John Donne Essay -- John Donne Biography Poets Poetry Essays

John Donne John Donne had a rich life full of travel, women and religion. Donne was born in 1572 on Bread Street in London. The family was Roman Catholic which was dangerous during this time when Catholicism was being abolished and protestant was taking over. Donne’s farther was an iron monger who died in 1576. At 11 Donne and his younger brother went to university and studied there for three years then he went to Cambridge for a further three years. He left without any degrees because as a Catholic he could not swear the ‘Oath of Supremacy’, which made you swear an oath declaring Henry VIII as head of the Church of England, Donne refused to swear this. In 1592 Donne joined a law practice and a legal career seemed ahead of him. In 1593 Donne’s brother Henry died of a fever in prison after being arrested for sheltering a catholic priest, John Donne then started to question his faith and wonder why his brother who was doing g-ds will would be allowed to be arrested and die in jail. As both his farther and brother had now passed away Donne inherited a considerable amount of money, which he spent on women, travelling and other pleasurable pursuits. In 1596 Donne joined a naval expedition against the Spanish Armada. One year later he sailed to the Azores. Often in John Donne’s poems they include his travels and experiences for instance in the poem ‘To his mistress going to bed’ he says ‘license my roving hands and let them go†¦ O America! My new found land[1] Donne possibly means that the woman in front of him is a new land waiting to be discovered and explored. In 1598 Donne was appointed Private Secretary to Sir Thomas Egaton. This meant he was on the road to a promising career. Later in 1601 John Don... ...is writing and how he thought also how he was conflicted throughout out his life about whether he should convert or not and risk a lifetime in hell and eternal damnation to further his career. I hope you enjoyed my essay. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] To his mistress going to bed, by John Donne, John Donne â€Å"Everyman’s poetry† [2] The Flea, by John Donne, â€Å"Complete English Poems†, Everyman [3] The Canonisation, by John Donne â€Å"Complete English poems† Everyman [4] ibid. [5] Hymn to g-d the Father by John Donne, ibid. [6] ibid. [7] ibid. [8] The Good Morrow, by John Donne ibid [9] The Sonne Rising by John Donne, â€Å"John Donne† Everyman’s Poetry. [10] A Valediction Forbidding Mourning, by John Donne, ibid [11] To his mistress going to bed, by John Donne, ibid. [12] ibid [13] ibid