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    John Donne As A Metaphysical Poet

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    Sr Chandrodaya J
    The document discusses John Donne's status as a metaphysical poet. It defines metaphysical poetry as dealing with abstract subjects like the nature of the universe and man's relationship with God. It explains that John Donne was a 17th century English poet considered the founder of the metaphysical poetry movement. His poetry was a dramatic departure from traditional verse through its use of wit, original expressions, obscurity, and unconventional comparisons or "conceits." Donne's poetry also focused on themes of mortality, intellectualism, and spirituality through a philosophical style featuring antitheses and fusion of unlike ideas.

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    John Donne As A Metaphysical Poet

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    Sr Chandrodaya J
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    The document discusses John Donne's status as a metaphysical poet. It defines metaphysical poetry as dealing with abstract subjects like the nature of the universe and man's relationship with God. It explains that John Donne was a 17th century English poet considered the founder of the metaphysical poetry movement. His poetry was a dramatic departure from traditional verse through its use of wit, original expressions, obscurity, and unconventional comparisons or "conceits." Donne's poetry also focused on themes of mortality, intellectualism, and spirituality through a philosophical style featuring antitheses and fusion of unlike ideas.

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    John Donne as a Metaphysical Poet

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    The document discusses John Donne's status as a metaphysical poet. It defines metaphysical poetry as dealing with abstract subjects like the nature of the universe and man's relationship with God. It explains that John Donne was a 17th century English poet considered the founder of the metaphysical poetry movement. His poetry was a dramatic departure from traditional verse through its use of wit, original expressions, obscurity, and unconventional comparisons or "conceits." Donne's poetry also focused on themes of mortality, intellectualism, and spirituality through a philosophical style featuring antitheses and fusion of unlike ideas.

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    20K views2 pages

    John Donne As A Metaphysical Poet

    Uploaded by

    Sr Chandrodaya J
    The document discusses John Donne's status as a metaphysical poet. It defines metaphysical poetry as dealing with abstract subjects like the nature of the universe and man's relationship with God. It explains that John Donne was a 17th century English poet considered the founder of the metaphysical poetry movement. His poetry was a dramatic departure from traditional verse through its use of wit, original expressions, obscurity, and unconventional comparisons or "conceits." Donne's poetry also focused on themes of mortality, intellectualism, and spirituality through a philosophical style featuring antitheses and fusion of unlike ideas.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 2

    St Xavier’s College, Mahuadanr

    John Donne as a Metaphysical Poet.


    The term metaphysics means something supernatural and transcendental. “Meta”
    means beyond and “physics” means physical nature. In simple words, metaphysical
    means 'what is beyond physical'. It deals with fundamental problems of life and death
    and soul even after death. The term “Metaphysical Poetry: means poetry dealing with
    metaphysical subjects such as nature of universe, movements of stars and planets and
    the whole relationship of man to God.
    The term "metaphysical," as applied to English and continental European poets of the
    seventeenth century, was used by Augustan poets John Dryden and Samuel Johnson to
    criticize those poets for their "unnaturalness."
    John Donne (1572 – 1631):
    John Donne is the leader and founder of the Metaphysical school of poetry. His poetry
    is a revolt against the popular current. He was the most influential metaphysical poet.
    His personal relationship with spirituality is at the center of most of his work, and the
    psychological analysis and sexual realism of his work marked a dramatic departure from
    traditional, refined verse. Though it is a fact that he remained under darkness for a
    couple of hundred years, yet today he is acknowledged as a remarkable poet of his era.
    The main characteristics of metaphysical poetry are original thought and expressions,
    conceit, wit, obscurity (gloom) and learning which are found in Donne's poetry.
    His poetry is metaphysical because of his individualism and his quest for learning. His
    poetry is full of wit. It is obscure and it indulges in fanciful conceits. It combines
    thought and emotion. It is logical, analytical (critical) and mystical (spiritual).

    In Donne's poetry, there is always an antithesis (contrast) between natural and divine
    knowledge. Donne's pre- occupation with mortality and death fills his poetry with a
    deathly element. Donne's poetry is purely intellectual and it makes an appeal to the
    intellectuals. His thoughts are often new. He has expressed his thoughts in a unique
    manner. In short, he played with thoughts.
    Obscurity (gloom) is one of the important features of Donne's poetry. In his poetry we
    find obscurity and vagueness of subject. This is linked with sensibility of literary wit and
    philosophical conceptions. He frequently combines dissimilar ideas. Thus his poetry is
    harsh, obscure and puzzling.

    Wit is one of the chief characteristics of Metaphysical poetry which is found everywhere
    in Donne's poetry. It fashions his feeling and thought. Passion sentiment and sensuality
    are subordinated to wit. His wit is unique in the discovery of comparison and analogies.
    It is realistic and straightforward. It runs side by side with humour and irony.

    Conceit is an important feature of Metaphysical poetry. Donne makes an abundant use


    of conceits. It is an instrument to reveal wit. The conceit is a comparison between two
    unlike objects or things. In short, it is an unbelievable comparison.

    John Donne is regarded as a great metaphysical and love poet. As a poet of love he
    changed the dynamics of love poetry which was severely resented (disliked) 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.

    For him love is not physical but spiritual. He plunged deep in Metaphysical pursuits.
    His selection of subject matter, his treatment, his diction and style prove him to be a
    true and great metaphysical poet.

    “Donne is metaphysical not only by virtue of his scholasticism but by his deep reflective
    interest in the experiences of which his poetry is the expression, the new psychological
    curiosity with which he writes of love and religion.”

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