Death's Hidden Character

In Death, be not proud by John Donne, the speaker criticizes death. The speaker believes that death is not mighty and dreadful as some people believe. He mentions several reasons as to why death should not be proud. Death dwells with poison, war, and sickness. Those things are vile, barbaric, and uncivilized and come nowhere to close to being mighty. "Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men" (Donne, 971). Death is not even in control. Death only happens when destiny and fate determine someone to die. It happens by random chance. Kings order death. Desperate men kill others because they are willing to. Death is not glorious or magnificent because it lies with the lowest of the low and it is not master of itself. Death deserves no place of honor.