Death Be Not Proud By John Donne

Death Be Not Proud” by John Donne is a famous poem. In simple terms, the poem talks about how death shouldn’t be seen as something powerful or scary because it’s just a temporary state between life and an eternal afterlife.

The speaker addresses death directly, telling it not to be proud because it’s not as fearsome as people make it out to be. The speaker argues that death is just a sleep-like state where the body rests, and it’s not the end of everything.

The poem reassures us that death is not permanent, as it’s followed by an awakening into eternal life. So, the poem ultimately suggests that death is nothing to be afraid of because it’s just a transition to something greater.

Here are some key points of Death Be Not Proud.

Death is not something to be scared of or proud of.
Death doesn’t have ultimate power over our souls.
Death is just a temporary sleep before waking up in eternal life.
Death is like a slave to fate and chance, not a mighty ruler.
Death can’t brag about itself because it’s just a short pause in our journey.

Let’s read Death Be Not Proud.

Death Be Not Proud

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…

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