I will be using John Donne’s poem “The Canonization” for each AI-generated model essay. Read through the poem again first, then read the AI-generated essay. Finally, review my annotations on the essay, where I have highlighted terms to use, corrected the AI’s mistakes, and added some things that are missing, most notably, a thesis statement. Reviewing these examples may give you some ideas about how you can use generative AI in your own approaches to texts. When generative artificial intelligence is used to augment thinking, it’s a useful tool. But if we try to use it to replace thinking, we’re not learning what we need to know.

I have bolded terms and phrases that you should use when you practice feminist criticism.

Annotations: “Love’s Rebellion: Defying Patriarchal Constraints in John Donne’s ‘The Canonization'”

In John Donne’s poem “The Canonization,” a profound exploration of love emerges, providing an intriguing lens through which feminist criticism can be applied. The speaker’s plea for autonomy and the freedom to love without societal interference resonates with feminist ideals, challenging patriarchal norms that may have restricted women’s agency in 17th century England. The opening lines, “For God’s sake hold your tongue, and let me love,” confront the notion of patriarchal control over women’s voices and choices. The speaker demands the right to express their love unhindered, resisting the imposition of external judgments or restrictions.

The poem engages with the complexities of love and its impact on individual identity, transcending traditional gender roles. The speaker challenges the conventional expectations placed on women in 17th century England, urging the audience to focus on the essence of love rather than conforming to societal norms. The lines “Call us what you will, we are made such by love” emphasize the transformative power of love, suggesting that the speaker and their beloved defy societal labels and expectations.

Examining the historical context, it’s crucial to recognize the limited roles available to women in the 17th century, where societal norms and expectations were deeply rooted in patriarchal structures. The poem, however, disrupts these norms by presenting a narrative where love becomes a force that defies societal constraints, allowing for individual agency and self-determination.

Feminist critics may appreciate the poem’s exploration of love as a unifying force that transcends gender boundaries. The speaker rejects the notion that love can be confined to prescribed roles, challenging not only patriarchal control but also the rigid gender expectations that often marginalized women. By invoking the phœnix metaphor and proclaiming “we two being one, are it,” the poem advocates for a unity that goes beyond gender distinctions, suggesting a shared experience and equality in love.

In conclusion, John Donne’s “The Canonization” provides a rich ground for feminist analysis by challenging patriarchal norms and celebrating the transformative and unifying power of love. The poem invites readers to reconsider societal expectations placed on individuals, especially women, in the context of 17th century England, and encourages a more inclusive and egalitarian view of love.

I have bolded terms and phrases that you should use when you practice postfeminist criticism.

Annotations: “Beyond Dichotomies: Deconstructing Love and Gender in John Donne’s ‘The Canonization'”

John Donne’s “The Canonization” offers a rich canvas for postfeminist criticism, inviting an exploration of love that transcends traditional gender binaries. The poem’s intricate verses provide a platform for deconstructing societal expectations surrounding love and challenging established gender norms. The speaker’s plea for autonomy and the freedom to love disrupts conventional stereotypes, asserting individual agency in the realm of relationships. Within a postfeminist discourse, “The Canonization” becomes a political statement, resisting the rigid dichotomies that often characterize gender relations. The poet urges readers to engage critically with the representation of love, dismantling the binary notions of masculine and feminine roles within relationships.

The poem’s insistence on the freedom to love without external interference aligns with postfeminist principles, advocating for a more inclusive and egalitarian understanding of romantic relationships. Donne’s verses become a discourse on love that rejects the limitations imposed by societal expectations and challenges the politics of gender roles prevalent in 17th-century England. By employing the metaphor of the phœnix, the poem further emphasizes the transformative power of love, suggesting a unity that transcends prescribed gender distinctions. The shared experiences of the speaker and their beloved become a representation of love that defies conventional norms, encouraging readers to view relationships beyond preconceived notions of gender.

In the context of postfeminist criticism, “The Canonization” prompts a reevaluation of love as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. The poem’s rejection of gender stereotypes and binary constructions invites readers to deconstruct societal expectations and engage in a more nuanced understanding of love. Donne’s verses, within a postfeminist framework, become a call to move beyond traditional dichotomies, fostering a discourse that celebrates the individual agency and autonomy of those navigating the intricate landscape of romantic relationships.

I have bolded terms and phrases that you should use when you practice queer theory.

Annotations: “Queering Affections: Transgressing Heteronormativity in John Donne’s ‘The Canonization'”

John Donne’s “The Canonization” unfolds as a poetic space ripe for a queer theory analysis, challenging the heteronormative constructs prevalent in the 17th century. The poem’s exploration of love invites a queer reading that disrupts traditional binaries and transcends cisgender expectations. The speaker’s plea for uninhibited love serves as a transgressive act, subverting societal norms and challenging the privileged position of heteronormativity. Within the discourse of queer theory, the poem becomes a site of resistance against the marginalization of non-heteronormative identities, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of love and relationships. Okay, okay! We get it! ChatGPT knows how to throw in ALL the queer theory terms. Since you read some scholarship on this, you’re already familiar with some of this terminology and tis approach. I like the way the bot defines the poem as a “site of resistance.” I actually think this is an interesting thesis that can be supported with ample evidence from the text. 

Donne’s verses navigate the social constructs of gender and sexuality, disrupting conventional expectations and inviting readers to view love through a queer lens. The rejection of societal judgments and the insistence on the autonomy to love without constraint align with queer theory’s emphasis on challenging normative structures. The metaphor of the phœnix takes on a queer resonance, symbolizing the transformative power of love that goes beyond prescribed gender identities. The poem becomes an intersectional space, acknowledging the complex interplay of gender, sexuality, and societal expectations. If I had been doing a queer theory analysis, I definitely would have looked at the image of the phoenix. The poem also uses imagery more often associated with masculinity (eagles) and femininity (doves). The phoenix inhabits a nonbinary, non-gendered space in the poem between these two binaries.  Expanding on this image and including the other traditionally gendered associations would add to this section of the analysis. 

“The Canonization” invites readers to question the heteronormative assumptions prevalent in Donne’s time and, by extension, contemporary society. Through a queer reading, the poem becomes a testament to the fluidity of love and the potential for liberation from cisgender expectations. Donne’s exploration of shared experiences in love transcends the binary constructions of gender and challenges the privileged position of heteronormativity in the discourse on relationships. Ultimately, the poem, when viewed through the lens of queer theory, becomes a celebration of love’s diverse expressions and a call for the queering of affections in the face of societal norms.