crossref-it.info - AS/A2 English Literature Study Guides - texts in context.John Donne: Poem analysis » This is my playes last scene
A meditation
This is one of Donne's ‘Holy Sonnets’, possibly written round 1607, though some critics suggest 1609. The date is not important, especially as it is not the deathbed poem it appears to be at first reading. The depiction of death and dying is much more to do with ways of meditating, especially based on Ignatian meditation.
Metaphors for death
Donne is imagining himself at his death, described in a series of metaphors, ‘playes last scene’, ‘pilgrimages last mile’ and ‘my race quickly runne’, and several others. Donne likes to pile up words or images for dramatic effect. Death is seen like some monster, a very different image than in the sonnet ‘Death be not Proud’ and more akin to ‘Oh my blacke Soule!’, where the pilgrim image is again used.
Some of the above images were biblical ones: races (Hebrews 12:1) and pilgrimages (Hebrews 11:13) particularly. The language and idea of sleeping ‘a space’ is also biblical (1 Corinthians 15:51), as are ‘shall see that face’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Donne makes a sharp distinction between body and soul, and in this we can see some of his own divided personality. His body ‘in the earth shall dwell’; but his soul will come face to face with God as his judge. This is what seems to terrify him.
Morbid?
We may think this is rather morbid, but we need to remember that consciousness of sin and the awesomeness of God were typical emphases in early seventeenth century religion, of whatever sort. Even so, Donne's sensitivity to this seems to be much greater than someone like George Herbert's, who feels unworthy (as in Love II), but not terrified.
Concluding prayer
The last four lines are a concluding prayer to round off this meditation. ‘So, fall my sins’ is an order: ‘Fall, my sins ... ’. That is to say, let my sins drop down to Hell now, where they belong; then I shall be ‘purg'd of evil’ (cf. Hebrews 1:3). The phrase ‘Impute me righteous’ is as problematic as the phrase ‘Teach me how to repent’ in ‘At the Round Earths Imagin'd Corners’. So is Donne really more concerned about getting rid of sin now; or being ‘imputed’ righteous because of Christ's life? It seems Donne wants it both ways, just to be sure.
More on imputed: see Elegie XIX: Going to Bed by the same writer
The sonnet is basically a Petrarchan one, with octave and sestet. The rhyming couplet at the end is more typical of a Shakespearean sonnet, however. It gives a clinching feel to the poem.
(see Themes and significant ideas: Death as friend or foe; Personal Sinfulness and Unworthiness).
- Today's New International Version
- 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
- King James Version
- 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
- Today's New International Version
- 13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.
- King James Version
- 13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
- Today's New International Version
- 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -
- King James Version
- 51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
- Today's New International Version
- 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- King James Version
- 18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
- Today's New International Version
- 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
- King James Version
- 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
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