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Death be not Proud by John Donne

Death be not Proud: NBSE, ISC Class 12 solutions, answers, notes

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Here, you will find a summary and questions/answers of the poem “Death be not Proud” by John
Donne which is a part of Class 12 syllabus for students studying under NBSE and ISC.

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NBSE Class 12 version notes
ISC Class 12 version notes

Summary

‘Death be Not Proud’ is one of the great metaphysical poet John Donne’s nineteen Holy Sonnets.
Donne, a classic Renaissance product, developed a type of love and religious poetry that captivated its

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readers with its wit, conceits, fantastic imagery, erudite complexity, colloquial and dramatic styles.
Donne’s poetry shows the unusual confluence of reason and passion — a trait known as “Unified
Sensibility.”

This poem deconstructs the conventional image of death as a formidable ruler. The poet offers an
unusual perspective on death. Donne addresses the poem to Death, implying that Death should not be
proud of itself. Death, according to popular belief, is neither frightening nor strong. It has no control
over the immortal soul. The poet illustrates his point with examples of rest and slumber. He claims that
rest and sleep are merely euphemisms for death. Rest and sleep provide us with joy. As a result, dying
should bring far more pleasure, which is the actual thing. Second, our best men are taken from us far
too young. Their bones are rejuvenated, and their souls are liberated. As a result, dying is not a
terrifying experience.

Now, the poet debunks the widely held assumption that death is all-powerful. Death, in truth, is a
prisoner, a slave to fate, chance, cruel kings, and wicked men. It is associated with poison, battle, and
sickness. Opium and other narcotics have the same impact on us as death in terms of putting us to
sleep. They do, in fact, help us sleep better. Death cannot function on its own level. As a result, death
should not be proud of its abilities.

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Finally, the poet states that death is a form of sleep from which the soul awakens to live eternally and
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becomes immortal. Then death has no hold over us. In other words, the soul triumphs over death; it is
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death that dies. Donne thus lowers death and joyfully reveals its impotence. It is not frightening or

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overpowering in any manner. As a result, we should not be afraid of death because it has no influence

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over our souls.

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Additional/extra questions and answers/solutions

1. What is the genre of the poem “Death, Be Not Proud”?

Answer: The poem is written in iambic pentameter and is an example of a Shakespearean sonnet.

2. What is the speaker’s take on Death? What are the many forces that cause it?

Answer: Death is portrayed as someone deserving of scorn rather than reverence. Death, according to
lines nine and ten, can only act when it is brought about by fate, chance, monarchs, desperate
individuals, poison, battle, and sickness.

3. What is the significance of Donne’s statement that those whom Death believes he kills “die
not”?

Answer: According to the speaker, death is merely a halt in life, and people who die are simply waiting
to awaken to eternal life. As a result, death should not be proud.

4. Explain the relevance of the caesurae in the final line of the poem.

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Answer: The placement of a semicolon between “more” and “death” implies that death is simply a halt
for the dying. The comma after “death” implies that death is the victim of dying rather than the person.
Because once someone dies, death no longer has the ability to live for that person.

5. Discuss the opening lines of the sonnet ‘Death be not Proud.’

Answer: In the poem’s first lines, Donne addresses Death and asks it not to be proud. Death has been
described as forceful and frightening by some, but this is not the case. Death, according to Donne, is a
lowly thing, not a mighty one. Death does not genuinely murder the persons it believes it has killed.
Rather, their souls become eternal, and they awaken to live forever. As a result, the soul becomes
more powerful and conquers death.

6. Who, in the poet’s opinion, are the agents of death?

Answer: Poison, war, and sickness, according to the poet, are the agents of death. Death is present in
their awful company. To kill a person, Death must enlist the assistance of these evil agents. Death, in
truth, is a victim of fate, chance, harsh kings, and terrible individuals. Opium and other narcotics have
the same impact on us as death in terms of putting us to sleep. They do, in fact, help us sleep better.

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Death cannot function on its own level. That is why death is not terrifying and powerful.

7. What does the word ‘slave’ imply?

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Answer: According to John Donne, death is a hostage or slave to the power of fate, chance,
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monarchs, and wicked men. This slave picture of death implies that death is powerless. It is not self-
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sufficient and cannot function at its own level. It merely executes fate’s and chance’s directions and
kills others. It must rely on poison, conflict, and sickness to demonstrate its effectiveness.

