John Donne as a metaphysical poet
Name : Dave Avni J.
Roll no : 03
Paper-1 : Renaissance Literature
Enrollment no : 2069108420190011
Email id : avni.dave1998@gmail.com
Submitted to : Smt.S.B.Gardi Department of English
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◆ Introduction:-
In the first wecadis of 17th century there was a revolt against the outdated and exhausted Elizabethan poetry. There were three Traditions that were generally followed
The Spenserian
The Arcadian
The Petrarchian. There was much sugared melody and romantic extravagance, but intellectual emptiness. As C.S. Lewis puts it
“Metaphysicism in poetry
Is the fruit of the
Renaissance tree becoming
Over ripe and approaching
Putrescence.”
◆ About John Donne:-
Donne was born in London, into a recusant Roman Catholic family when practice of that religion was illegal in England. Donne was the third of six children. His father, also named John Donne, was of Welsh descent and a warden of the Ironmongers Company in the City of London. Donne's father was a respected Roman Catholic who avoided unwelcome government attention out of fear of perseution.
Donne died on 31 March 1631 and was buried in old St Paul's Cathedral, where a memorial statue of him by Nicholas Stone was erected with a Latin epigraph probably composed by himself. The memorial was one of the few to survive the Great Fire of London in 1666 and is now in St Paul's Cathedral. The statue was claimed by Izaac Walton in his biography to have been modelled from the life by Donne in order to suggest his appearance at the resurrection; it was to start a vogue in such monuments during the course of the 17th century. In 2012 a bust of the poet by Nigel Boonham was unveiled outside in the cathedral churchyard.
◆ working in prose:-
The leaders of this revolt were Ben Jonson And John Wonne. The first, ben jonson- the founder of the classical school which reched its full flowering in the poetry of wryden and pope – profoundly influenced the carolite lyricists. The other is John Wonne in his poetry we find concentrated passion, intellectual agility, wrametic power; self introspection and sel analysis ad also his own rational spiritual and amorous experiences, “he is the ounder o the metaphysical school.” Of poetry of which Richard crashow, George Herbert, henry Vaughn and Abraham coweg ere he important icons.
Literally, “meta” means “Beyond” and “physics” means “physical nature” it was Dryden who irs used the word “ Meta physical” in connection with Donne’s poetry and wrote “Donne affects the metaphysics,” and Wr. Johnson confirmed his judgement however, the term unfortunate and for it implies a process o dry reasoning, A speculation about the nature o the universe, the problems of life and death etc.
Milton’s :- “ PARADISE LOST”
Pope’s :- “ESSAY ON MAN” and
Tennyson’s :- “ IN MEMORIUM ”
May be called metaphysical poems for they are concerned with the nature o things, of universe.
the poetry of the school of Doe is not metaphysical as far as its content is concerned as it does not expounding philosophical system of the universe as Greeson puts it.
“Donne is metaphysical no only
By virtue of his sholasicism
But by his deep refective
Interest in the expression
The new psychological curiosity
With which he writes of
Love and religion.”
The peculiarity of the metaphysical lies in the act that......
They use figures o speech excessively,
Their similies and metaphors are far fetched ,
Their relationship they perceive are occult and not obvious on the face of nature.
Their figures are elaborated to the arthest, limit,
Their images are logical and intellectual rather than sensuous or emotional.
In other words, Donne’s poetry may be called “metaphysical” only in as far its technique or style is concerned Donne’s poetry is heavily overloaded with conceits which may be defined as the perception of “occutt resemblances in things apparently unlike”
Dr. Johnson.
◆ Metaphysical poets :-
The term metaphysical poets was coined by the critic Samuel Johnson to describe a loose group of 17th-century English poets whose work was characterized by the inventive use of conceits, and by a greater emphasis on the spoken rather than lyrical quality of their verse. These poets were not formally affiliated and few were highly regarded until 20th century attention established their importance. Given the lack of coherence as a movement, and the diversity of style between poets, it has been suggested that calling them Baroque poets after their era might be more useful. Once the Metaphysical style was established, however, it was occasionally adopted by other and especially younger poets to fit appropriate circumstances.
◆ Characteristics of metaphysical poetry :-
John Donne is called metaphysical poet as his poetry reveals all the characteristics that we generally associate with metaphysical poetry. John Donne is the leading poet of metaphysical poetry. He is metaphysical in the following sense:
1. He is metaphysical because his poetry is replete with conceits. Conceit is a prominent feature of metaphysical poetry. Conceit is a far-fetched comparison between dissimilar things. John Donne has employed conceits in his poetry in abundanuce. In A Valedicon, Forbidding Mourning, he compares his wife and himself to the two legs of a compass.
