The Speaker

As with most poems, the central character is the speaker. It is always important to remember that the speaker is not necessarily the same person as the poet. In this poem, readers are given a sense that the speaker occupies a similar position as Donne does, however. The speaker seems to be a somewhat distant observer, considering and philosophizing about Elizabeth's death, but perhaps not feeling it very personally.

Elizabeth Drury

The other important character in this poem is Elizabeth Drury. Her name does not appear in the text, only in the title, but she is referred to throughout. When the word "she" appears, it is almost always in reference to Elizabeth. The poem takes a worshipful, if somewhat abstract, position towards her. She is held up as the source of all beauty, goodness, and light in the world. In particular, the poet constructs her as the...