Customer Reviews

John Donne, Body and Soul

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Every school child is familiar with John Dunne poetry and imagery drenched sermons and other writings. At least I hope so. There is a certain charm and elegance to be absorbed.

Born into a prominent Catholic family, Dunne converted for what most report was political gain. Ultimately, he held the prestigious position of dean of St. Paul in London. His lectures, poems and other pronouncements led to notoriety and celebrity status during his lifetime.

But fame can be fleeting. Popular as his sermons and writings were, there would be periods in history when they all but disappeared. He just wasn't in vogue in the 18th century. In fact, such heavy weights as Samuel Johnson criticized his writings as "violent and unnatural."

Donne devoted much of his life to exploring and discussing the relationship between ones body and ones soul. Not only on this earthly plane but in the hereafter. That has been the touchstone for author Ramie Targoff intriguing book.

She has analyzed Dunne's literary and philosophical preoccupations and has written an unvarnished account of a literary man of the cloth drenched with earthy passions, an intense curiosity and a felicitous way with words. She struggles valiantly with all of Dunne's theories about the soul: when it enters the human body or fetus, whether is it separated at death and then later reconnected at the resurrection and on and on. All quite intriguing if a bit tedious.

Although the topic is dreary and painfully repetitive at times, this is a carefully researched book, thoughtfully written. Just don't read it on a stormy night.
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Dr. Mellander was a university administrator for 15 years and a college president for 20.