Hello Readers,
In this blog I shall give you the general characteristics of metaphysical poetry, and five selected poem from well known poems. so let's begin.
General characteristics of metaphysical poem :-
According to Dr. Johnson " Argument and persuasion, and the use of the conceit as their instrument or body of a metaphysical poem "
A group of poets emerged in the second half of the 16th century, whose poetry is identify as the metaphysical poetry. it was Dr. Samuel Johnson- a classicist of the neo-classical age who named the poetry of John Donne and his school as- The Metaphysical poetry. Johnson used this term while writing about the life of Abraham Cowley in his biographical work with the title ' The Lives Of The Most Eminent English Poets' (1779-81). Dr. Johnson wanted to criticize the poetry of Donne and his followers by using the term ' Metaphysical Poetry'. But within passing of time the same term became the term of appraisal for their poetry. Dr. Johnson has passed on remarkable comment saying that " The poetry of the metaphysical poets stood a trial of their finger but failed in trail of the ears." What Dr. Johnson wants to say that their is no music and rhythm in their poetry.
The metaphysical poets were men of learning, and, to show their learning was their whole endeavour; but, unluckily resolving to show it in rhyme, instead of writing poetry, they only wrote verses, and, very often, such verses as stood the trial of the finger better than of the ear; for the modulation was so imperfect, that they were only found to be verses by counting the syllables... The most heterogeneous ideas are yoked by violence together; nature and art are ransacked for illustrations, comparisons, and allusions; their learning instructs, and their subtilty surprises; but the reader commonly thinks his improvement dearly bought, and, though he sometimes admires, is seldom pleased
The metaphysical- John Donne, George Herbert, Richard Crashaw and Andrew Marvell made a conscious attempt to differ from others and particularly from of the previous poets so that their poetry may be noticed by the readers. One critic Helen C. White mentions that it was the demand of the time for the metaphysical to differ from the poets of previous age. Had they continue writing the poetry in the same manner; just like the former poets, their poetry would have been rejected by the readers. Due to new learning and reformation of the Elizabethan age, the intellectual level of the reader had gone upward and so the metaphysical poets tried to be intellectual in the writing of their poetry.
The best way for the metaphysical to differs from the previous poets and to be intellectual in the writing of their poetry was to used far-fetched images and conceits. They tried to avoid using using images from those fields which thickly associate with the theme of their poetry.
In order to express either love or their faith in Christianity they brought their images from different field just like biology, agriculture, engineering, architecture, geography, geometry and even political science. This gave unique identity to their poetry. The number of example can be given about how they brought images from distant and remote fields. The first example is of John Donne who made use of a biological image-the Flea, for the express of love in his poem. The title of that poem is ' The Flea '. George Herbert made use of an image from the field of mechanical engineering for the expression of his faith in Christianity. The example is a poem with the title ' The Pully '. Pully is an image of mechanical engineering but in this poem that image is used to stat that restlessness is also a pully which gives a connection between the creator and the creation. Andrew Marvell made use of geometrical images for the expression of love. The example is ' The His Coy Mistress' in brief all the metaphysical poets made extensive use far-fetched images in their poetry.
Highlighting one remarkable feature of the metaphysical poetry Dr. Johnson says that "their poetry stood a trial of their finger but not of the ear" that means that their is no music in the poetry of metaphysical poet's wrote, their is no rhythm to be found in the poetry of the metaphysical poets.
- FIVE MOST IMPORTANT METAPHYSICAL POEMS :
1. Death Be Not Proud
2. The Flea
3. The Sun Rising - by John Donne
4. The Collar - by George Herbert
5. To His Coy Mistress - by Andrew Marvell
So let's discuss the summary of these particular poem and some important notes:
1. Death Be No Proud by John Donne
Glossary and Notes
' To His Coy Mistress' is a poem with metaphysical
conceit and it proves Andrew Marvell real follower of the school of John Donne.
Marvell has made here use of an image from the field of agriculture for the
expression of love. The present poem deals with the theme of love but the image
that he used here is from the field of agriculture.
The poem is addressed by a lover to his
beloved. She is very coy and shy and lover tries to convince her that
since they do not have enough time, She should not be shy. The lover considers
her shyness a crime because within limited time and space they have to love
each other. The lover gives an account of how he would have loved her, praised
her, had he enough time and space but the lover knows that they have either
enough time nor space to express love. It is within limited time of youth that
they have to live and so he suggests her not to be coy.
The lover describes in detail how he would loved
her had he enough time and space. He would have continued expressing his love
for ten long years and he would have objected even if the lady would have said
to his shyness. He would have spend in praising her each breast. For the
remaining of her body, he would used thirty thousand years to praise. He
believes that his beloved deserves this kind of honor.
The lover would like to pass time very peacefully
in her company but the time is different. He hears every movement the winged
chariot of the time approaching very fast towards them. It refers to death. The
lover knows that none can escape from the clutch of time and so he request her
beloved tp accept his love without being coy and shy.
Once they die, they will be mingle with dust and
live in their grave. No doubt grave is a private and peaceful place but they
go, they will never be able to express love. his song will never get effect of
echo. At present his love is responded by her but once they go to grave, their
will be no respond from her side.
The lover tries to convey her that the span of
youth is as short as the life of a due drop on the petal of a flower right now
when both are passing through prime time of youth, she should not be shy, coy
and reject his love. Since they are passing through this of youth, they should
utilize is before it is too late. The poem ends with a request of a lover that
both should make their time a quality time by responding to love of each
other. It is not possible for them to stop the movement of the sun but at least
they can make their time a quality time.