Riflessi dell’epoca in Songs e Holy Sonnets di John Donne

The object of this thesis is to focus on the metaphysical poet John Donne to analyse how the troubles of the XVII century have influenced England, its people, and the author himself. The first chapter will concentrate on the historical analysis of the country in this period. The English power drastically changed and became increasingly strong, taking an important position worldwide. Despite its growth, within the country there were many issues. On one side, there were political conflicts that involved the power of the king and of Parliament, and on the other, there were religious disputes that engaged Catholics and Protestants. To make the condition of England even more complicated, the new scientific discoveries also had an impact on individuals: people started to question fundamental beliefs from a scientific point of view to a religious one. The metaphysical poets expressed the disquietude of living in a changing world. In the second chapter the focus will be on these authors and the accent will be on their poetic style which results very complex and elaborated. Their type of research and the copious themes touched by these poets were influenced by the many scientific discoveries and the social and political changes around them. Their works did not have a huge success also due to their circulation, which was mainly through manuscripts, so the number of readers who could encounter these lyrics were very limited. However, their poetry survived during the centuries and their success exponentially grew in the XX century once their complexity and their deep research became very appreciated. In particular, they shared with modern poets some similarities in the way their anxieties and doubts played a big role in their sensibility. Since this thesis is dedicated to John Donne, his life will be analysed in the third chapter. Here, it will be discussed in order to see how his personal events have influenced his writings, most of all, his Catholic origins. His ancestors had been persecuted because of their religious belief but also his family, John Donne felt the pressure of Catholic oppression. Indeed, he often had to hide his Christianity to have a career till converted to Protestantism. His personal losses also had a heavy impact on his poetry both in Songs and Sonnets and Holy Sonnets. These two works will be analysed in the fourth and fifth chapter. In both, the author expressed a large number of personal thoughts and recollections. Furthermore, he included various themes in the lyrics themselves due to his many interests. What emerges is a very complex text that very often enhances opposite ideas. The main concept he dealt with was the link between body and soul, a relation he tried to demonstrate within his whole life. The analysis of these two poems will highlight how John Donne used his lyrics to feel closer to God and to beg for his salvation.