ISC _12_ POEM _ DEATH BE NOT PROUD

MCQs

i. Which of the following companions of death are mentioned in the poem?

(Recall)

(a) Poison, war, and sickness

(b) Fate, chance, and kings

(c) Both a and b

(d) None of the above

Ans . Option (c) is correct.

Explanation: The poem directly mentions Death dwelling with poison, war, and sickness,
and being a slave to fate, chance, and kings.

(ii) The comparison of Death to "rest and sleep" suggests that Death is …

(a) Terrifying and unwelcome

(b) Peaceful and pleasurable

(c) Inevitable and unavoidable

(d) Temporary and transient

Ans. Option (b) is correct.

Explanation: The speaker repeatedly compares death to rest and sleep, states those who
die experience a "soul's delivery," and even suggests a restful sleep is preferable to Death's
offering.

(iii) What poetic device does the speaker use to address Death directly?

a) Metaphor

(b) Simile
(c) Apostrophe

(d) Alliteration

Ans . Option (c) is correct.

Explanation: Apostrophe is the poetic device of addressing a non-present entity or abstract

concept as if it could respond. The entire poem is an address to Death.

(iv) The speaker's claim that those whom Death "think'st thou dost overthrow / Die not"
implies that…

(a) death has no true power to kill

(b) death can only claim physical bodies

(c) both (a) and (b)

(d) death is an illusion created by the living

Ans. Option (c) is correct.

Explanation: The speaker's claim that those whom Death "think'st thou dost overthrow /
Die not implies that Death has no true power to kill, and can only claim the physical bodies
of the living, but not their eternal souls. This suggests that Death's power is limited and
illusory.

(v) The speaker's claim that "death shall be no more" reflects his belief in …….

(a) the transience of Death.

(b) the permanence of Death.

(c) the cyclical nature of Death

d) the finality of death

(vi) The lines "Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with
poison, war, and sickness dwell suggest that Death is …..

(a) controlled by destructive forces.

(b) a powerful force of nature.

(c) an ally to the righteous.

(d) independent and deliberate

Ans. Option (a) is correct.

Explanation : The lines Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men./And dost
with poison, wat, and sickness dwell portray Death as subservient to various destructive
powers, rather than as an independent or powerful entity. This undermines the notion of
Death's autonomy and dominance.

(vii) What is the speaker's overall attitude towards Death in the poem?

(a) Fearful and reverential

(b) Mocking and defiant

(c) Indifferent and detached

(d) Resigned and accepting

Ans. Option (b) is correct.

Explanation: The speaker's direct address to Death, his use of disparaging language like
"poor Death", and his overall challenge to Death's power suggest a mocking and defiant
attitude towards the personification of Death. The speaker refuses to submit to Death's
autonomy

(viii) The speaker's statement that "soonest our best men with thee do go' suggests that ….

(a) Death is indiscriminate in its selection of victims

(b) The best people deserve to experience Death sooner

(c) Death disproportionately affects the most virtuous

(d) Death is a reward for the righteous

Ans. Option (a) is correct.

Explanation: The statement "soonest our best men with thee do go suggests that Death is
indiscriminate in its selection of victims, affecting even the best individuals.

(ix) Which of the following best summarizes the central message conveyed by the speaker
in this poem?

(a) Death is a cruel and merciless force that must be feared

(b) Death is a temporary state that the faithful will transcend

(c) Death is an illusion that holds no true power over the living

( d) Death is necessary part of cycle of life and should be embraced .

X . The lines “ And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well / And better than thy stroke “
imply that …

a.) Herbs and rituals can bring about a more desirable death
b.) Death’s power is not as unique or final as believed
c.) Death is ultimately a bringer of comfort and ease
d.) Humans should actively seek to avoid death

Q2. Logical reasoning

( i) In the poem of Donne , Donne personifies Death as “ poor Death” because

………………………..

Ans. it undermines the notion of Death's power and might.

 (ii ) Donne's claim that Death 'canst thou kill me demonstrates his defiance against
Death's power because …………………………….

Ans. he believes in the eternal nature of the human soul that transcends physical
mortality.

(iii) Donne compares Death to "rest and sleep" because ………………………

Ans. he wants to suggest that death is a temporary state, similar to a pleasurable sleep,
rather than a permanent end.

(iv) Donne states that Death is "slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men"
because……………….

Ans. he wants to challenge the idea of Death as an all-powerful and independent force,
portraying it as subservient to human whims and circumstances.

