The perennial contemplation pertaining to the way in which society’s reflection on humanity concerns with mortality and death directs and upholds enduring notions dependant on the contextual values of religion and human epistemologies. In the poetry of John Donne (1572‐
1631) and play Wit (1997)by Margaret Edson, the recurrent issues of death and self actualisation are realigned in the Elizabethan context and post modernist ideals. While centuries separate the historical and social context of the paired texts, the human issues remain parallel reasserting the fundamental concerns of life and death in Donne’s poetry to give rise to new interpretations of the understanding of life. The evolution of societal ideologies regarding humanity’s attitude towards death is reliant upon the vicissitudinary nature of both cultural and historical contexts. In Donne’s context the Jacobean era saw the flourishing of Protestant Christianity and scientific advancements as seen in individuals such as Shakespeare and Galileo. This anthropocentric, humanistic movement is apparent in Donne’s challenge to the petrarchan conventions of poetry, in which he expresses the confidence of humanity and the arrogant attitude towards death that is central to his Holy Sonnet X ‘Death be not proud.’ Addressed through the second person references ‘thou’, ‘thee’, ‘thy’, death is not considered abstractly but anthropomorphisedas the poems central conceit. In Donne’s apostrophe to death , he personifies this concept and arrogantly reduces its power in “Death be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and Dreadful, but thou art not soe.” Donne rejects this medieval perception of death being damning and fearful and represents the optimism of humanism and the Protestant Christian ideal of salvation. This central value is creatively reshaped by Margaret Edson in a post‐ modern context where Vivian’s position of both director and protagonist exemplifies her control of her life. Where Vivian confronts death in a secular context, the fear of impending death is removed in which cancer becomes the parallel to “Death” and similarly she reduces the power of cancer, “Insidious.Hmm curious word choice. Cancer.Cancer” The analytical method used while breaking the fourth wall exposes to the audience how humanity uses intellect to enhance their confidence. In the same way Donne demonstrates his intellect in the strong rhetoric of “From rest and sleepe, much more than from thee,much more must flow.” The alliteration gives death a peaceful images and removes the fear associated, ridiculing it for being falsely proud again portraying the Christian belief. However in “Hymn to God, My god In my Sickness,” Donne critiques the notion of losing one’s individuality to merge in with universal harmony ,”cosmographers, and I their map, who lie flat on his bed.”
The humorous reference to himself ‘flat on his bed’ like a map stretched out for inspection critiques western medicine that sees the patient as object not subject. Similarly this is reshaped by Edson creatively in the research of cancer where Jason refers to cancer in a revering tone’ Immortality in culture.’ The interest of the medical world is emphasised on research rather than the emotional treatment of the patients, where Jason insensitively questions ‘of who?’ when Vivian asks ‘’do you miss your patients’’. Ergo, both Donne and
Edson reveal an essential fault in humanity’s response to death. Though superficially disparate in values, setting and medium, the unification of the two texts in expounding the central leitmotif of death evoke insight into the perennial issues concerning the human condition. In Donne’s poem ‘ If poisonous minerals’ the metaphor not only alludes to sin, the downfall of humanity in Christian faith. The anthropomorphism of
‘lecherous goats’ and ‘serpents envious, alas why shoul I bee?” the questioning tone implies to the unfairness of why the “natural man” should be punished with the contrast to the illusion of animals symbolic of medieval perceptions of “deadly sins.” Similarly this notion is central to the source of Vivian’s plea as explored in the paradox of “My treatment imperils my health.” In comparison, Vivian’s 20th century secular context, allows for her intellect to distance herself from the emotional and spirtitual comprehension of death. Comparisons of the two texts conjures evaluation of the disparate values between them, exposing the responder to the common elements of characterisation and encouraging reflection upon the conflicting moral solutions expounded. Donne’s poetry becomes a vehicle used for personal transformation, which Vivian’s impending death becomes a catalyst for introspection as well as insight. Vivian is unable to grasp what Professor E.M Ashford deems as ‘simple human truth.’ This truth as illustrated from Donne’s, “Death be not proud,” is seen in “nothing but a breath‐ a comma‐separates life from life everlasting.” The physical positioning of the word ‘comma’ evaluates the significance of it metaphorically representing the brevity of death. Yet, Vivian only sees this intellectually and physically pedantic case of punctuation, her frustration seen in “uncompromising scholarly standards, they’re related?”
The rhetorical questioning exposes her inability of humanity in balancing intellect and emotion, thus detracting the human experience as she prohibits herself from human vulnerabilities. However, Donne’s realisation of this weakens and his Christian beliefs allow him to resign his intellectual doubts to God in “Oh God, Oh!”his plea epitomises his yearning for forgiveness in acknowledgment of the insignificance of man. In the plays recurring conflict, the academic discourse is contrasted with that of Susie and EM Ashford which presents the inadequacy of language in portraying the human experience. Edson hence subverts the postmodern philosophy of language as the sole constructor of the soul which emerged in Edsons context. Vivian’s last moments of struggle with death, despite claiming
Suzie’s kindness as “corny”, is ironic as she yearns for human kindness. By employing the unique symbolism of a popsicle, it illustrates Vivian’s subversion of values, “ Vivian, would you like a popsicle, yes please.” The simplistic childlike response evaluates Vivian’s helplessness and dependence no longer on her intellect but on the simplicity of the human emotion. Thus, whilst the enduring concern of language and intellectual knowledge in this play is depicted as a detachment from human sentiment, it shared Donne’s value of humanity when confronted with death and mortality. In both composers the individual’s response to mortality and salvation is reliant on their contextual values. While both texts explore the parallel concerns of the human condition through existential questioning, Donne’s poetry portrays the intellectual pursuit in strengthening the human experience. Hence, the individuals journey towards the change of perceptions in self, death and life resonates binding both texts together, thus transcending the barriers of time.