Earth

For the speaker of the Holy Sonnets, residing on earth is fascinating, gratifying, and quite terrifying. Many of the Holy Sonnets are written from the perspective of "here and now" as the speaker looks forward into an unknown future. As such, the speaker frequently juxtaposes the salvation of heaven with the more material concerns of the earth, the place where he knows he must dwell but where he is also consistently tempted by sins. The speaker will often implore God to teach him how to remain a devoted Christian while on earth in order to absolve himself of his previous sins and spend eternity in heaven.

Earth is also configured throughout the Holy Sonnets as the place where man is lucky enough to dwell. Noting that nature and other living creatures seem to submit to the will of man, the speaker often questions why humanity receives such benevolent...