2. Imagery is another characteristic of metaphysical poetry. John Donne has employed imagery in his poetry to a great extent. He uses concrete imagery instead of abstract imagery. His imagery has been derived from philosophy, science, religion, navigation, alchimy etc.
3. Wit is a hallmark of metaphysical poetry. John Donne is called the monarch of wit. Dryden says: “If we are not so great wits as Donne, we are certainly better poets. The wit of Donne stands in a class by itself.
4. Metaphysical poetry is epigrammatic. John Donne is also epigrammatic in his poetry. His poetry abounds in epigrams. Many of his sentences had assumed proverbial status.
5. Parade of learning is the main concern of metaphysical poets. All the metaphysical poets were men of learning. John Donne also displays his deep learning in science, astronomy, astrology, religion etc.
6. Metaphysical poets tend to use harsh, coarse and jerkeywords in their diction. John Donne also could not remain free from the use of such words. Sometimes, the rhyme scheme in his poetry becomes too much monotonous.
7. Metaphysical poetry is obscure and difficult to understand. It requires deep attention on the part of reader to get to the cruex of the matter. Otherwise it is elusive and complex. John Donne’s poetry is also of the same nature. His poem Extasie is ambigeuous and hard to grasp the meaning of it.
8. Metaphysical poetry is philosophical. It expounds some philosophy. John Donne is also philosophical in his poetry. Most of his
poetry is a discourse about a unique idea.
9. Originality is an important trait of metaphysical poetry. Metaphysical poets present truly new ideas in their poetry. John Donne’s poetry is a paragon of such new ideas in the history of English literature.
◆ Donne as a metaphysical poet :-
The word "metaphysical", as defined by the critic Samuel Johnson, is a loose term generally applied to a diversity group of 17 century poets that appeared a reaction to the Elizabethan poetry and they together changed the conventions of love and divine poems. These included John Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvel and others. The chief traits of metaphysical poetry are excessive use of wit, conceits, paradoxes, far -fetched imagery or similes and speculation about topics such as love or religion. In a sense, many of these poets were influenced by Neo-Platonism. Since they appealed more to the intellect than to the senses, therefore, critics like Samuel Johnson rejected them as successful poets; the reader "sometimes admires, is seldom pleased". He tagged this poetry as "the most heterogeneous ideas are yiled by violence together; nature and art are ransacked for illustrations, comparisons, and allusions..."
John Donne is regarded a great metaphysical and love poet. Though it is a fact that he remained under darkness for a years, yet today he is acknowledged as a remarkable poet of his era. He changed the dynamics of love poetry which was severely resented by the conventional poets, the Elizabethans. Living in his age, the bold treatment of love both in his love as well as divine poems is surprising but intellectually appealing. The subtutitle of style and use of conceits sometimes shocks but appeals to the intellect. The rigid approach and accusations of his critics that "he perplexes the minds of the fair sex with the speculations of philosophy" were eclipsed by the commending remarks of T.S Eliot and the likes.
◆ Some examples of poem :-
Donne’s love poetry was written nearly four hundred years ago; yet one reason for its appeal is that it speaks to us as directly and urgently as if we overhear a present confidence. For instance, a lover who is about to board ship for a long voyage turns back to share a last intimacy with his mistress: “Here take my picture” (Elegy 5). Two lovers who have turned their backs upon a threatening world in “The Good Morrow” celebrate their discovery of a new world in each other:
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let maps to others, worlds on worlds have shown,
Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.
In “The Flea” an importunate lover points out a flea that has been sucking his mistress’s blood and now jumps to suck his; he tries to prevent his mistress from crushing it:
Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare,
Where we almost, nay more than married are.
This flea is you and I, and this
Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is;
Though parents grudge, and you, we’ are met,
And cloistered in these living walls of jet.
This poem moves forward as a kind of dramatic argument in which the chance discovery of the flea itself becomes the means by which they work out the true end of their love. The incessant play of a skeptical intelligence gives even these love poems the style of impassioned reasoning.
The poetry inhabits an exhilaratingly unpredictable world in which wariness and quick wits are at a premium. The more perilous the encounters of clandestine lovers, the greater zest they have for their pleasures, whether they seek to outwit the disapproving world, or a jealous husband, or a forbidding and deeply suspicious father, as in Elegy 4, “The Perfume”:
Though he had want to search with glazed eyes,
As though he came to kill a cockatrice,
Though he have oft sworn, that he would remove
Thy beauty’s beauty, and food of our love,
Hope of his goods, if I with thee were seen,
Yet close and secret, as our souls, we have been.
=) Work cited: https://www.risenotes.com/poems/John-Donne-as-a-Metaphysical-Poet.php
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/john-donne
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