A Multidimensional Study Of The Progress Of The Soul

John Donne is regarded as the originator of the English metaphysical poets. His poems are full of the application of wit, conceit and intellect. The language of his poems is often colloquial and conversational in a floating rhyme, but the meaning is obscure and difficult to understand due to the paradox and argument in it. His style is far from the melodious smoothness of Elizabethan lyrics and Petrarch Verse, which prevailed in the late 16th century. This original style became popular by Donne and his follower's promotion for the whole 17th century and became a wonderful part of Renaissance literature.The Progress of the Soul, which is as long as 520 lines in total, is one of Donne's a few long poems. But the study of it is very seldom at home because of its obscure language and the unfinished plot. This poem is one of Donne's masterpieces and its serious topic, grand scenes, superb narrative skills and lofty sense of mission make it live up to its epic position. Hence, based on the careful reading of the text, this thesis conjoins the theories of literary narratology and literary stylistics for analysis. The poem is discussed from three aspects------the external dimension, the internal dimension, and the comprehensive background concerning the understanding of the poem, so that the implicature of this masterpiece is revealed as much as possible. The intention of the poet is trying to expose the ugliness of the reality and seek the truth, the goodness and the beauty of the human nature, as well as the value of life. It is undoubted that this multidimensional study will help the readers understand the poem better and enrich the present research into John Donne's poems.