8. Based on your reading of “Death be not Proud,” what conclusions do you draw about
Donne’s religious faith?

Answer: Donne is a classic Renaissance figure who wrote a type of love and religious poetry that
catches the reader’s attention with its wits, conceits, and fantastic imagery. His poetry can be tough
and obscure at times, rendering it incomprehensible to the average reader.

This poem demonstrates the poet’s strong religious beliefs. All religious Christians believe in the soul’s
immortality. Similarly, Donne, who is deeply religious, claims that Death has no influence over the soul.
It can only kill our bodies. The soul becomes immortal after death and awakens eternally in paradise.
Rather, it is the soul that triumphs over death. Death, according to Donne, is a lowly thing, not a mighty
one. The poet pities death for its weakness and vulnerability by referring to it as ‘poor.’ Death, he
claims, is neither terrifying nor strong. Death is simply a sort of relaxation and slumber that provides us
with far more pleasure.

Death is once again described by the poet as a slave of fate, chance, monarchs, and wicked men. It is
associated with poison, battle, and sickness. It cannot work at its own level; it must enlist the
assistance of its agents such as poison, war, and fate in order to finish a person. In other words, it is
not self-contained. It has no power and should not take pride in killing someone. It is death itself that
dies. Donne reduces death in this way, declaring cheerfully death’s impotence, and this poem

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demonstrates the poet’s genuinely religious nature.

9. Do you agree with Donne that death is nothing more than a “poor death”?

Answer: Yes, we completely agree with Donne that death is nothing but a poor death. The author
deconstructs the conventional image of death as a terrible ruler in this poem. It accomplishes this by
advancing the concept that death is as fleeting as sleep. People often feel that death is a horrible and
powerful force. But the poet opposes death’s authority. The audacity of the argument is evident when
Donne refers to death as “poor” because it is only a slave of fate, chance, monarchs, and terrible men.
Death cannot function on its own level. To kill a person, poison, war, and sickness must be used. He
compares death to slumber once more. He claims that rest and sleep are merely euphemisms for
death. They provide us a lot of joy. As a result, dying should provide far more pleasure. Opium and
other narcotics have the same impact on us as death in terms of putting us to sleep. They do, in fact,
help us sleep better. Furthermore, our best men die young. Their bodies rest after death, and their
souls become free. It has no influence over the soul. It can only kill bodies, not souls. For Donne, death
is nothing more than a portal through which our spirit must pass in order to live an endless existence.
Thus, the poem celebrates the immortality of the soul and the mortality of death. The soul triumphs
over death; it is death that dies. The poem initially shocks the reader, but eventually convinces him of
death’s insignificance.

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Death be not Proud: NBSE Class 12 Alternative English solutions

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Get notes, questions, answers, notes, solutions, summary, MCQs, PDF of the poem “Death be not
Proud” by John Donne which is a part of NBSE Class 12 Alternative English syllabus.

Select version of notes

Summary and extras for all
NBSE Class 12 version notes
ISC Class 12 version notes

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Who is the poet addressing in the poem?

Answer: The poet is addressing Death in the poem.

2. What do people think of death according to the poet?

Answer: According to the poet, people think of death as mighty and terrifying, something that frightens

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their imaginations and thoughts. They believe that death is a tremendous force that terminates
everything in a human’s life.

3. Why is the poet not afraid of death?

Answer: John Donne, the poet, is not terrified of death since he believes that when individuals die,
they are only dead for a brief period and that their souls live on in the afterlife alongside all other spirits
in heaven. As a result, he argues that death cannot kill him.

4. Give an example of the use of paradox in the poem.

Answer: The poet employs the paradox of death by questioning its traditional portrayal as man’s
indomitable conqueror, claiming that it provides greater relief and pleasure than rest and sleep. It also
offers “Souls’ delivery,” which is a release into a tranquil eternity.

5. How does death set a man free?

Answer: When a man transitions from a physical being to a spiritual being, he becomes free. Where
he shall live forever. He transcends into the joys of an eternal afterlife, free of the tragedies, conflicts,
and afflictions of earthly life.

