Hymne To God My God, In My Sicknesse Essays - John Donne

Hymne To God My God, In My Sicknesse Hymne to God my God, in My Sicknesse The poem is probably written late in Donne's life, definitely following his conversion to the Anglican faith. Donne seems to be dying of some incurable illness that the doctors do not know how to cure. He begins by saying that he is coming a holy room, possibly in his funeral. Upon entering this holy room, probably a sanctuary, he joins up with the saints of old which he hopes to join. However, he must tune the Instrument here at the dore before entering into the place of the saints. The capitalizing of instrument possibly indicates that the instrument is not necessarily a musical instrument, but more an instrument of the faith, possibly even Donne's own body which is God's instrument used to administer the faith. The second stanza paraphrases the doctors vain attempts to cure him before he dies. He compares his body to the stars because the physicians strive to understand his body just as the cosmographers explore and hope to gain insight into the stars. Donne writes that this is my South-west discoverie, probably referring to the Strait of Magellan, known for its tumultuous winds. Further evidence is given by his saying that by these streights to die, indicating that the tumultuous winds of life will eventually overwhelm his frail body. However, instead of fearing the winds and tumultuous seas, Donne welcomes them as the entrance into a more peaceful place. After passing through the Strait of Magellan, one comes to the Pacific ocean which is very calm and nice rest following the Strait. Donne even questions whether the west can hurt him. The answer is obviously no because if the Strait could not kill him, then the calm ocean will have no chance. However, Donne recognizes that the Pacific Ocean is not his home, but he does not fully know where his true home is. He questions whether Jerusalem is where he ought to live. Donne says that in order to find a final destination, he must pass through many straits, indicating that in order to obtain heaven, one must first pass through the miseries and hard times of life. Donne says that whether he settles in the land of Japhet(Yafet), Cham, or Sem(Shem), he is going to suffer through many ordeals, but that once he puts his feet on land, he is going to praise God, just as Noah did after the flood. Japhet, Cham, and Sem were the three sons of Noah who, according to Jewish and Christian tradition, were the beginnings of the three major civilizations of the early earth; Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley. Donne then states that modern society always makes Israel seem like such a promised land with Calvary, Christ's cross, the garden of Eden, and paradise always wrapped up in a tight bundle that we call Israel, but in reality, Israel is no better than anywhere else. Donne makes his life a symbol of the places of earth. He is composed of both faith and sin, represented by Israel and England respectfully. Therefore both parts of Adam, both the faith and sin are the same in Donne as they were in the beginning of the world. The first Adam represents the hard work that one has to do in order spread the word of the Lord and the last Adam represents the fight that every Christian must face in order to spread the faith. In the final stanza, Donne discusses his entrance into paradise. He pictures God as being wrapped in a purple robe. Purple represents sanctity and regalness since it is the color of kings, especially the eternal king. Donne also wants to take on the crown of thrones so that he may feel the pain that one must feel in order to truly preach the word of God. Ultimately, he hopes that others to whom he preached will be received by God the same way he was received. Bibliography Hymne to God My God, in My Sicknesse Bible

Best Books for Kids and Adults Interested in Greek Mythology

Best Books for Kids and Adults Interested in Greek Mythology Which are the best sources for readers interested in the Greek myths and the history behind them? Here are suggestions for people of varying ages and levels of knowledge. Greek Myths for Young People For young people, a wonderful resource is the lovely, illustrated Daulaires Book of Greek Myths. There are also online, out of copyright, and therefore somewhat old-fashioned versions of the Greek myths written for young people, including Nathaniel Hawthornes popular Tanglewood Tales, Padraic Colums story of the Golden Fleece, which is one of the central episodes in Greek mythology, and Charles Kingsleys The Heroes, or Greek Fairy Tales for My Children. Anthologies of Greek myths that are appropriate for children include Tales of the Greek Heroes: Retold From the Ancient Authors, by Roger Lancelyn Green.  Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad, by Rosemary Sutcliff, is a good introduction to Homer and the tale of Troy that is so central to any study of ancient Greece. Reading for Adults With Limited Knowledge of Greek Myths For somewhat older people who are curious about the stories and real-life history related to Greek myths, a good choice is Thomas Bulfinchs The Age of Fable or Stories of Gods and Heroes coupled with Ovids Metamorphoses. Bulfinch is widely available, including online, and the stories entertain as well as explain, with the caveat that he prefers Roman names like Jupiter and Proserpine to Zeus and Persephone; his approach is all explained in the introduction. Ovids work is a classic that ties together so many stories as to be somewhat overwhelming, which is why it is best read in combination with Bulfinch, who, incidentally, developed many of his stories by translating Ovid. To be truly familiar with Greek mythology, you really should know a good portion of the allusions Ovid makes. For Adults With More Advanced Knowledge For those already familiar with Bulfinch, the next book to pick up is Timothy Gantz Early Greek Myths, although this is a 2-volume reference work, rather than a book to read. If you havent already read The Iliad, The Odyssey, and Hesiods Theogony, those are essentials for Greek mythology. The works of the Greek tragedians, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, are also basics; Euripides may be the easiest to digest for modern American readers.

Dont have a topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dont have a topic - Essay Example Another guideline to become a successful student is to manage time fruitfully. Time management is not difficult when a student creates a checklist and organizes his work. Time management can lead a student towards success as one then submits all the assignments, presentations and other related academic papers on time. Also, a student should avoid distractions and focus on the subject he is studying. When a mind is focused on a particular subject, then the idea can be more effectively grasped. Focusing can be maintained by studying in a quiet place, for example a library and by putting aside other secondary tasks. The key to success is to strengthen one’s ‘will’ to succeed. The biggest difference an ordinary student and a successful student is their attitudes. For some, learning is fun and enjoyable. For others, learning is drudgery. Our attitudes are habits built from feedback from parents, friends and society. In every class, look for positive people to associate with; in every chapter find one more concept important to you; with every friend, explain a new idea that you have learnt; keep a list of goals, positive thoughts and action. Educators believe that forming questions is more important than remembering answers. Yet teachers ask for answers, not questions but questions and answers are two sides of the same coin, the process called learning. Mental self management or is an art of planning, monitoring and evaluating the learning process. You have to identify the best learning styles that suit you and have to develop the habit of asking questions (Martin 6). By asking question one learns more as he remembers during an exam what he has asked from his teacher in the class. One another quality that a student must possess to become a successful student is self motivation. One has to motivate himself to study by reflecting on the goals set and the relative outcome of those goals. The more a