An essay about death in 2 of John Donne's poems: Holy Sonnet 10 and Meditation 17

JOHN Donne's view of death is not one of a cynic. He is a man who regards death not as the final battle of life, but rather in the Christian sense, of it being just a transfer of the soul from the earthly plain to its final destination. He considers death not to be an event to be held in fear, but one that is to be understood. He believes so strongly in this philosophy …

…of death must be shared by all, and by sharing this grief, it is Donne's opinion that a treasure of God's goodwill and knowledge will be gained. Donne thinks that death is not that great of a hurdle. It is a mere stepping-stone in the process of eternal happiness. God uses death only as the transition from Earth to heaven, so it is something to be awaited and to strive to prepare for by all.