(v) Donne refers to Death as 'mighty and dreadful" in the opening line because
…………………….

Ans. this is the common perception of Death that he intends to undermine and disprove
throughout the poem

(vi) Donne's final declaration "Death, thou shalt die" is paradoxical because
………………………….

Ans. It suggests impossible notion of Death itself experiencing death , which subverts the
traditional understanding of Death as the ultimate and inescapable fate .

( vi) According to the poem , Death is associated with poison , war and sickness because
………………..

Ans. These represent the undesirable company and negative aspects that Death is
perceived to be connected with .

THEMATIC QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Discuss how Donne's use of religious and biblical allusions in "Holy Sonnets: Death,
be not proud” strengthens his message about the transient nature of death. In your answer,
you should incorporate the following details and answer within 100-150 words.

(i) The religious and biblical references present in the poem.

-(ii) The ways in which these allusions support Donne's central argument about the
powerlessness of death.

Ans. In Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud, John Donne employs religious and biblical
allusions to underscore the fleeting nature of death and assert the eternal aspect of the
human soul. By personifying death as a "poor Death" and a "slave to external forces like
fate and kings, Donne diminishes its power, aligning with Christian views that do not see
death as supreme. He further reduces death's stature by comparing it to 'rest and sleep,
suggesting these are only temporary states, not the end. The assertion "one short sleep
past, we wake eternally reinforces the belief in an everlasting life, which renders death
powerless and transient. Lastly, the conclusion, "death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt
die," serves as a striking paradox that undermines the concept of death as an ultimate
force, promoting the idea that the soul triumphs over physical demise. These religious
references strengthen Donne's argument, portraying death not as a powerful end but as a
mere transition to eternal life.

Q.2. Explain the religious symbolism of the phrase 'soul's delivery". How does this connect
to the poem's view of death as a temporary state? In your answer, you should incorporate
the following details and answer within 100-150 words.

(i) Define 'soul's delivery within a religious context

( ii) Explain how this concept implies something continues beyond physical death.

Ans. In Christian theology, the phrase "soul's delivery" describes the moment of death as a
liberation of the soul from the physical body, marking the transition to an afterlife. This
perspective portrays death not as the cessation of existence but as the beginning of an
eternal spiritual journey. By presenting death as a release, the poem transforms it from a
figure of dread into a benevolent force that frees the soul, emphasizing its role as a
temporary state rather than a final end.
This idea suggests that after the "short sleep" of death, there exists a subsequent
awakening into immortality, where the soul continues beyond the physical constraints of
earthly life. Consequently, the poem diminishes the power and permanence of death,
advocating a view that encourages embracing it as a passage to a more profound
existence. Through this, "soul's delivery serves to comfort and assure that life extends
beyond the visible, fostering a less fearful and more hopeful attitude toward death.

Q. 3. Analyse how Donne utilizes personification and paradox to challenge the traditional
concept of Death in 'Death, be not proud". Answer in 200-250 (Analysis and Interpretation)
words.

Ans. Incorporate following aspect in your answer. Donne's "Holy Sonnet X: Death, be not
proud" challenges conventional notions of Death through personification and paradoxical
language, using vivid imagery and metaphysical conceits to convey the speaker's defiance
and triumph over mortality. The poem directly challenges Death's power with paradoxical
language, urging Death not to be proud or mighty despite its fearsome reputation. By
asserting that Death, often considered dreadful and omnipotent, is actually powerless over
the eternal soul, the poem highlights the contradiction in Death's supposed authority.

Additionally, the metaphysical conceit portrays Death as subservient to fate, depicting it as

a slave subject to the whims of fate, chance, kings, and desperate men. This
personification diminishes Death's sovereignty, suggesting that it operates under external
forces beyond its control. The image of Death dwelling with poison, war, and sickness
underscores its association with human suffering and mortality.

Further, the poem reinforces the theme of triumph over mortality through defiance and
confidence. The speaker dismisses Death's significance by likening awakens eternally.
Donne's use of paradoxical language underscores the idea that Death is merely a transition
rather than an ultimate end. The concluding lines defiantly proclaim that Death itself will
cease to exist, emphasizing the speaker's unwavering confidence in triumphing over
mortality.

Donne's 'Death, be not proud challenges traditional views of Death through personification
and paradox, diminishing Death's power and highlighting its subservience to fate. The
poem reinforces the theme of triumph over mortality through defiance and confidence in
eternal life .