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Explain the following lines with reference to the context.
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1. Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

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And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
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And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well,

a. Why does the poet call death a slave?

Answer: Death does not select its victims because sickness and accident determine who dies.
Because death lacks the ability to choose, the poet referred to it as a “slave.”

b. Which two activities produce the same effect as death?

Answer: The two activities that produce the same effect as death are ‘fate’ and ‘chance’.

2. And better than thy stroke; why swell’s thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

a. What does the poet mean by ‘why swell’s though then?’

Answer: These lines are taken from the poem “Death be not Proud,” written by John Donne. The poet
is here contemplating death’s destructive force. Death is compared by the poet to a range of powers
that take lives on their own volition, such as fate, chance, monarchs, and desperate individuals. Even
in terms of rest, death is inferior to medications.

b. What is the Christian theme being indicated with ‘we wake eternally’?

Answer: The line “We Wake Externally” by poet John Donne alludes to a man’s victory after death,

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where his physical existence transcends to the spiritual being as a living soul, sparking the
commencement of a new kind of existence.

The poet suggests a Christian motif here, as Christians believe in life after death and equate death to a
brief slumber from which they will arise to live eternally in heaven. He encourages his readers to be
brave in the face of death since it is a path to our true self of living forever away from the hardships,
worries, and misery of this physical world. He signifies the long-term triumph over the transient,
monosyllabic death. Donne has launched a powerful rhetorical attack on death’s invincibility while also
declaring his faith in the eternal afterlife’s joys that would transcend the miseries of earthly existence.

Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Why does the poet feel that death is arrogant? How does he belittle this arrogance?

Answer: To manage the emotional feelings linked with a discussion of death, John Donne personifies
death in ‘Death be not proud’ and proceeds to disparage it because, while some may think that death
is mighty and dreadful, he maintains that “Thou art not such.” Death, personified, is pompous because
it believes death is the end of existence, but Donne tells out that it is simply a “brief sleep.” Death
cannot defeat man, therefore Donne asks why it feels as though it has accomplished anything when

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our best men with thee depart, because after they die, their bones simply rest.
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Death’s arrogance as it thinks ‘thou dost overthrow’ is unacceptable to Donne, because death is

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actually the entity that is beaten and vanquished every time. It is nothing more than a transition, and
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while everyone must die, we wake eternally and thus are no longer dead, proving that it is death that
will die.
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2. Discuss the central theme of the poem.

Answer: The central theme of the poem is death’s powerlessness, with Donne describing death as a
doorway to endless life, rather than something ‘mighty and horrible’ as some may assume. According
to John Donne, death only delivers the noblest men to a condition of great joy “as well as “soul’s
delivery.” In essence, he is reminding death that it has no reason to gloat or be “proud.” “because it is
not the ominous, terrifying entity it portrays itself to be. Death, according to Donne, has no reason to be
proud because its authority is an illusion, and its rule is fading. It is “no more” once it has served its
goal of transferring its victims out of worldly existence, having been overwhelmed by eternal life.

3. And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.Explain the significance of the line.

Answer: The line is taken from John Donne’s poem “Death be not Proud.” The given line represents
the defeat of death itself, which is seen as all-powerful and horrible, and is feared by mankind. The
poem opens with death personified as an individual who ends everything, but the poet compares it to
other characters and powers and demonstrates his fearlessness towards death, suggesting that it is
just a short slumber and more like a passage into one’s eternal existence.

According to the poet, when death has done its work on man, it is the end of itself, for man will no
longer die, but will be transcended to a spiritual being free of the miseries of earthly physical life. In
some ways, going through death is a happy experience because man will enter his true purpose of
living eternally in heaven free of all miseries. Death itself becomes the final terror for man, where he no

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longer feels it.

4. In the poem, death is represented as a lowly figure keeping company with poison, war, and
sickness. What does the poet imply by this?

