Question

what does Donne mean by 'why swell'st thou then?​

Answer 1

Answer:

The speaker describes Death's arrogance and powerlessness throughout the poem, and so the question "why swell'st thou then?" refers to Death's unwarranted pride. Essentially, Death has no real power because it does not decide when to come for us, and it amounts to only one "short sleep" before we awake to eternal life.