Question

What is one example of the use of paradox in this poem? The speaker does not believe in God, but is still changed by Him. The speaker asks God to be violent in order to be made new. The speaker gets divorced in order to serve God. The speaker runs away from God and is later found by Him.

Answer 1

The speaker asks God to be violent in order to be made new.

Answer 2

The correct answer B) the speaker asks God to be violent in order to be made new.

One example of the use of paradox in this poem is that the speaker asks God to be violent in order to be made new.

We are referring to the poem “Holy Sonnets: batter my heart, three person’d God” written by John Donne (1572-1631).

In the poem, you can read “Batter my heart, three person’d God, for you. As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; that I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me and bend. Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.