Samantha St. Claire

Prof. Flack

Eng 6

4 November 2012

To Seek or to Follow

John Donne’s “Satire 3” was completely affected by both the politics and the religion of the time in which it was written. In fact, this work seems to be a debate with the controversial climate surrounding his life and faith. He questioned the reasons behind why the people of his day believed in whatever religion they chose to follow, and radically strayed from the norm by promoting doubt and the critical importance of any truth-seeker to discover the difference between truth and falsity for themselves.

In this satire, Donne differentiates between all the various types of characters that represent different creeds. A satire is “a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule” (Dictionary.com). Donne’s life was full of religious persecutions and martyrdom, so this work was a scornful and well-thought-out response to what he had witnessed and suffered at the hands of religious and political persecutors. Various relatives of his had been executed by the Protestant state for the sake of their Catholic faith, and he questioned such devotion. Donne seems to be comparing his martyred family members to Mirreus, a satiric type who follows and dies for Catholicism because “he doth know / That she was there a thousand years ago” (45-46). Such loyal Catholics only believe in their religion because it is ancient, and whatever is old is desirable. On the other side are the Protestant persecutors who executed his relatives, and Donne gives them the name of Graius. He is a naïve fool who follows whatever religion is in “fashion” at the moment, and if “laws still new” tell him to persecute Catholics, then so be it (55-58).

In the end, none of his relatives and their persecutors actually searched for the true religion themselves. They simply followed whatever religion was promoted by outside forces, be it the state, tradition, or pomp. Donne warns that such blind obedience puts one’s soul in danger. He explains that because God does not give kings and rulers license to kill whoever they want, then “man’s laws” will not help you in the afterlife (94). God will not accept one who blames his actions on someone else. Donne rebels against his culture by exhorting his readers to search for truth themselves, and not simply listen to the word of an impressive-looking priest or a tyrannical king. He even goes so far as to advice truth-seekers to “doubt wisely,” informing them that questioning beliefs they have been told to follow is not sinful, but that “to sleep, or run wrong, is” sinful (77-79). Rather than be passive or jumping into the wrong religion, one must diligently search for truth, which stands “on a huge hill, / Cragged and steep” (79-80). Truth is indeed hard to find, but one must find it if he desires to save his soul.

Donne’s satire is a response to the political and religious climates of his time, but his questions and exhortations are just as relevant today as they were then. Donne stares into the soul of his readers and analyzes their motives behind following whatever religion and truth they chosen to believe. Do we simply believe in whatever our society tells us to believe? Or are we truth-seekers who understand the importance of distinguishing truth from falsity?