1. "The Courting Mode" (Often called "Petrarchan" Love): This mode echoes traditional romantic conventions, featuring idealization of the beloved, unrequited longing, and a sense of the lover's suffering.
* Example: "Song: Go and catch a falling star" - The speaker lists impossibilities, mirroring the unattainability of the beloved.
2. "The Passionate Mode" (Often called "Metaphysical" Love): This mode moves beyond mere longing and focuses on the intense, even tortured, nature of love itself. Donne uses intellectual arguments, paradox, and vivid imagery to capture love's complexities.
* Example: "The Flea" - The speaker uses a flea to argue for physical intimacy, blurring the boundaries between the physical and spiritual.
3. "The Devotional Mode" (Often called "Spiritual" Love): Donne's poetry often explores the spiritual dimension of love, often through comparisons with God's love. This mode can be a blend of passionate and intellectual, but it always points towards a higher, transcendent realm.
* Example: "Holy Sonnets" (especially Sonnet 10, "Death, be not proud") - The speaker confronts death with boldness, fueled by a faith in God's love and his own spiritual yearning.
It's important to note that these modes are not always distinct. Donne's poetry often blends elements of all three, making his work multifaceted and challenging. For instance, "The Sun-Rising" could be seen as courting, passionate, and even devotional, as it explores the love between the speaker and his beloved while also suggesting the larger love of God.