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Metaphysical Poetry

Metaphysical poetry originated in 17th century Britain and was characterized by the use of conceits, unusual comparisons between dissimilar ideas, and complex, intellectualized exploration of philosophical and religious topics. The leading metaphysical poets included John Donne, George Herbert, Henry Vaughan, Andrew Marvell, and Abraham Cowley. Their poetry was influenced by new sciences and intellectual trends of the time and aimed to surprise readers with novel metaphors and insightful examinations of themes like love and faith.

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1K views10 pages

Metaphysical Poetry

Metaphysical poetry originated in 17th century Britain and was characterized by the use of conceits, unusual comparisons between dissimilar ideas, and complex, intellectualized exploration of philosophical and religious topics. The leading metaphysical poets included John Donne, George Herbert, Henry Vaughan, Andrew Marvell, and Abraham Cowley. Their poetry was influenced by new sciences and intellectual trends of the time and aimed to surprise readers with novel metaphors and insightful examinations of themes like love and faith.

Uploaded by

Kazakov
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Metaphysical poetry

ORIGIN AND DEFINITION


• The metaphysical poets is a term coined by
Samuel Johnson to describe a group of British
lyric poets of the 17 th century, who shared an
interest in metaphysical concerns and a
common way of investigating them.
• Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals
with the first principles of things, including
abstract concepts such as being, knowing,
identity, time and space.
CHARACTERISTICS
• the poetry was influenced by the changing
times and new sciences of the 17 th century;
• highly intellectualized poetry which is less
concerned with expressing feelings than with
analyzing them;
• characterized by conceits (metaphors drawing
sometimes parallels between apparently
dissimilar ideas or things); unusual similes;
complex and subtle thought; pun; wit; and by
speculation about topics such as love or religion.
• metaphysical poets were men of
learning (to show learning is their
chief object); due to it their poetry is
difficult to understand;
• delight in novel thoughts and
expression (they played with thoughts;
desired to say smth unique and new)
Example of conceit
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table.

the night sky is compared to a person


strapped to a table and waiting for surgery
REPRESENTATIVES
• John Donne was the leading
metaphysical poet; others
include George Herbert, Henry
Vaughan, Andrew Marvell and
Abraham Cowley.
JOHN DONNE
• His works include Satires, Songs and
Sonnets and Elegies. His poetry falls into
three divisions – love poetry, religious
poems and satirical poems. His love
poems are subtle analysis of all the moods
of a lover. His religious poems are
confessions or prayers. His satirical
poems reveal his cynical nature and
critical mind.
GEORGE HERBERT
• Throughout his life he wrote religious
poems characterized by a precision of
language, a metrical versatility and
original use of imagery or conceits.
Some of his poems have been used
as hymns and set to music by some
composers.
ANDREW MARVELL
• His poems deal with the themes of
nature, love and patriotism. Marvell
was in some respects a forerunner of
the Romantic movement in his
enjoyment of the open air and country
life.
THEIR FAMOUS QUOTES
• “Love vanquishes time. To lovers, a moment can
be eternity; eternity can be the tick of a clock”
• “Sometimes the best gain is to lose”
• “No man is an island, entire of itself. Each is a
piece of the continent, a part of the main”
• “He begins to die, that quits his desires”
• “Be thine own palace, or the world's thy jail”
• “Love, built on beauty, soon as beauty, dies”

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