Donne/Johnson

C. G. Estabrook galliher at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
Tue Mar 5 14:29:08 PST 2002


For a modern meditation on themes from Donne, I recommend Margaret Edson's play "Wit" (the reference is to the metaphysical kind). A good HBO movie was made from it, with Emma Thompson, directed by Mike Nichols (on DVD).--CGE

On Tue, 5 Mar 2002, joanna bujes wrote:


> At 01:36 PM 03/05/2002 -0500, you wrote: >Boo hiss, I adore Donne,
> read him constantly, quote him to my sweetie.
>
> Sir, more than kisses, letters mingle soules, for thus friends absent
> speak.
>
> --------------------
>
> Me too. Even wrote a dissertation about him. But I understand the
> appeal of Jonson: take this for example:
>
> Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
> Now the sun is laid to sleep,
> Seated in thy silver chair
> State in wonted manner keep:
> Hesperus entreats thy light,
> Goddess excellently bright.
>
> Earth, let not thy envious shade
> Dare itself to interpose;
> Cynthia's shining orb was made
> Heaven to clear when day did close:
> Bless us then with wished sight,
> Goddess excellently bright.
>
> Lay thy bow of pearl apart
> And thy crystal-shining quiver;
> Give unto the flying hart
> Space to breathe, how short soever:
> Thou that mak'st a day of night,
> Goddess excellently bright.
>
> About as classic an English poem as one could find: crystalline,
> complete. Jonson writes to the heart as Donne writes to the
> intelligence and, I suppose, it's a matter of inclination which grabs
> you best.
>
> Joanna
>
>



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