I need an essay on ONE of the three Holy Sonnets listed below, together with a line-by-line paraphrase of the poem.
Donne in his Holy Sonnets (sonnets were traditionally love poems, so love poems to God) frequently recollects the poems he wrote as a secular (or as he says, “profane,” as opposed to sacred) love poet. Choose from III (“Oh, might those sighs and tears”), XIII (“What if this present”) and XIX (“Oh, to vex me”).
ONE of these three Holy Sonnets (III, XIII, XIX) are to be discussed in relation to Donne’s secular love poetry. I need a paraphrase and a close discussion of the language and imagery of the poem. One can refer to other of Donne’s religious poems. Please discuss the Holy Sonnet you choose in relation to Donne’s secular love poetry. You may wish to view the Holy Sonnet as a “correction” of his posture as a love poet, as a continuation of that posture, or as a mix of both. You may wish also to consider what adjustments are brought about by the circumstance that Donne’s love-relationships are with women but in the Holy Sonnets he relates to a God traditionally conceived as male . Also of possible interest in the Holy Sonnets is Donne’s guilt in relation to his former love affairs.