enlightening as compared to a Muse, which means, experience in this particular social setting is more valuable than knowledge, and the opinion of men who have interacted with mistresses are preferred over those of men who associate with a muse(Schofield 17). Economic Context Economic context refers to factors relating to resource acquisition and distribution, production and profitability. The primary source of funds for the officials in government in this particular setting is taxation. ".. new taxes " (line 27). The economic conditions as portrayed by the poem keep changing depending on the season. However, the expenditure of those who hold political power keeps increasing. Otherwise there would not be a need for new taxes. In the first stanza, there are two seasons winter and spring which represent times of difficulty and ease respectively. The changes in economic conditions make Princes' formulate new taxes when the economic conditions are harsh, "As princes do in times of action get, New taxes and remit them not in peace." (lines 26-27) There are two different economic times, that of " action" and the time of " peace." The rules formulated during the time of action or winter applies to the times of peace or spring " remit them not in peace." The government keeps coming up with new ways to squeeze more money during recessions, and these methods are still used during the recovery and growth period. Economic policies and laws are formulated by those in government (Mitchell 51) princes' without the involvement of the people expected to follow them. These types of policies are meant only to serve the interests of those who formulate them. Political Context The poet's attitude towards the political influence during his time can be seen in the last stanza of the poem. The monarchy represented the political structure during this time; this can be seen in the last stanza of the poem, "As princes do in times of action " (line 26). Princes rule in kingdoms, which in this case mean the monarchy, which is the form of governance and symbol of political power in England where Donne lived. The powers of the church and the rulers were intertwined into a political structure. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, all institutions and officials were required to pledge loyalty to the Church of England. Catholics and other Protestants who refused to denounce their faith were persecuted. According to Hillier (2), Queen Elizabeth's successor was lenient; however, he forced John Donne to become an Anglican Priest assuring him of economic advancements. The same line also shows that a prince will do whatever needs to be done during times of action. New rules are implemented which are followed even when they are not effective. Although political power was controlled by the king or queen who held power to pass new laws, there was parliament which was in charge of raising funds. During the reign of King James around the years of 1605, congress refused to raise money which forced the king to find alternatives get money rather than give in to their demands (Olins 245). The royal family held all the power and used their political influence to get things done their way even The poem portrays a political system in which laws were enacted whenever it was suitable to meet the needs of those in power, " New taxes " (27). The laws introduced remain unchanged even at times when they are no longer relevant, as seen in line 27 of the last stanza of the poem, "and remit them not in peace." The system denied people the fundamental freedoms of life. The persecution against those who defied the religious faith of people in power is a clear indication of political discrimination. Conclusion Analysis of historical context is relevant especially in literature as it allows one to appreciate and better understand the issues brought forth by the author or poet. The poem Love's Growth' is an exploration of the theme of love which is set at a time when religion and the state were inseparable. The will of the people was overpowered by the rule of law which resulted in persecutions that leave John Donne wondering at the true meaning of the religious teachings he knew. The women in the social context of the poem are empowered which is an outstanding element since men control most societies. With this knowledge, it becomes easier for one to interpret some of the issues that arise in the poem. Historical context gives meaning to the details of the poem and enables one to appreciate a poet's contribution to addressing the social, economic, religious and political issues that existed at the time the author or poet put his work into writing. Works Cited Hillier, Russell M. "Strange Love": The Question of Innocence in John Donne's Holy Sonnets." Cithara 56.1 (2016): 3. Martin, Catherine Gimelli. "Milton's and Donne's Stargazing Lovers, Sex, and the New Astronomy." SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 54.1 (2014): 143-171. Mitchell, Robert E. "From Metaphor to Fact: The Early History of Creating a New Language of Markets and Economies." The Language of Economics. Springer International Publishing, 2016. 47-66. Olins, Wally. Branding The Nation-The historical context. The journal of brand management 9.4 (2002), 241-248. Schofield, John. "A Reconstruction of the Deanery of St Paul's Cathedral in the Time of John Donne, and Its Setting for His Collection of Paintings." The London Journal (2017): 1-21. Stewart, Lenaya. "Purity through Nature: A Comparative Analysis of Metaphoric Structures Linked to Nature in the Poetic Works of John Donne and Langston Hughes." (2015).
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