Literary Devices in John Donne's Poetry Essay Example

Literary devices are powerful tools that help describe/contribute the meaning behind the poem. John Donne used literary elements like assonance, imagery, metaphor, personification, oxymoron, etc. With the use of these elements, the theme love vs world became more apparent. “Oh, that’s the worst disease of love, The poor, the foul, the false, love can Admit, but not the busied man.” While talking about the power of love, despite having class differences, people try to achieve this feeling. This line sheds heartfelt feelings of a woman who doesn’t understand the business that the man does however she wants him to protoize love. “Must business thee from hence remove?”  On the other hand, when the sun rises, the man feels like he has to perform various chores in life which separates the lovers. “‘Tis true, ‘tis day, what though it be? O wilt thou therefore rise from me? Why should we rise because ‘tis light? Did we lie down because ‘twas night?” The woman hates when the man gets up and attends to his duties because she feels like she isn’t getting the valued attention and love she deserves. “He which hath business, and makes love, doth do Such wrong, as when a married man doth woo.” She longs for night because it brings the two lovers closer and she is able to be close to him. She wants to feel him again and longs for him to spend the morning in bed with her.  The powerful tools of imagery, metaphor, personification, etc. help the reader understand and value what it feels like to not be prioritized. Without the use of imagery, the reflection/re-consideration would not be as apparent and would not make us reflect on our sense. Circling back to the theme love vs world, this poem sheds light on the wonderful feeling of love but in contrast to the inevitable responsibilities of human beings.