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 prays for forgiveness for his transgressions in an inquisitive and almost intimate tone; it seems that he is seeking reassurance about his connection with God. The evolution of his inner conflict is underlined by the increasing seriousness of his sins, from the lightest in the first stanza to the most serious in the third stanza. Only after facing all his sins is he finally able to reestablish his faith. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayThe order of the sins for which Donne asks to be forgiven is important 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 refers to it as "this sin where I began, / What is my sin, though it was committed before?" » (Lines 1-2). By 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 his faith; this pattern is augmented by the recurring structure that begins in the first stanza. The first two stanzas have an almost identical structure: both begin with the line “Will you forgive this sin” (1, 7). This repetition creates a continuous flow of questions throughout the two stanzas. The question of forgiveness for Donne's sins can be interpreted in different ways: he could literally ask for forgiveness, but he could also ask rhetorically how much God will forgive him during his life. Donne leaves both stanzas open with a combination of repetition and a pun on his own name: "When you have done, you have not done, / For I have more" (5-6, 11-12) . The two meanings assigned to the word “fact” are just one example of the levels of complexity in the poem. The severity of Donne's corruption increases in the second stanza, when the poet admits sins more destructive to his faith. The diction emphasizes his responsibility for his acts of defiance. For example, the use of "wallow" in the tenth line implies that he enjoyed his sins almost as a pig enjoys wallowing in the mud; he too becomes figuratively dirty because of his immoral actions. He also blames himself for being the “door” (8) that leads others to sin; this metaphor could indicate the shame he feels for not stopping others from committing acts similar to his own. Since this poem lacks the underlying sexual theme present in so many of Donne's previous works, it is possible that the inner 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 ultimate sin that so seriously affects his faith. By admitting his progression of 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 confuses Christ with the sun: “when I die, 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 through his ideas and integrating complex meaning 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. But now he is invoked to prove his absolute faith in God: "And having done.