With a title like "The Canonization," you know that you're going to be in for some religion. (If that last sentence confused you, then head on over to "What's Up With the Title?".) What makes this poem so fascinating is that it's got a pretty progressive—some would even say radical—take on religion, and sainthood in particular. "Why can't lovers become saints?" is essentially the question it's asking. When you think about it, saints are beatified for loving God and for loving humanity. It seems like romantic love, though, is out of the equation. When you consider that this poem was written, oh, 400 years ago, the questions Donne's asking and the ideas he's putting forth are all the more challenging to the religious status quo.
Questions About Religion
- In what ways does the poem equate romantic love with religious piety?
- How might this poem be a critique of conventional religion?
- What might a love of God have in common with romantic love? How would the speaker answer that question?
- What reasons does the speaker give for his and his lover's canonization?
Chew on This
This poem is just using love to advance a radical critique of religious doctrine. It wants to expand our understanding of the value of love from the traditional values held by the church.
Not quite—the speaker's claim on sainthood is just another way for him to brag about his relationship.