The Country

The English countryside was an important setting, not just in early modern literature, but in the lives of early modern English nobility. Often, nobles and courtiers would retreat to their country estates for periods of time, and this practice was so common that it inspired an entire genre of poetry known as the Country House Poem. Traditionally seen as a refuge from bustling city life, the country in "To Sir Henry Wotton" is no such idyllic place. Instead, Donne argues that the country is a "desert" in which one will find themselves "frozen." This paradox of hot and cold ultimately helps reinforce Donne's argument that extremes of any nature are dangerous, and that neutrality and privacy are crucial in maintaining one's safety and integrity at court.

The City

The city, like the country, is also a place of despair for John Donne. He compares the city to...