ONENESS IN DONNE

Résumé

In this paper we will explore the concept of “oneness” in Donne’s religious and love poetry. As such, this concept can be viewed as a philosophical concept of enlightenment either through devotion or love commitment. Also, this concept can be furthermore defined in opposition to the existing concepts of “fair” and “black” that permeated the early love sonnet in the English Renaissance. The duality between “fair” and “black,” one denoting purity and virtue, generally speaking, and the other “desire” and “passion” as its opposites, was crucial for the early English sonneteers that it can posit a profound question of why Donne does not continue with or embrace this duality in his love poetry. Instead, he introduces the concept of “oneness” consistently throughout his poetry.