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John Donne: Poem analysis » Show me Deare Christ

Finding the true church

This sonnet stands apart from most of the other Holy Sonnets, having been discovered in a separate manuscript, the Westmorland, together with ‘Since She Whom I Lov'd’ and one other. It should be read in conjunction with Satyre III: ‘On Religion’, both are about finding the true church amidst the various conflicting claims of early seventeenth century Christianity in Britain.

Sexual imagery

Although the Satire uses sexual imagery, in this sonnet it becomes more and more focused, till the poet finishes with the final conceit that the true church will be she who is most promiscuous, open to the gaze and love of most men! He can carry this off since the church is described in the Bible itself as ‘the Bride of Christ’ and ‘the wife of the Lamb’ Revelation 21:9-10; Revelation 22:17, with Christ (the Lamb of God, as in John 1:29)as her bridegroom.

The rivals

In the octave, he briefly discusses the rivals for the nomination of ‘true’ Church. They are basically the Roman Catholics, who go ‘richly painted/on the other shore’; and the Protestants, who are the opposite: ‘Laments and mourns in Germany and here’. He refers particularly to the vestments of the priests or ministers of the two churches, but also, impressionistically, to the style of their liturgies, and their spirituality. The ‘seven’ hills refer to Rome; the one hill may be Jerusalem, the site of the original church in New Testament times; the ‘no hill’ perhaps to the Protestants, who have no central headquarters.

Truth seekers

In the sestet he sees seekers of truth like ‘adventuring knights’ who have to find their lady, then make love to her, as in some courtly love quest. He asks God to make it easy by betraying his true bride to them: that is to say, asking God to make his wife unfaithful – one of the paradoxes Donne delights in. ‘Thy mild Dove’ is a reference to the Holy Spirit (based on Matthew 3:16), who, it has been promised, will lead believers into all truth John 16:13.

Investigating Show me Deare Christ
  • In Show me Deare Christ
    • Explain the line ‘Sleepes she a thousand, then peepes up a year?’
  • What does this poem suggest is Donne's attitude to the Church of England, of which he was a member and later a priest?
    • Many people today have given up the attempt not only to find religious truth, but any sort of truth. What would Donne say to them?

 

Today's New International Version
9One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, 'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.' 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
King James Version
9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Today's New International Version
17The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let those who hear say, 'Come!' Let those who are thirsty come; and let all who wish take the free gift of the water of life.
King James Version
17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Today's New International Version
29The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
King James Version
29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Today's New International Version
16As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
King James Version
16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Today's New International Version
13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
King James Version
13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
A sonnet is a poem with a special structure. It has fourteen lines, which are organised in a particular manner, usually characterised by the pattern of rhyming, which changes as the ideas in the poem evolve.
1. Term for a worshipping community of Christians. 2. The building in which Christians traditionally meet for worship. 3. The worldwide community of Christian believers.
The beliefs, doctrines and practices of Christians.
A genre which ridicules some one or something. It can be poetry, drama or fiction.
An image that seems far-fetched or bizarre, but which is cleverly worked out so that the reader can understand the link.
The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament scriptures inherited from Judaism, together with the New Testament, drawn from writings produced from c.40-125CE, which describe the life of Jesus and the establishment of the Christian church.
In the New Testament the image of a bride is used of the church and its relationship to Christ.
Title (eventually used as name) given to Jesus, refering to an anointed person set apart for a special task such as a king.
Symbolic description of Jesus Christ.
Member of a worldwide Christian church which traces its origins from St. Peter, one of Jesus' original disciples. It has a continuous history from earliest Christianity.
Christians whose faith and practice stems from the Reformation movement in the sixteenth century which resulted in new churches being created as an alternative to the Roman Catholic Church.
The distinctive clothing worn by clergy when taking part in services of worship.
A person whose role is to carry out religious functions.
Middle French menestre, ministre 'servant'. Someone who serves God and other people; used of those who hold office and lead worship in the Christian Church.
Set forms of Christian worship, usually written down. These include set prayers and Bible readings for certain days and weeks of the year.
In any religion, there will be many ways to practice that religion, and to become aware of the divine. Spirituality can mean either the depth of religious practice and awareness in an individual; or the type of practice.
A 'testament' is a covenant (binding agreement), a term used in the Bible of God's relationship with his people. The New Testament is the second part of the Christian Bible. Its name comes from the new covenant or relationship with God.
The 6-line stanza of a Petrarchan sonnet, occupying the last six lines, sometimes divided into tercets or couplets. It often resolves the problem poses in the octave or comments significantly on it.
A figure of speech wherein an apparently contradictory set of ideas is presented as being, in fact, part of the same truth.
The third person of the Trinity (God in three persons). Came upon the disciples at Pentecost after Jesus had ascended in to heaven.
 
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