Cambridge University Medical Humanities Society

Book Club
7pm Friday 30 October 2020

Introduction
 
Hymn to God, My God, In My Sickness by John Donne
The poem talks about the meaning of mortality, or the Christian concept of immortality. It was
written by Donne between 1623 and 1635, and takes the perspective of a sick individual who is
contemplating their own death. Donne constructs an elaborate conceit, which centres on his body
as a map. It is striking to the modern reader because it is so different to how many people would
experience sickness and their own mortality. Donne was a priest during his lifetime, eventually
becoming dean of St Paul’s Cathedral. You can hear the influence of his faith in his poetry.

Aubade by Philip Larkin

Written in 1977, this is another poem in which the poet contemplates his own mortality. It’s also
beautifully constructed, using a slightly more complicated rhyming scheme and also in iambic
pentameter. But Larkin’s take on death is far bleaker; written after the death of his mother and
only a few years before his own demise, Larkin’s thoughts in the middle of the night speak of his
terrible fear of death and oblivion. Over the centuries our attitudes towards death have probably
changed even more than the language we write poetry in.
 
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Helena Goddard
This is very different from either of the first two. Published last month, it takes the perspective of a
patient in hospital suffering from COPD. It brings together a few different themes from the first
two poems, drawing on religious imagery as well as modern science to express her experience of
illness.

Discussion

Hymn to God, My God, In My Sickness read by Tom Scrivin

• relationship with death and illness profoundly influenced by Christian outlook

• suffering normal part of life
• rewards of heaven come from suffering in life
• Donne seems at peace with death, embraces idea
• comforted by faith that death is not an end
• map imagery could suggest passive speaker, whereas physicians are active
• at mercy of God so journey is inevitable, Donne is serene
• but actively prepares himself for death
• writing on deathbed is spiritual preparation
• ‘I tune the instrument here at the door’ - getting ready for heaven
• map also shows how doctors impose order on human body
• illness doesn’t exist until doctor identifies it
• but ‘by their love’ - also emotional aspect to relationship between doctor and patient
• places mentioned still undiscovered at time poem was written, reflects unknown nature of death
• ‘my West’ - ending, sun sets in West

Aubade read by Jonathan Liu

• bleak nihilist tone

• more modern, secular view of death
• fear is probably more common reaction than Donne’s serenity
• could seem like portrait of depression, as written shortly after his mother died
• but these are fairly normal thoughts as you age
• ‘postmen like doctors go from house to house’ - not complimentary interpretation of profession
• highlights futility of what doctors do, just delay inevitable
• comparison of death to sleep echoes Hamlet monologue
• doesn’t allow regret, pointless if we’re all going to die anyway

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease read by Emma Warburton

• interesting perspective on what poetry offers people suffering from illness

• uses religious imagery, like last two poems
• language used to express ourselves hasn’t moved on much
• ‘At 3am our chests open like Bibles on a lectern’ - combines religious imagery of Donne with
middle of the night anxiety of Larkin
• light imagery is important in all three poems
• but more visceral
• ‘I’m millions of miles further away’ - isolating experience of illness
• but collective ‘our’, ‘thousands of us’ - sense of solidarity in hospital population
• specific time mentioned three times, anchors poem, reflects repetitive nature of illness and
hospital life, single protracted moment in time
• heightened awareness of bodily processes
• ‘singularity’ - like Donne’s East and West combining