metaphysical poetry

 

"If ever a beauty I didsee, which I desired,

and got, 'twas but adream of thee"

- John Donne

Introduction :

Introduction to Metaphysical Poetry in English Literature

Metaphysical poetry represents a unique and influential movement in English literature that emerged in the early 17th century. The term "metaphysical" was later coined by Samuel Johnson in the 18th century to describe the works of poets like John Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell, and others who employed a highly intellectual and philosophical style of writing. These poets are characterized by their use of *conceits*—extended metaphors that link seemingly unrelated ideas—and their exploration of profound themes such as love, religion, death, time, and the complexities of human existence.

What sets metaphysical poetry apart is its blend of wit, logical argument, and emotional depth. The poets often combined personal experience with scholarly allusions, drawing on fields like science, philosophy, and theology to craft poems that challenge conventional ideas and force readers to think critically. Their poetry frequently employs paradox, irony, and wordplay, reflecting a balance between reason and emotion, making the style both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant.

Metaphysical poetry's emphasis on conceits and its fusion of thought and feeling influenced subsequent literary movements, and its legacy can be seen in the development of modern and contemporary poetry. Despite its initial reception as obscure or overly intellectual, metaphysical poetry is now celebrated for its originality, depth, and bold experimentation with language and form.

Metaphysical poetry is a group of poems that share common characteristics: they are all highly intellectualized, use rather strange imagery, use frequent paradox and contain extremely complicated thought.

Literary critic and poet Samuel Johnson first coined the term 'metaphysical poetry' in his book Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (1179-1781). In the book, Johnson wrote about a group of 17th-century British poets that included John Donne, George Herbert, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell and Henry Vaughan. He noted how the poets shared many common characteristics, especially ones of wit and elaborate style.

What Does Metaphysical Mean?

The word 'meta' means 'after,' so the literal translation of 'metaphysical' is 'after the physical.' Basically, metaphysics deals with questions that can't be explained by science. It questions the nature of reality in a philosophical way.

Here are some common metaphysical questions:

Does God exist?

Is there a difference between the way things appear to us and the way they really are? Essentially, what is the difference between reality and perception?

Is everything that happens already predetermined? If so, then is free

choice non-existent?

Is consciousness limited to the brain?

Metaphysics can cover a broad range of topics from religious to consciousness; however, all the questions about metaphysics ponder the nature of reality. And of course, there is no one correct answer to any of these questions. Metaphysics is about exploration and philosophy, not about science and math.

CHARACTERISTICS OF METAPHYSICAL POETRY :

• Conscious Attempt

* Display of Scholarship

• Far-fetched images

• Scholarship and Musicality

Certainly! Here’s an overview of the characteristics of metaphysical poetry based on the points you've provided:

### 1. Conscious Attempt

Metaphysical poets often engage in a deliberate effort to explore complex ideas and themes. This conscious attempt manifests in their structured approach to poetry, where they methodically develop arguments or explore abstract concepts, such as love, death, or faith. Their work reflects a profound awareness of the themes they tackle, often engaging with philosophical and theological questions.

### 2. Display of Scholarship

Metaphysical poetry frequently showcases the poets' extensive learning and scholarly background. Poets like John Donne and George Herbert incorporate references to classical literature, philosophy, and religious texts, reflecting their wide-ranging knowledge. This intellectual depth enriches their poetry, allowing them to draw connections between diverse fields of thought and culture.

### 3. Far-Fetched Images

The use of extended metaphors and far-fetched imagery is a hallmark of metaphysical poetry. These poets often create elaborate conceits that connect seemingly unrelated subjects, leading to surprising and thought-provoking comparisons. For example, in Donne’s "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning," the speaker compares the love between two people to a pair of compasses, illustrating the strength and balance of their relationship in an imaginative way.

