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John Donne Biography - Poems

Raised in a Roman Catholic family in 1572, John Donne was the relative of two men who were punished for their Catholicism; his brother died of a fever in prison after harboring a priest and an uncle, a Jesuit, was executed. Queen Elizabeth's government often punished and harassed Catholics.

Donne was educated at Oxford and Cambridge, however, Catholics were banned from graduating and so he could not earn his degree. As a young man, he traveled across Europe and between 1596 and 1597, was accompanied by the Earl of Essex on an expedition to Cádiz and the Azores. Along the way, he became secretary to Baron Ellesmere as his reputation as a poet grew. His writings were realistic and sensual, including many songs and sonnets. The writings also held a caustic outlook.

After taking part in the military expeditions, Donne became secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton, a prominent member of the royal court, and fell in love with Egerton's niece, Anne More and soon married her in secret. When More's father found out, he used his influence to briefly imprison Donne and two of his friends, one who presided over the wedding, the other a witness. Egerton also fired Donne.

Around this time, Donne wrote two "Anniversaries"; An Anatomy of the World and Of the Progress of the Soul. The two show his faith over medieval order polluted by political, scientific and philosophical doubts.

After Donne's release from prison, he reunited with his bride and settled on a land owned by More's cousin in Surrey. The couple struggled financially until 1609 when Donne's father-in-law reconciled and gave Donne his wife's dowry.

With the growth of Donne's family, he was prompted to seek favors from the King. In 1610 and 1611 he wrote two anti-Catholic polemics, the satire Ignatius his Conclave being the first English work to mention Galileo. King James was pleased with Donne's work, but refused financial offerings and instead offered ecclesiastical preferment. Donne resisted taking the holy orders, but after a long period of financial uncertainty and desperation, even though he was twice a member of Parliament, 1601 and 1614, was ordained in 1615.

Just two years after Donne's ordination, his wife died in 1617. With her death, Donne's poetic toned deepened, seen particularly in the Holy Sonnets.

Donne continued to write religious works after his wife's death, such as Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions in 1624. Several of his sermons were published during his lifetime regarding him as one of the most eloquent preachers of his day. And in 1621, John Donne was made dean of St. Paul's until his death on March 31, 1631.

John Donne Poems