Relationship between passion and reason in; 'To His Mistress Going To Bed' and 'The Ecstasy' Anonymous 12th Grade

John Donne effectively explores the relationship between passion and reason in his love poetry. Donne’s many works, such as ‘to his mistress going to bed’ and ‘the ecstasy’ exhibit the discourse of love and equate the strength and power of both physical love and spiritual love through his metaphysical style of writing. Thus displaying his exploration of the mutually interdependent relationship between both the physical self and the metaphysical self.

Donne remains adamant throughout his writing that a mutual interdependence continues to exist between the body and soul. For instance, in ‘to his mistress going to bed’, Donne intrinsically equates both the passion and reason of lovemaking through a simile of ‘thou Angel brings with thee, A heaven like Mahomet’s Paradise’. The simile of Mahomet’s paradise in relation to the idea of love being mutually interdependent suggests that Donne understands love-making to be a place of sensory or physical delight. However, in addressing his lover in a reverend tone as ‘thou angel’ and reinforcing his desire in a pun on his ‘upright flesh’ whilst comparing her to Mahomet’s paradise, is suggesting that she brings with her a heaven that is as delightful as Mahomet’s paradise. This imparts the...