### 4. Scholarship and Musicality

While metaphysical poetry is known for its intellectual rigor, it also possesses a unique musical quality. The poets skillfully manipulate rhythm, meter, and sound to create a harmonious effect. Despite the complexity of the themes and language, the musicality of their verses often enhances the emotional impact, making the poetry resonate on both an intellectual and an aesthetic level.

These characteristics combine to create a distinctive style that defines metaphysical poetry, setting it apart from other literary movements of its time. The interplay between intellectual depth and artistic expression makes this genre particularly rich and engaging.

Other :

Metaphysical poetry, primarily associated with poets like John Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell, and Henry Vaughan, is known for several distinctive characteristics:

1. **Use of Conceits**: 

Metaphysical poets are famous for their use of elaborate and extended metaphors, known as conceits, which often draw surprising comparisons between seemingly unrelated things. For example, in John Donne’s "The Flea," a flea biting two lovers is compared to their union.

2. **Intellectual Complexity**: 

These poems often reflect a deep intellectual engagement, with ideas drawn from philosophy, theology, and science. The poetry often tackles profound questions about existence, love, religion, and the nature of the soul.

3. **Paradoxes and Contradictions**:

 Metaphysical poetry frequently includes paradoxes and contradictions, which challenge conventional thinking. These paradoxes serve to highlight complex emotions or spiritual truths, such as in Donne's "Death, be not proud," where death is ironically addressed as powerless.

4. **Wit and Wordplay**: 

Metaphysical poets are known for their clever use of language, employing puns, paradoxes, and ironies to develop their themes. The intellectual playfulness of their work often contrasts with the serious subject matter.

5. **Concise and Argumentative Structure**:

 Metaphysical poetry often has a structured, almost argumentative quality. Poems can feel like they are making a case or persuading the reader of a particular viewpoint, as seen in Donne’s “The Sun Rising,” where the speaker tries to outwit the sun.

6. **Blending of Sensuality and Spirituality**:

 Metaphysical poets explore both physical love and spiritual matters, often interweaving the two. This blending is seen in Donne's poetry, where the language of love and desire frequently parallels religious devotion and metaphysical speculation.

7. **Colloquial Diction**: 

The poets use everyday language rather than the elevated diction typically found in earlier poetry. This gives their work a conversational, intimate tone.

8. **Abrupt Openings**: 

Many metaphysical poems start in media res, with a sudden and unexpected beginning that grabs the reader’s attention, like Donne’s "Batter my heart, three-person'd God."

These characteristics set metaphysical poetry apart from earlier and later movements, making it intellectually engaging and emotionally complex.

DEVICES USED IN METAPHYSICAL POETRY :

Metaphysical poets like John Donne use complex,dramatic expressions and a variety of literary deviceslike extended conceits, paradoxes, and imagery incolloquial and personal language that challenges ideas

of morality, traditional love, and carnality; it is

intellectually inventive even jarring sometimes becauseit mixes and links two unlike things to create extendedmetaphors and anecdotes that is unique in comparisonto previous poets of his era particularly EdmundSpenser

Metaphysical conceits 

are of Central importance inmetaphysical poetry. A (metaphysical) conceit is usuallyclassified as a subtype of metaphor – an elaborate andstrikingly unconventional or supposedly far-fetchedmetaphor, hyperbole, contradiction, simile, paradox oroxymoron causing a shock to the reader by the obvious

dissimilarity, “distance” between or stunning

incompatibility of the objects compared. One of the mostfamous conceits is John Donne's A Valediction: ForbiddingMourning, a poem in which Donne compares two souls in

love to the points on a geometer's compass.

Metaphysical Poet / poetry  :

John Donne:

John Donne (1571 or 1572 – 31 March 1631) was a prominent English poet, scholar, soldier, and cleric, who is best known as the leading figure of the metaphysical poets. Born into a recusant (Catholic) family during a time of religious tension in England, Donne later converted to Anglicanism and was appointed as Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral under royal patronage in 1621. His work is celebrated for its intellectual depth, use of metaphysical conceits, and exploration of complex themes like love, death, and faith.