John Donne: Life, Mind and Art

by John Carey

A critique of the seventeenth-century British poet highlights his religious beliefs, writings, and major philosophical concerns

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Literary Criticism, Poetry, History

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 1981

Reviews

[Alok Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who are working on Donne's poetry, this book will be a useful secondary source of information. For others who are just interested in knowing Donne and his poetry, this book will be useful but not as useful as other simplified versions available. For literature students, the book offers a lot. It goes beyond Donne as a poet and veers through his life, his works, occupations and a few other details as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carey's discussion of Donne's life and poetry is clear, intelligent and interesting. It's a shame that his low opinions of women often seep through into the text. For example, an exploration of the notion of love as ownership is followed by the baffling statement: "We are careful to talk, nowadays, as if we believed that the male ought to respect the female's individuality. Donne is above such hypocrisies..." This book was published in 1981! My word. (He also calls Donne's wife "dismayingly fertile" which I'm ashamed to say made me giggle.) Purely based on the usefulness and intelligence of the text I'm giving it four stars, however.

[Chad D · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book on Donne is notorious. Now I know why.

It's really smart and interesting. And kind of rude. Busily diagnosing Donne with anxieties and obsessions and manias and perversities. Generally out of sympathy with Donne's expressed values and beliefs. Delighting in reading Donne against his grain. And Carey's sympathies definitely seem to be with the poetry rather than the prose (and Donne's interest in sex over his interest in religion). He dismisses some of the most magnificent prose in the language as "sonorous gloom."

If I believed the general tendencies of this book, I would like and admire Donne less. Fortunately, I don't. And there are insights here.

[Jack Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic biography of Donne, my favourite poet.

[Mared Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, I admit I didn't read this in full, but technically I did read it. This wasn't as helpful as Joe Nutt's analysis of Donne's poems but would still recommend to those studying Donne.

[Emily Crutchley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mandatory classic

[Elijah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Carey provides a biographical study of Donne’s life that quickly moves into a critical treatment of the poetry. If I were to paraphrase what Carey finds to be the single theme that covers Donne’s vision of poetry, it would be this:

the authentic meeting between persons despite the obstacles that afflict limited, embodied, mortal creatures who themselves are changing even as they come to a knowledge of the other

Carey argues primarily that the recurring oppositions and unifications present in Donne’s conceits demonstrate both the poet’s deep interest in “the principle of joined opposites” and the prominent place that division held in his mind (266). Carey identifies Donne’s frequent return to subjects involving simultaneous material and immaterial presence, noting as a “characteristic Donne image … ‘gold to ayery thinnesse beate’ (269).

This inclination toward duality and mutability, Carey observes, manifests in the coins, maps, and angels that frequently appear in his poems, each of which paradoxically joins materiality and abstract value, the cardinal directions of east and west, or youth and ancient bearing. Similar to his thesis, Carey’s purpose in this work is one of unification, to bring the details of Donne’s life, sermons, and letters into relation with the poetry that these may together inform a comprehensive understanding of Donne himself.

The astute identification and close discussion of “Bodies,” “Change,” and “Death,” each of which receives a separate chapter, represent a high point of the book. Carey’s examination of these pivotal subjects strengthens his discussion of Donne’s understanding of the human person. These chapters also serve to reveal those matters of interest that motivate the poet throughout his career, reconciling the younger Jack and more mature Dr. Donne.

Other reviews of the book have noted Carey’s tendency to express a slight contempt for his fellow critics in their treatment of Donne; as well as some derision of the poet himself ironically enough. This assessment bears up but is not so prominent that it takes away from the sound treatment of trends in Donne’s work that reveal the deeper motivations of his poetry.

[Richard Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine introduction to a difficult author.

[esther keeley]

i lied i read half, carey is ok but mostly wrong about things

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read. Carey was able to tease out the contradictions and knots in Donne, illustrating beautifully just how annoying he can be and just why that is a part of his enduring appeal. I felt the urge to go back and reread the poems with fresh eyes.