Characteristic Of Metaphysical Poetry With help of John Donne’s Poem

Characteristic Of Metaphysical Poetry With help of John Donne’s Poem

Written By  : Ravi Bhaliya A

Semester          :  01

Roll No            :   26

Paper No        :  01 (The Renaissance Literature)

Enrolment No:14101004

Email ID: ravibhaliya5@gmail.com

Year  : 2014-16

Submitted To:Department of English

                             Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji  

                             Bhavnagar University

Department  Of  English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Topic: Characteristics  Of  Metaphysical  Poetry with the help of John Donne’s Poems….

Introduction :

        The  Term  Metaphysical as applied  to English and Continental European Poets of the seventeenth  century .whose poetry comes to be known as the Metaphysical Poetry . it was Dr. Johnson  who while  writing on the life of Abraham Cowley in his Book ‘ The Lives’ Commented extensively on the poetry  of Donne and his Followers, calling at Metaphysical  Poetry ,and the Metaphysical poets Continue to be studied and revered for their intricacy and originality.

What is Metaphysical Poetry?

        Metaphysical Poetry is  concerned with the whole experience of man , but the intelligence , learning and seriousness of the Poets means that the poetry is about the Profound areas of experience especially about Love ,Romantic and Sensual ; about man’s Relationship with the God the eternal Perspective ,and to a less extent about pleasure , learning and Art.

“Metaphysical Describe the peculiar qualities  of the Poetry which is fantastic in many different ways”

 Metaphysical  is derivative of Latin  words Metaphysica, which is the combination of two words: ‘Meta’ and ‘Physica’.The word Meta means beyond or after it is a prefix s and equally in English  it is  refer to things and concepts which are abstract . Literally Physica means ‘Work’ , but in this case , it is considered as something , which is having a concrete shape.

So , the term Metaphysical may be defined as beyond Physical Work . in this regard , R.S Hillyer  asserts that …

“The Metaphysical deal with the notion of existence , with the existing universe and man’s place there in ,Roughly it has taken such implication as these Philosophical , difficult , ethereal , obscure, supercilious, ingenious, odd and bizarre.”

According to Oxford Dictionary….

A Group of  Seventeenth century Poets whose Work is Characterized by  the use of  complex  and elaborate image or conceits, typically using an intellectual form of argumentation  to express  emotional  states . Members of the group include Johsn Donne , George Herbert ,Henry Vaughan, and Andrew Marwell.”

Metaphysical  Concern are the Common  Subjects Poetry . Which investigates the world  by rational  discussion  of it’s phenomena  rather than  by instruction on mysticism . Dryden was the first  to apply the  termseventeenth century poetry when in 1693 to  criticized Donne….

“ He affects Metaphysic …. In his amorous verse , where nature only should reign; and perplexes the mind of the fair sex with nice speculation of philosophy, when he should engage their heart  ”

Chief Characteristics  of Metaphysical Poetry

v The Metaphysicals  made a conscious attempts  differ by displaying  their learning  and scholarship in their poems. they were highly  learned and they tried to prove  their learning through their poetry.

v  There is no any rhyme and rhythm in the Metaphysical scholarship in the writing of their poems.

v  The almost  all the Metaphysical poets made an attempt to display their learning by making use of far-fetched images  and conceits, they didn’t depend on easily available  images  they brought their images from Geography , Agriculture  etc.

v  It is Complex and difficult .Most varied concepts  are brought  together.

v Originality is  achieved by the use of a new  vocabulary drawn from  the world of trade commerce, the art and the science.

v It is often  dramatic in form blossom is the form of a dialogue  between the poet and  his heart which is treated as a separate entity , has been well said  his poetry  presents  drama  of ideas.

Obscurity in Metaphysical Poetry

Metaphysical  poetry is considered highly ambiguous and obscure due to high intellect and knowledge  of the Metaphysical poet .

Brevity in Metaphysical Poetry Metaphysical Poetry is Considered to be highly terse and concise in the history of poetry. these poems are very brief and short in length. in  the poetry every word has it’s own function and conveys the message of the Author.

Metaphysical Conceits

A significant  feature  of metaphysical poetry is the use of Metaphysical Conceits. It is  unique quality of Metaphysical poetry, Conceits is a far-fetched  comparison   of two dissimilar thing which have very little in common.

Unified  Sensibility in Metaphysical Poetry

Unified sensibility implies fusion of thought and feelings together .In the history of English literature either poet laid great emphasis on intellect , reason, thinking, or feelings and emotions.

Metaphysical Poetry of john Donne

§  Death, Be not Proud

§  Sweetest Love, I do not go

§  The Dream

§  The  Ecstasy

§  The flea

Death , Be not Proud

In this poem , poet addresses the death . saying that there is no need for death to be proud through  some people call it very powerful nor dangerous . it neither powerful nor dangerous. Death believes that even throws those people do not die at all . Death has no capacity to kill poet . This how Donne challenges the death , the picture of death is nothing but sleep and rest.

“Die not , poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me from rest and sleep, which but thy picture.”

Donne  considered his  sonnet  saying that death need not become Proud. This life is a sleep in the sense that it is full of illusion but death liberate  us from that illusion and we wake up forever. Donne believes that if death is accepted with this spirit  there is no any death itself die.

The Ecstacy

The Ecstacy by John Donne  is a Poem about divine and spiritual experience in love .the pair of lover and his beloved which we  find in the poem has reached such a hight  of love that both experience ecstacy of love . the poem is considered by the lover who describes in detail the  experience of ecstacy in love.

          Both the lover and his beloved set for the whole day on the banks of a river in the same manner as  a bed is always a company of pillow.

“WHERE, like a pillow on a bed,

A Pregnant bank swelled up to rest”

Their Ecstacy makes them aware of the truth that body is theirs but they  are not body. It is here that the meeting points takes place between ‘The Geeta’ and spiritual Love of the lovers.  The lover considers such divine experience as a faver of heaven to him.  It is this experience of Ecstacy which lover accepts as the bliss of God almighty. In this poem Donne show the spirituality of lovers  against the death.

To Sum Up….

John  Donne’s poems show  how Metaphysical elements are in the present poem. Donne followed it and become the founder of Metaphysical school poets   George Herbert Richards Crashaw, Andrew Marwell , Abraham Cowley  and other follows  the Metaphysical style. but with the restoration of Charles second in 1660 the metaphysical school  declined . The theatre were reopened  and once again theatrical activity began.