Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side (Holy Sonnet XI)
John Donne * Track #9 On Divine Meditations
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Album Divine Meditations
- #1Thou hast made me, and shall thy worke decay? (Holy Sonnet I)
John Donne
- #2As due by many titles I resigne (Holy Sonnet 2)
John Donne
- #3O might those sighes and teares returne againe (Holy Sonnet III)
John Donne
- #4Oh my blacke Soule! now thou art summoned (Holy Sonnet IV)
John Donne
- #5I am a little world made cunningly (Holy Sonnet V)
John Donne
- #6This is my playes last scene, here heavens appoint (Holy Sonnet VI)
John Donne
- #7What if this present were the worlds last night? (Holy Sonnet VIII)
John Donne
- #8
“Death, be not proud” (Holy Sonnet X)John Donne
- #9Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side (Holy Sonnet XI)
John Donne
- #10Why are wee by all creatures waited on? (Holy Sonnet XII)
John Donne
- #11Batter my heart, three-person’d God (Holy Sonnet XIV)
John Donne
- #12Wilt thou love God, as he thee? then digest (Holy Sonnet XV)
John Donne
- #13Father, part of his double interest (Holy Sonnet XVI)
John Donne
- #14Since she whom I lov’d hath payd her last debt (Holy Sonnet XVII)
John Donne
- #15Show me deare Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear. (Holy Sonnet XVIII)
John Donne
- #16Oh, to vex me, contraryes meet in one (Holy Sonnet XIX)
John Donne
Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side (Holy Sonnet XI) by John Donne
Performed by
John DonneAbout
Historical Context
Modern readers may find the opening of this poem and line six uncomfortable to read and analyse. What we would now call harsh, anti-Semitic sentiments were accepted as normal in Donne’s time. Too much has been written and spoken about the responsibility for the death of Jesus to b...
Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side (Holy Sonnet XI) Annotated
Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side,
Buffet, and scoffe, scourge, and crucifie mee,
For I have sinn'd, and sinn'd, and onely hee,
Who could do no iniquitie, hath
dyed:
But by my death can not be satisfied
My sinnes, which passe the Jewes
impiety:
They kill'd once an inglorious man, but I
Crucifie him daily,
being now glorified.
Oh let mee then, his strange love still admire:
Kings
pardon, but he bore our punishment.
And Jacob came cloth'd in vile harsh
attire
But to supplant, and with gainfull intent:
God cloth'd himselfe in
vile mans flesh, that so
Hee might be weake enought to suffer woe.