"Batter my heart, three-person God"
By: John Donne
Strategically written as a sonnet, the structure of the poem helps to reveal the meaning of the poem. Each quatrain, four lines of a poem considered a unit, represents a different aspect of a person's connection to God. As a result of the structure, the paradox and central focal point of the poem is revealed.
The paradox, "Take me to you, imprison me, for I, except you enthrall me, never shall be free, nor ever chaste, except you ravish me (Lines 12-14)." Upon first reading the lines, the poem phrase seems to be self-contradictory, but in fact reveals a truth. In the statement, the speaker begs to be "imprisoned" as they claim that without being forced to turn to and focus on God, they will not be able to leave their marriage to the devil. By stating that God must "enthrall" the speaker, the reader initially sees a contradiction from the previous statement. Yet, it is by enthralling and "ravishing" that the speaker will be inclined to stay and focus on God.
Just as the structure reveals a paradox, so to does the structure reveal the love within the poem. For, sonnets, typically devised to present a change and express emotions, is used as the structure of this poem to describe the speakers change in love and focus from Satan to God. Thus, the poem itself is a paradox of being married to Satan, but seeking to love God.
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