Traces of the Leibnizian Theodicy in John Donne’s Devotions upon Emergent Occasions

In Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, based on his analysis of the relationship between the body and soul during his sickness, John Donne reaches the conclusion that man is unable to resist all the temptations of sin. It is proposed in this study that as a result of this belief, Donne encounters a theological problem, which he attempts to resolve by showing that despite the imperfections of the human nature, God has provided humans with every means necessary for achieving salvation. Therefore, it is argued that in the Devotions Donne creates a Leibnizian theodicy, according to which in spite of the existence of problems in creation it is possible to prove that God has created the best possible world. The purpose of this study is to provide a very different reading from the most established interpretations of the Devotions, in which it is assumed that Donne is simply encouraging his readers to avoid sin and to behave well. It is demonstrated that Donne actually tackles a serious theological problem by creating a Leibnizian theodicy in the work.