Can anyone help me decipher this poem?

Question

Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill mee.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.


thank you!

Answer 1

John Donne is basically saying that death is nothing to be afraid of. It is only something that can scare you while you are alive. Once you are dead, death ceases to cause any problems. In a way, death ceases to exist (for you) once you are dead. Sleeping, resting, etc. are just forms of death. And people like to sleep and rest. So they are probably going to enjoy being dead. Besides, death is not something grand. Anyone and anything can cause death. So, it is not really a big deal.

It's like being afraid of farting in public. You're only afraid of being embarrassed until it happens. Once it happens, you ARE embarrassed, so you aren't AFRAID of being embarrassed any more. And anyway, a fart really isn't much in your control. Anything can cause you to fart. And, anyway, after you let it out, it feels good.

Answer 2

Here's what I can make of it (trying as best as possible):

Do not be proud death, though some have called you
mighty and dreadfull. For you are not (soe?). For those you think you do overthrow, do not die, poor death, nor yet can you kill me.
From rest and sleep, which let your pictures be, more pleasure then from you much more must flow, and soon as you take our best men, rest their bones and deliver their souls.

You are the slave of fate, chance, kinds, and desperate men.
And with you (poyson?, warre?) and sickness lives in, and (poppie? or charms?) can make us asleep as well, and better than your stroake, why do you swell then?

One short sleep pasts and we wake forever, and there shall be no more death. Death you shall die.

All the words in () I could not understand. sorry!

Edit: Oh my bad I thought you wanted to translate it!

Answer 3

It is the personification o f death: not proud but mighty and dreadful, from the standpoint of someone not ready to die or to loose someone to death. It speaks of rest and sleep of fate and chance and of poison s and charmes that can create a death like sleep. It also speaks of how death may seem short for some who wake eternally at deaths' end, being resurrected to eternal life. Anyway that is my take on it.

Answer 4

John Donne is saying that death should not feel superior to man because it has the ability to end life because sooner or later everyone dies - king or peasant - and also because there are many variables in how a person dies, fate, illness, etc. He is also saying that after the short sleep of death we wake to eternity - to a better life. Donne was a man of God.

Answer 5

The poen is basicly saying to die is not a proud event and that everyone who draws breath is under the control of fate not even the mightest kings or poorest men can break the chains of destiny.

Answer 6

he records the true story of his teenage son's struggle to overcome a brain tumor, and his ultimate death at the age of seventeen. This is from a book called Death be not proud by John Gunther?

Answer 7

Sparknotes always helps me analyze literature when I'm stuck. If anything, it will jump start your own thinking on the poem.

Answer 8

ummm its about dead....basically...i dont know how to explain it