Summary of hymn to god the father

1. St Xavier’s College, Mahuadanr
Summary of the Poem “Hymn to God the Father”
Introduction:
A “Hymn to God the Father” also titled as “Hymn to Christ” is a poem by
English poet and Anglican Clergy man John Donne (1573-1631).
Donne’s poetry is divided into two main categories; love poems and divine
poems. In fact, it is a journey of John Donne to move from worldly love to divinity. In
his love poems, he focuses on the relationship between him and his beloved. Thus,
love poetry of John Donne is about worldly affairs. Much later, he realized that
original success is in religion; therefore, he tried his best to find peace in it.
The poem "A Hymn to God the Father" is about sin and forgiveness of sin. The
narrator is asking God if his sins will truly be forgiven—sins that others have also
committed, actions that have led to sin.
‘A Hymn to God the Father’ by John Donne is a three stanza poem that is
divided into sets of six lines with a light musical quality to it. The lines follow a
consistent pattern of rhyme scheme ABABAB, without any alteration in end sounds
between the stanzas. In regards to meter this piece is mostly structured in iambic
pentameter.
Summary:
‘A Hymn to God the Father’ by John Donne contains a speaker’s prayer to God
that he be forgiven for all of the terrible sins he committed.
The poem begins with the speaker describing how the world is filled with sin. He
might not be responsible for all of humanity’s troubles but he says how spends most
of his life in sin. He runs through it, enjoying almost every moment spent in sin. This
poem is all part of a confession and the plea to God. The speaker hopes that God will
look down on him fondly and take away all the guilt he feels about his life.
If God were to do so, and make the speaker feel as if Jesus is with him all the
time, the he could live a happy life. He needs God to resolve all of his troubles.

2. 1st
Stanza-Original Sin
Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.
The speaker begins by asking God an important question whether God is going
to “forgive” the sins of the world for which all of humanity suffers and though they
were done before he was born he is part of it because he is on earth. He says that
though he is separate from the larger sins of the world he himself is not without sin
and it does not mean that he is pure. In fact, he states that over and over he is
running “though” sin and unable escape from it. He “deplores” his own actions but is
unable to stop. He tells God that when he finishes helping and forgiving sins there
will be “more” to do. His sins, and those of the world, go on indefinitely.
Original Sin:
The speaker makes a prayer against the original sin of having been born into
human flesh though he did not choose a human birth. He understands that he is
burdened with karma to overcome. He has sown and now he must reap what he has
sown. He knows that he has to repair his life in order to reap only good in future.
The fact that the speaker has become painfully aware and sin-conscious
indicates that he is making progress on the path to self-awareness. Instead of using
his energy to seduce women, he is now seeking soul-awareness and a clean and
dutiful life through prayer and meditation on the Divine. Now he knows where to go
to get help in overcoming the sinful lusts and to remain quiet and still.
The speaker has come to hate his earlier sin, and he is aware that he needs
help from the Divine as he strives to control and overcome that sin.

3. 2nd
Stanza-the Sin of Lust:
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won
others to sin, and made my sin their door?
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun
A year or two, but wallow'd in, a score?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.
In this, the question ends with the revelation that the speaker’ sins have
become the “door” for others to get into sin. He created the opportunity, or the door,
for others to walk through sin and to go against God. The speaker states that he
didn’t mean to do harm to anyone’s life by leading them to sin, and that he’d like to
be forgiven for it. Although he is asking to be forgiven, he can’t help admitting the
lengths he went to, in order to enjoy his own sins. He confesses to God how he
“wallowed” (stumbled) in the sin.
The Sin of Lust:
A second sin for the speaker is that he has urged other people to commit that
same sin, which is the sin of lust. The speaker knows that the only help that will be of
any true assistance is God. As he fashions his heart song to God, he places his faith,
trust, and soul in God's hands.
3rd
Stanza-The Sin of Fear:
I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;
And, having done that, thou hast done;
I fear no more.
In the final stanza speaker tells God one of his most prominent sins-the sin of
fear. Specifically, he is afraid that he is going die before all of his sins are forgiven.
They are so numerous that he may “perish on the shore” before God forgives them
all.

4. The “shore” refers neither to heaven nor hell but in the space between: limbo, which
is the worst place in his mind.
The speaker asks God if Jesus, his “Son,” will be able to “shine” on him “now” as
he has done until now. Jesus’ presence is a symbol of God’s complete forgiveness
which would allow the speaker to stop sinning.
The final lines end with the speaker stating that he does not fear any more.
With Jesus there to reassure and improve him, his sins are no longer increasing. He is
forgiven.