Answer: Donne depicts the figure of death, which has lost its mighty and frightening appearance due
to poison, war, and sickness, and where endless life beyond death has overshadowed the terrifying
element of death. Donne urges death not to be proud, even though he has been given great names,
for even if death has taken many lives, it does not mean that he has won, nor among the lives of
people, because their souls will have eternal life. The end of mortal life or the claim of death by battle,
poison, or sickness will have eternal life because their death is transient and can be induced by
pharmaceuticals as well. As a result, Donne claims that death is neither great nor horrible. Death, on
the other hand, is a slave to fate, chance, and monarchs since death can only take away men’s lives
when fate or chance allow it, when kings declare war, or when sickness or poison kills them. Donne
even goes so far as to term death “poor death,” because it is little compared to the recompense
obtained in the afterlife, where death will be no more.

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Death be not Proud: ISC Class 12 English workbook solutions

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Get notes, questions, answers, notes, workbook solutions, summary, MCQs, PDF of the poem “Death
be not Proud” by John Donne which is a part of ISC Class 12 English syllabus (Rhapsody).

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Summary and extras for all
NBSE Class 12 version notes
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Textual questions and answers

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Who have called death ‘mighty’ and ‘dreadful’?

Answer: Some people

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2. In what tone does the poet address death?

Answer: Assertive and accusative

3. Who die quite young according to the poet?

Answer: Excellent men

4. Which of these statements is Not true?

Answer: Death leaves us only in grief

5. Which of these is NOT compared to death in the poem?

Answer: Dream

6. What does the poet want to convey?

Answer: That our souls are eternal and death cannot touch them

7. Death is welcome according to the poem as it:

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Answer: Gives us rest and pleasure

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8. Which figure of speech is used in the line: “And death shall be no more; death thou shalt
die.”?
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Answer: Paradox

9. The form of the poem is basically:

Answer: Petrarchan sonnet

10. Which rhyme scheme is followed in the first twelve lines of the poem?

Answer: abba?

Logic Based Questions

1. The poet seems to mock death because

Answer: The poet’s mockery of death stems from the concept that death is not as powerful or dreadful
as it is often perceived. Instead, the poet views death as weak and incapable of truly killing the human
soul, thereby diminishing its feared status.

2. Death should not feel proud because

Answer: Death should not feel proud because it is not the mighty and dreadful force it is often thought
to be. The poet argues that death does not actually kill but merely leads to a peaceful rest, thus

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negating any reason for death to take pride in its perceived power.

3. Death cannot touch our souls because

Answer: Death cannot touch our souls because, according to the poet, the human soul is eternal and
beyond the reach of death. While death can claim the physical body, it has no power over the soul,
which continues to exist eternally.

4. Death cannot act independently because

Answer: Death cannot act independently because it is depicted as a slave to external forces such as
fate, chance, kings, and criminals. These agents determine when and how death occurs, thus
rendering death incapable of independent action.

5. The poet calls death ‘poor’ because

Answer: The poet refers to death as ‘poor’ to highlight its lack of true power and independence. This
characterization serves to belittle death, presenting it as an entity that is not as formidable or
autonomous as it is commonly believed to be.

6. Fate chance kings and criminals are quite powerful as

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Answer: Fate, chance, kings, and criminals are considered powerful because they dictate the

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occurrence of death. Unlike death, which is portrayed as a powerless entity, these forces wield the
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actual power to end life, thereby holding true dominion over mortality.
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7. Death is like a short sleep because

Answer: Death is likened to a short sleep because it is seen as a temporary state that leads to eternal
awakening. This metaphor suggests that death is not a permanent end but a transitional phase before
the soul’s eternal existence.

8. The poet says death will die because

Answer: The poet claims that death will die to convey the idea of eternal life after physical death. This
paradoxical statement emphasizes that in the afterlife, death itself becomes obsolete, thus losing its
power and existence.

9. Our best men die young because

Answer: The poet suggests that the best men die young as they are deserving of rest and peace,
which they often lack in life due to their virtues and hard work. Death, in this view, is a release into a
deserved state of tranquility and comfort.

10. The poet presents life after death as something desirable because

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Answer: Life after death is portrayed as desirable because it represents eternal existence where the
soul is free from the limitations of the physical world. This view aligns with Christian theology, which the
poet uses to argue for the soul’s immortality and the insignificance of physical death.

Short answer questions

(i) Why does the poet ask death not to feel proud?

