Which line best states the theme of John Donne's Holy Sonnet 10?

Question

(1 point)
"... And soonest our best men with thee do go..."
"Death be not proud, though some have called thee..."
"...And Death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die."
"... And doest with poison, war, and sickness dwell..."

Answer 1

The line that best states the theme of John Donne's Holy Sonnet 10, also known as "Death, be not proud," is:

"...And Death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die."

This line encapsulates the central theme of the poem, which is the defiance of death and the assertion that death is not as powerful or fearsome as it is often portrayed. Donne personifies death and mocks its supposed strength, suggesting that death is a temporary state and that eternal life awaits, rendering death ultimately powerless. The sonnet expresses the Christian belief in the afterlife and the resurrection, which conquers death itself.