Divine Love in The Canonization Essay -- Canonization Essays

Divine Love in The Canonization   Describing the complexities of love, Pascal states that the heart has reasons which reason knows nothing of (qtd. in Bartlett 270). Similarly, in The Canonization by John Donne, the speaker unit argues that his unique love obtains reasons beyond the knowledge of the common man. The speaker relates his love to the canonization of saints. Therefore, he implies that his love is a elysian love. In The Canonization, the speaker conveys a love deserving of admiration and worthy of sainthood. In the poem, the lover describes his love as incomprehensible. In the heat of discussion, the lover insults his companions intelligence information with the statement, Take you a course, get you a place (5). The speaker implies that his auditor does not possess the adequate amount of intelligence necessary to understand his complex love. Resulting from the listeners critical comments concerning the speakers love, the speaker implores the listener to chid e him for his physical features or past mistakes in life. In other words, he tells the listener to deride him for his tangible and superficial flaws, rather than attempt to disparage the inner depths of a love relationship that the listener cannot comprehend. The speaker expresses the rarity of his love by stating that his love is his occupation and his sole purpose in life. In essence, his love becomes his calling, similar to a saints calling from God. Stressing his devotion to his lover, the speaker reveals an astute comparison amongst the professions of mankind to his own occupation of love Soldiers finde warres, and Lawyers finde out still / Litigious men, which quarrels move, / Though she and I do love (16-18). Similar to the profession... ...y embracing their isolation, they discover the gentleman through each others eyes Who did the whole world soule extract, and drove / Into the glasses of your eyes (40-41). Unlike the rest of the world, the two unique lovers find thei r true identities and high-minded desires through reckless abandonment of worldly views. The comparison between the artificial love of the listener and the divine love of the speaker represents another distinction in the two concepts of love. The divine love of the speaker offers complete devotion, intensity and immortality while artificial love of the listener maintains the placid position of peace. In essence, the love of the speaker creates a model for all other lovers that Beg from above / A patterne of your love (44-45). The love of the speaker in The Canonization proves to be a divine love relative to the saints.