No Man Is an Island

John Donne

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1624

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Symbols & Motifs

An Island

Donne uses the symbol of the island primarily as a means of negation. When readers are presented with the word “island,” they will see a solitary piece of land sitting in the middle of a body of water. All sides of an island are disconnected from any mainland, completely surrounded by an ocean or sea. The island could be hundreds or thousands of miles from any other shoreline. It is separate, remote, resolute. However, this is exactly what the individual human is not. As the speaker states, “No man is an island” (Line 1). Considering oneself as completely disconnected and separate from others is a detrimental way of thinking that the speaker encourages their readers to avoid. Rather than viewing each life as an island “entire of itself” (Line 2), the speaker spends the rest of the poem describing how each life is interdependent.

The Bell

The symbol of the bell only appears in the last two lines, yet it is one of the most prominent and powerful symbols of the entire poem. Perhaps because it is the poem’s final image, the bell leaves a lasting, haunting impression upon readers. The bell represents each person’s imminent mortality. The tolling of the bell in Donne’s time was not only a means of calling individuals to church service or daily prayer, but also of announcing the passing of a member of the community. In his poem, Donne writes, “And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls” (Line 12). For Donne, it is pointless to inquire after who the most recently deceased is; the answer to the question “For whom does the bell toll?” remains the same no matter who asks. Donne’s speaker gives the same answer to all: “It tolls for thee” (Line 13). The bell is Death’s call to each individual, a call that all must answer eventually.

Earth

As discussed in the theme section, the references to the earth and material existence highlight the transient nature of humans’ worldly existence. The speaker relates how “Every man is a piece of the continent” (Line 3). Extending this metaphor, then, every person is a “clod” or a piece of earth. This parallel between humankind and earth evokes the verse from Genesis: “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Donne could have chosen any other extended metaphor to show humanity’s transience and interconnectedness, yet he chose one based on earth. This symbolism extends to Donne’s other diction based on the ground or land: “continent” (Line 3), “the main” (Line 4), “Europe” (Line 6), “promontory” (Line 7). While this imagery evinces Donne’s religious background and his sense of the arc of human history beginning and ending with divine the creator, it also accentuates the theme of mortality and specifically highlights the fact that all bodies will one day be returned to the earth.