Answer: The poet asks Death not to feel proud because it is not as mighty or dreadful as it is
commonly perceived. Death is depicted as weak and helpless, unable to kill the human soul which is
deathless. The poem endorses Christian theology, emphasising the eternity of the soul and the limited
power of Death. Death’s perceived might is contrasted with God’s true power, leading to the
paradoxical conclusion that it is Death that will eventually perish??.

(ii) What makes the poet compare death to rest and sleep?

Answer: The poet compares Death to rest and sleep, suggesting that Death is just a short form of
sleep, bringing only pleasure. This comparison is made to emphasise the Christian belief in the eternity

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of the soul. According to this view, physical death is of no true value, as the soul remains deathless,
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and death merely brings a peaceful rest, similar to sleep??.
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(iii) Why does the poet think that death cannot act independently?

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Answer: The poet believes that Death cannot act independently because it relies on external agents or
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circumstances to function. Death is depicted as a slave to chance, fate, kings, and desperate men, and
needs to use means like poison, war, or sickness to bring about its end. This portrayal challenges the
common perception of Death as a powerful and independent force??.

(iv) ‘Death thou shalt die’. Explain.

Answer: The phrase ‘Death thou shalt die’ is a paradox that conveys the idea of Death’s ultimate
demise. The poet asserts that after the physical death, humans wake eternally in another world where
Death no longer exists. This perspective aligns with Christian theology, which believes in eternal life
after death, thereby rendering Death itself mortal and transient??.

(v) In what way can we call ‘Death be not Proud’ a religious poem?

Answer: ‘Death be not Proud’ can be considered a religious poem because it reiterates the age-old
belief in the immortality of the soul and the concept of eternal life after death, which are central tenets
of Christian theology. The poem challenges the power of Death by treating it as a proud being,
ultimately portraying it as powerless and dependent on external agents. The religious aspect is
emphasised through the assertion that the soul’s eternity overshadows the temporary nature of
physical death?

Long answer questions

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(i) How does the poet try to prove that death is not something to be afraid of?

Answer: The poet tries to prove that death is not something to be afraid of by portraying it as a
peaceful rest and sleep, which brings pleasure and comfort. He argues that death does not truly kill; it
merely frees the soul from the body, allowing it to rest eternally. The poet challenges the notion of
Death being dreadful by asserting that it is a slave to external forces like fate, kings, and desperate
men, and uses lowly agents like poison, war, and sickness to function. This perspective diminishes the
fear associated with Death, suggesting it should be welcomed as a friend rather than feared as an
agent of terror??.

(ii) What leads the poet to conclude: ‘And death shall be no more; Death thou shalt die.’?

Answer: The poet concludes ‘And death shall be no more; Death thou shalt die.’ based on the
Christian belief in eternal life after death. The paradoxical statement is rooted in the idea that after a
short sleep (death), humans wake eternally in another world where Death does not exist. This concept
portrays Death as a temporary state, suggesting that it will ultimately cease to exist when we awaken
to eternal life. This reflects the Christian theology of the immortality of the soul and the transient nature
of physical death??.

(iii) Discuss ‘Death be not Proud’ as a sonnet.

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Answer: ‘Death be not Proud’ is a sonnet, a poetic form consisting of fourteen lines. It follows the
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structure of a Shakespearean sonnet, which includes four quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme

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scheme is ABBA for each quatrain, followed by an AA rhyme scheme for the couplet. The poem
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develops its central idea across the three quatrains with convincing arguments, culminating in a
forceful and paradoxical conclusion in the couplet. This structure allows for a concise yet powerful
exploration of the theme, characteristic of Donne’s metaphysical poetry??.

(iv) In both approach and style ‘Death be not Proud’ is an unconventional poem. Discuss with
close reference to the text.

Answer: ‘Death be not Proud’ is unconventional in both approach and style. The poem challenges
conventional perceptions of Death, portraying it not as a mighty and dreadful force, but as a weak and
dependent entity. The poet uses personification to address Death directly, diminishing its power and
presenting it as a mere agent of rest and peace. This approach is unconventional as it contradicts the
typical portrayal of Death as a fearsome entity. The style of the poem, being a Shakespearean sonnet
with its distinct structure and rhyme scheme, further underscores its unconventional nature by using a
traditional form to convey a radical idea??.

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