The Holy Sonnets

By: John Donne

Narrated by: Robert Maskell

Length: 24 mins

Publisher's summary

John Donne was born on the 22nd January 1572 in London, into a Roman Catholic family when Catholicism was illegal in England, and there was turbulence and unrest with both state and church throughout much of Europe.

His father, also named John, died when he was four, and his mother, Elizabeth Haywood, married a wealthy widower, ensuring the family were looked after. He received a good education at both Oxford and Cambridge but was unable to obtain a degree without taking the oath of supremacy, which as a Catholic he refused to do.

During the 1590s, Donne wrote a wide range of verses, including both erotic and sacred poems, creating two major volumes of work. His strong vivacious and sensual style fusing intellect and passion, as well as inventive use of subtle argument and syntax, provided a new radical perspective that reached beyond his contemporaries, and continued to chime and charm poetry lovers throughout the ages.

Difficult to believe that with this enormous talent, Donne lived in poverty for many years, exacerbated by his secret marriage to Anne Moore, which meant no dowry, and they having twelve children. Later he served in Parliament and became Dean of St Paul's in 1621, noted for his learned and charismatic sermons.

John Donne died in London on the 31st March 1631, but leaves an enormous legacy of many splendid influential poems. He was known as the founder of the Metaphysical Movement and is widely regarded as one of Britain's best-loved poets.

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