Question

Is anyone familiar with the peom "Death be not proud" by John Donne? I need some help with some questions!

Answer 1

Here's the poem if anyone wants:
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more, death, thou shalt die.

Answer 2

Thank you. In what way is death slave to fate, chance, kings and desperate men?

Answer 3

*Donne is my favorite poet. He is a Metaphyical poet known for his complex metaphors known as conceits. If you have any more questions, please let me know!I love this poem, which I just "translated" for my English classes last sememster.*

Death is a slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men because it is called upon to "work" by these entities. Specifically, here are examples of these entities calling upon Death to kill: fate: when someone dies with an inherited terminal disease; chance :when someone dies in a freak accident; kings: kill by war and executions; and desperate men: either kill themselves and/or others when boxed in a corner.

Answer 4

Thank you