John Donne (1572–1631) was one of the greatest of English poets. A near contemporary of Shakespeare, he lived and wrote in the last years of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign and throughout that of her successor, James I. Donne is known as a metaphysical poet for his use of highly unusual similes and metaphors, often drawn from science, engineering, and cosmology. He produced erotic and often-cynical love poems; religious verse (the Holy Sonnets); and religious prose, including what are regarded as the greatest sermons of his era.
Humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson discusses the life and achievements of Donne in the context of the 17th century and offers interpretations of several of his poetic and prose works.
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