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Conceits and Images in Donnes Poetry PDF

The document discusses John Donne's use of conceits and images in his poetry. It outlines seven qualities of the conceits Donne employs. First, Donne's conceits are based on metaphysical concepts drawn from diverse fields like science, astrology, and philosophy. Second, there is usually a connecting force between the dissimilar objects in a conceit. Third, Donne's conceits are an integral part of his poems' themes rather than mere decoration. Fourth, Donne draws from many sources like personal experiences, scientific theories, and geography in his conceits. Fifth, although complex, Donne's conceits are still connected to the overall context of his poems. Sixth, the conceits can be obscure

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Saadat Hussain Shahji Panjtani
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2K views

Conceits and Images in Donnes Poetry PDF

The document discusses John Donne's use of conceits and images in his poetry. It outlines seven qualities of the conceits Donne employs. First, Donne's conceits are based on metaphysical concepts drawn from diverse fields like science, astrology, and philosophy. Second, there is usually a connecting force between the dissimilar objects in a conceit. Third, Donne's conceits are an integral part of his poems' themes rather than mere decoration. Fourth, Donne draws from many sources like personal experiences, scientific theories, and geography in his conceits. Fifth, although complex, Donne's conceits are still connected to the overall context of his poems. Sixth, the conceits can be obscure

Uploaded by

Saadat Hussain Shahji Panjtani
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© © All Rights Reserved
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CONCEITS & IMAGES IN JOHN DONNE’S POETRY

One of the important features of metaphysical poetry is use of conceits and images. This quality
distinguishes metaphysical poets from the others. An image employed by the poets is just and natural. On the
other hand, a conceit is a figure of speech in which two vastly different objects are linked together with the help
of similes or metaphors. For example, it will not be surprising for us if we hear someone saying, “You are a
snail”, or “You are as slow as a snail” because we understand that the similarity is drawn on a common quality
i.e. slowness. We, however, will definitely be surprised to hear someone comparing “Two lovers with the two
legs of a draftsman’s compass.” Thus, we can say that conceits have surprising and shocking effect on the
readers because they are novel comparisons unlike the conventional comparisons made in similes and
metaphors. Except the metaphysical poets two other literary artists, Emily Dickinson and T.S. Eliot came
forward and used conceits in their writings. Donne is a great artist in the field of using conceits. Let’s discuss
Donne’s qualities as an artist of conceits.
First quality of conceits used by Donne is that they are based on metaphysical concepts. They are taken
from a wide range of world of knowledge, from science, astrology, astronomy and scholastic philosophy, etc.
These conceits are far-fetched; elaborate and complex in their nature. A very famous conceit used by the poet
is the conceit of two lovers being compared to a pair of compasses. Here, we see the poet saying that one leg
remains fixed at the center and the other rotates. It can be called an elaborate and extended conceit used by the
poet.
Second quality of conceits used by Donne is that there is always some force which always holds the
apparently dissimilar objects in a conceit. However, even in the presence of this force, the things maintain their
identities separately. A. J. Smith writes: “Metaphysical problems rise out of pairs of opposites that behave
almost exactly as do the elements of a metaphysical conceit. Take multiplicity and unity or reality.”
Third quality of Donne’s conceits is that these conceits are not used for the decoration; rather they are
used as an important part of the poetic process. In “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”, the separation of
husband and wife is the movement of one leg of the compass. However the other leg is fixed at the center. The
drawing of the circle symbolizes the journey of the poet to a foreign country and the stay of his wife symbolizes
the fixed side of the compass and these are the basic theme of the poem.
Fourth quality of conceits used by Donne is that these conceits have been drawn from many sources.
First, he is original in thinking and using conceits. He does not follow the Petrarchan or Pastoral tradition. He
finds these conceits from the personal experiences of his life and the widening horizons of his knowledge. Joan
Bennett remarks: “His images are drawn from his own interests, so that he is always illustrating one fact of
his experience by another.” He also uses conceits making various references to alchemy. He makes use of
latest scientific theories and current superstitions for ornamentation of his poems. Geographical images have
been used frequently and show his learning and knowledge. The First Anniversary, Hymn to God and The
Good Morrow are the best examples and show Donne’s craze for using the contemporary ideas related to
geography. Similarly, many another sources of conceits used by Donne are that he uses conceits from everyday
industry, trade, commerce, poverty, disease, death and medicine. A critic observes: “Donne was writing in an
age when Death lurked round the corner, and plague, famine and violence were an everyday occurrence.”
Fifth quality of conceits and images used by Donne is that they are not isolated from the context.
Although they are coarse and far-fetched, yet they give pleasure and exaltation as they have astonishing link
with the whole poem. This quality of creating conceits having relation with the context can also be seen in
Shakespeare’s works.
Sixth major quality of conceits and images used by Donne is that they are obscure and complex. That’s
why, the modern readers are confused sometimes due to the intricacy of these images and conceits. A
considerable demand on the part of the reader is required to understand the images and conceits used by Donne.
According to J.C. Grierson “It brings together the opposite forces of life i.e. body and soul, earth and heaven,
the bed of lovers and the universe, life and death and microcosm and macrocosm in one breath.”
Seventh quality of conceits used by Donne is that his conceits are functional and are used to illustrate
and persuade. They are as Helen Gardner remarks: “Instruments of definition in an argument or instruments
to persuade.” So, they should not be condemned for being far-fetched or sometimes irrelevant in the context in
which they are used. In “The Sun Rising”, Donne calls the sun a saucy pedantic wretch. He asks it to go and
scold late schoolboys, the court huntsmen and country ants and to leave the lovers alone.
To sum up, the use of conceits and images used by Donne is ingenious and remarkable. T.S. Eliot
appreciates Donne highly because of this trait in his poetry. The definition of poetry given by Coleridge is also
applicable to Donne’s imagery and conceits when he says: “Judgment ever awake and steady, self-possession
with enthusiasm, and feeling profound or vehement.” John Bennett has also compared the poetry of Donne
with that of Keats. Keats’s sensuous impression is identified with the things he wants to express. On the other
hand, Donne identifies his intellectual analogy with his emotion. In the end, we can say that however far-
fetched these images and conceits are in Donne’s poetry, we cannot deplore them. We can only admire them for
their novelty, realism, justness and a variety of range they cover. (Words: 981)

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