A Feminist Study On John Donne’s Poetry

John Donne is the leading figure of the 17 th English Metaphysical Poetry. His love poetry is a classic topic in academic research. Donne uses contradictory images to describe women in his poems. He describes women to be as pure as angels yet he decries them as unchaste monsters and vain lunatics. Moreover, his expectations of women are contradictory as well. Women are asked to stay at home and keep chaste, but they are also advised to give their virginity to men in order to enjoy pleasure for a moment and “to seize the day”. Stepping into the 21 st century, feminism strives for female self-improvement and independence and for harmony between the two sexes. The author suggests, however, that we should not solely criticize or defend male chauvinism in Donne’s poetry. Donne also pursues harmony between men and women and between humanity and nature. He sometimes thinks that male and female should be treated equally and respectfully. This view is also held in modern eco-feminism. Donne is a skilled poet with a far-sighted awareness of the importance of the relationship between men and women. He seeks an equal and harmonious world for both men and women through his poetry. By reading from the feminist perspective, the author finds that Donne presents a contradictory yet harmonious world in his poetry. His writing espouses chauvinism and patriarchy. On the other hand, it shows the poet’s pursuit of a harmonious world, which coincides with the tendency and ultimate purpose of Feminism: an equal and harmonious relationship between men and women.