In his poem “A Hymn to God the Father,” John Donne addresses God directly through a series of questions intended to reaffirm his faith. He asks for forgiveness for his transgressions in a curious and almost intimate tone; he seems to be seeking reassurance about his connection with God. The evolution of his internal conflict is emphasized by the increasing severity of his sins, from the lightest in the first stanza to the most serious in the third. It is only after dealing with all of his sins that he is finally able to re-establish his faith. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The order of sins for which Donne asks to be forgiven is significant to the progression of the poem. In the first stanza he addresses the sins inherent in all humanity using a biblical allusion to Adam and Eve. Donne defines it as "that sin from which I began, / What is my sin, though it had been committed before?" (Lines 1-2). Beginning his poem with the sins for which he is least responsible, Donne establishes a clear pattern of transition through each stanza to reflect his struggle with faith; this pattern is augmented by the recurring structure that begins in the first stanza. The first two stanzas are almost identical in structure: both begin with the line: "You will forgive that sin" (1, 7). This repetition creates a continuous flow of questions through the two stanzas. The question of forgiveness for the sins committed by Donne can be interpreted in several ways: he could literally ask for forgiveness, but he could also rhetorically ask how much God will forgive him in his lifetime. Donne leaves both stanzas open with a combination of repetition and a pun on his own name: "When you did, you did not, / For I have more" (5-6, 11-12). The two meanings attributed to the word “fact” are just one of many examples of the layers of complexity present in the poem. The severity of Donne's corruption increases in the second stanza, when the poet admits the sins that are most destructive to his faith. The diction emphasizes his responsibility for his defiant actions. For example, the use of "wallow" in line ten implies that he enjoyed his sins almost as much as a pig enjoys wallowing in mud; he also gets dirty figuratively because of his immoral actions. Furthermore, he blames himself for being the “door” (8) that leads others to sin; this metaphor could indicate the shame he feels for not having prevented others from committing acts similar to his. Since this poem lacks the underlying sexual theme present in so many of Donne's previous works, it is possible that the internal conflict stems from the contempt he has for his actions. The third and final stanza reveals the worst of all Donne's sins: “I have a sin of fear” (13). He has finally arrived at the final sin that is so seriously affecting his faith. By admitting the progression of his sins, his questions of faith, and his self-doubts, Donne finally found his answer and regained his confidence. To illustrate this, he uses another play on words that conflates Christ with the sun: “at my death your Son / will shine as he shines now” (15-16). With this line the transition is complete; the poem completed Donne's usual process of working out his ideas and integrating complex meanings beneath the surface of the text. Although the tone of this stanza differs from that of the previous two, the repetition in the last two lines reuses the pun on Donne's name. Now, however, he is invoked to demonstrate the absolute faith he places in God: "And you, having done this, have done, / I fear no more" (17-18). Instead of.