John Donne, conscience, the touchstone within
Date
1975
Authors
Munk, David Leonard
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Abstract
This thesis seeks to prove that a definite change takes place in John Donne's attitude towards the role that conscience plays in man's moral and spiritual life. In order to show in what areas of thought this change of attitude can be seen, the Divine Poems are compared with and contrasted to Donne's statements in his Sermons.
The witness of conscience is the subject of chapter one, and this chapter points out Donne's struggle in the Holy Sonnets with intensely strong feelings of guilt. However, in the Sermons, Donne talks about a peace and an assurance, or as he puts it, serenitas conscientiae, that be enjoys once his conscience is rectified. This chapter also discusses how he achieves this rectification of conscience. Augustine's influence on Donne's Holy Sonnets is also mentioned, and parallels are drawn between Augustine's struggle with an accusing conscience as described in the Confessions and Donne's own struggle with feelings of guilt.
The question of authority is the subject or chapter two. A comparison of Donne's early works with his later sermons shows once again that his attitude changes. In Satire III, for example, the only authority that Donne recognizes is the authority of conscience. However, the sermons preached at a later date make it apparent that Donne's position modified. At one point, he advises his congregation "to harken unto those men whom God has placed over them for the rectifying of conscience" (IV, 222). Aquinas' and Calvin's statement about conscience are also discussed in this chapter and the points of similarity between them and Donne are duly noted.
Donne's definition of conscience as knowledge in action is the subject of the third chapter, and once more, Aquinas' influence is noted. This chapter seeks to show that throughout his life, Donne continued to emphasize the importance of scio in conscientia. As in chapters one and two, the relationship between the Church and conscience is discussed.
This thesis undertakes to show that Donne's statements about conscience are inseparably linked to his statements about the Church. His changing attitude towards the role the Church plays in man's moral and spiritual life significantly affects his attitude towards conscience.