Give examples of two specific words from the poem "No Man Is An Island" by John Donne that are meant to be understood metaphorically. What is the figurative meaning?
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"No Man Is An Island"
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man
Is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less,
as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor
Of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death
Diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind;
And therefore never send to know for whom the
Bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Answer (3)
This answer is just how I interpret it, the rest is - of course - up to you. The figurative meanings I can't quite guess, but I'll give you what I can make out.
Word 1: Promontory Word 2: Diminishes
Promontory, Meaning: *Promontory *means a high piece of land such as a cliff or overhang on a mountain.
Diminishes, Meaning: *Diminishes *means to slowly fade away and vanish. His figurative meaning using *diminishes *here: '...Diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;...'. 'Diminishes me...' Means he's fading away metaphorically, not physically.
Two specific words in John Donne's poem "No Man Is An Island" that are meant to be understood metaphorically are "island" and "bell." The word island serves as a metaphor for individual human beings, suggesting that no person is fully self-sufficient and disconnected from others. The metaphor implies that just as an island is part of a larger landmass, people are part of a greater community or mankind. The bell signifies the interconnectedness of human experiences, notably in the line "never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." This suggests that the death of any person is significant and has an impact on all, as the ringing of a bell to announce a death is a reminder of our collective humanity and shared destiny.
In John Donne's poem "No Man Is An Island," the words "continent" and "diminishes" are key metaphors that illustrate humanity's interconnectedness and the impact of an individual's death on the whole. "Continent" signifies our shared existence as part of a larger whole, while "diminishes" reflects how one person's loss affects everyone. Together, these metaphors convey profound themes of unity and shared human experience.
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