Unpacking Feminist Themes in John Donne's Poetry: An Analysis of “Go and Catch a Falling Star” and “To His Mistress Going to Bed”

Abstract

This study conducts a critical analysis of feminist elements in John Donne's poems "Go and Catch a Falling Star" and "To His Mistress Going to Bed", employing a rigorous close reading methodology to uncover the poet's attitudes towards women. Through a nuanced examination of the poems' language and structures, this research reveals a patriarchal mindset characterized by misogyny, sexism, and oppression. By scrutinizing the poems' titles and texts, this study moves beyond existing scholarship to expose Donne's depiction of women as sexual objects, disloyal, and unfaithful. Drawing on the insights of Tyson and Barry, this research provides a deeper understanding of feminist elements in Donne's work, shedding light on the poet's troubling gender dynamics.