자살의 광기와 정치적 욕망: 존 던의 『자살론』 읽기
Madness of Suicide and Political Desire: John Donne’s Biathanatos
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This paper aims to analyze John Donne’s Biathanatos, which has paradoxical and ambivalent elements in the light of contemporary context. In the first place, this prose can be read as revealing madness of Death. During the Renaissance, madness was regarded as connected with God and evil. According to Roy Porter, people believed that they could meet God through good madness and people who were obsessed with bad madness committed suicide. This suggests that Donne’s Biathanatos is an effusion of madness. Donne believed that he could meet God by accomplishing death. Thus he considers suicide as a good way to overcome the fear of death. Donne refutes the traditional idea that suicide is sin for God and Nature. He explains that committing suicide is not so evil because things that we call sin and evil have been done by God. Donne also insists that Christ committed suicide himself, which might seem to be blasphemous at that time. Subversive elements of Biathanatos show the reason why this book was published after his death. Secondly, Biathanatos can be also read as implicating Donne’s political desire. Donne betrays his Faith and becomes an apostate to succeed in life. Donne takes martyrdom as an important theme in Biathanatos. He expresses doubt about the real intention of Catholic martyrs regarding martyrdom as personal madness. Then, in order to flatter James I, Donne writes Pseudo-Martyr, which forces English Catholics to take the Oath of Allegiance to James I. As Arthur Marotti observed, Donne tried to present himself as what he attempted to show. Thus Donne officially adopts a public persona as preacher and Dean while he suppresses his own madness because of his restless desire for worldly success. Consequently this makes Biathanatos ambivalent and paradoxical.
Abstract
This paper aims to analyze John Donne’s Biathanatos, which has paradoxical and ambivalent elements in the light of contemporary context. In the first place, this prose can be read as revealing madness of Death. During the Renaissance, madness was regarded as connected with God and evil. According to Roy Porter, people believed that they could meet God through good madness and people who were obsessed with bad madness committed suicide. This suggests that Donne’s Biathanatos is an effusion of madness. Donne believed that he could meet God by accomplishing death. Thus he considers suicide as a good way to overcome the fear of death. Donne refutes the traditional idea that suicide is sin for God and Nature. He explains that committing suicide is not so evil because things that we call sin and evil have been done by God. Donne also insists that Christ committed suicide himself, which might seem to be blasphemous at that time. Subversive elements of Biathanatos show the reason why this book was published after his death. Secondly, Biathanatos can be also read as implicating Donne’s political desire. Donne betrays his Faith and becomes an apostate to succeed in life. Donne takes martyrdom as an important theme in Biathanatos. He expresses doubt about the real intention of Catholic martyrs regarding martyrdom as personal madness. Then, in order to flatter James I, Donne writes Pseudo-Martyr, which forces English Catholics to take the Oath of Allegiance to James I. As Arthur Marotti observed, Donne tried to present himself as what he attempted to show. Thus Donne officially adopts a public persona as preacher and Dean while he suppresses his own madness because of his restless desire for worldly success. Consequently this makes Biathanatos ambivalent and paradoxical.
참고문헌 (17)
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