At the Threshold between Life and Death. Time of Transience and Transition in John Donne’s Holy Sonnets and First Book of Sonnets by Andreas Gryphius Cover Image

At the Threshold between Life and Death. Time of Transience and Transition in John Donne’s Holy Sonnets and First Book of Sonnets by Andreas Gryphius
At the Threshold between Life and Death. Time of Transience and Transition in John Donne’s Holy Sonnets and First Book of Sonnets by Andreas Gryphius

Author(s): Milica Mijatović
Subject(s): Studies of Literature, Theory of Literature, British Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej
Keywords: vanitas; transience; meditative poetry; Baroque; John Donne; Andreas Gryphius; sonnet;

Summary/Abstract: The article focuses on a comparison of selected pieces of John Donne’s Holy Sonnets and Andreas Gryphius’ First Book of Sonnets as examples of meditatio mortis. It presents the similarities of form and content between these two cycles, and traces possible inspirations for their creation in the analysis of both poets’ religious pathways, facets of their biography with accentuation of experiences of death and transience, and their interest in spiritual and carnal processes accompanying the last moments of existence.

  • Issue Year: 40/2022
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 15-27
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: English