Quote by John Donne
I would not that death should take me asleep. I would not have him merely seize me, and only declare me to be dead, but win me, and overcome me. When I must shipwreck, I would do it in a sea, where mine impotency might have some excuse; not in a sullen weedy lake, where I could not have so much as exercise for my swimming.
Summary
In this quote, the speaker expresses a preference for a certain kind of death. They do not wish for a quiet or sudden passing, but rather seek to be overcome and defeated by death. By using the metaphor of shipwreck, they desire to face death in a vast sea where their own weakness or inability to fight back could be justified, rather than in a small, stagnant lake where there is no opportunity for resistance or growth. In essence, the speaker wishes for a challenging and meaningful confrontation with death.
Topics
Death
By John Donne
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