📜English Literature – Before 1670 Unit 5 – Metaphysical Poetry in English Literature

What's Metaphysical Poetry?

• Metaphysical poetry emerged in the early 17th century in England as a distinct style of poetry
• Characterized by the use of elaborate conceits, extended metaphors that draw surprising comparisons between seemingly unrelated objects or ideas
• Explores complex themes such as love, religion, death, and the nature of the soul through intricate and often paradoxical language
• Employs wit, wordplay, and intellectual reasoning to convey deep emotions and philosophical ideas
• Challenges traditional poetic conventions of the time by favoring originality, ingenuity, and intellectual complexity over simplicity and sentimentality
• Often features a dramatic or argumentative tone, as the speaker engages in a dialogue with themselves, God, or a lover
• Reflects the intellectual and spiritual upheavals of the early modern period, including the rise of scientific inquiry and religious uncertainty

Key Poets and Their Works

• John Donne (1572-1631) considered the foremost metaphysical poet, known for his Holy Sonnets, "The Flea," and "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"
• George Herbert (1593-1633) wrote devotional poetry exploring his relationship with God, such as "The Collar" and "The Pulley"
• Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) known for his poems "To His Coy Mistress" and "The Garden," which blend sensual and spiritual themes
• Henry Vaughan (1621-1695) influenced by Herbert, wrote metaphysical poetry with a mystical and nature-oriented focus, such as "The World" and "The Night"
• Richard Crashaw (1613-1649) known for his religious poetry with elaborate conceits and sensual imagery, such as "The Weeper" and "The Flaming Heart"
  • Crashaw's poetry often draws on Catholic imagery and themes, reflecting his conversion to Catholicism later in life
• Thomas Traherne (1636-1674) wrote metaphysical poetry celebrating the glory of God in nature and the innocence of childhood, such as "Wonder" and "The Salutation"

Characteristics and Techniques

• Use of conceits, extended metaphors that draw surprising comparisons between seemingly unrelated objects or ideas
  • Example: In Donne's "The Flea," the speaker compares a flea that has bitten both him and his lover to their union in marriage
• Employs paradox, the juxtaposition of seemingly contradictory ideas, to explore complex themes and emotions
• Features wit and wordplay, often through puns, double entendres, and clever turns of phrase
• Uses intellectual reasoning and logical argumentation to convey emotional and spiritual truths
• Incorporates scientific, geographical, and philosophical knowledge of the time to create elaborate metaphors and analogies
• Experiments with poetic form, often using irregular meter, enjambment, and unconventional rhyme schemes to reflect the complexity of the subject matter
• Employs a dramatic or dialogic style, as the speaker engages in a conversation with themselves, God, or a lover
• Uses apostrophe, directly addressing an absent or abstract entity, to create a sense of intimacy and immediacy

Themes and Subject Matter

• Explores the nature of love, both spiritual and physical, often through the lens of religious devotion
  • Example: Donne's "Holy Sonnets" use erotic language to describe the speaker's relationship with God
• Grapples with questions of faith, doubt, and the relationship between the individual and the divine
• Meditates on the fleeting nature of life, the inevitability of death, and the immortality of the soul
• Investigates the human condition, including the tensions between body and soul, reason and emotion, and the temporal and the eternal
• Engages with the scientific and philosophical ideas of the time, such as the new astronomy and the concept of the "great chain of being"
• Explores the power of language and poetry itself to convey meaning and evoke emotion
• Reflects on the political and social upheavals of the early modern period, such as the English Civil War and the rise of Puritanism

Historical and Literary Context

• Emerged in the early 17th century, during a time of great intellectual and spiritual upheaval in England
• Influenced by the rise of scientific inquiry, particularly the new astronomy of Copernicus and Galileo, which challenged traditional views of the universe
• Reflects the religious uncertainties of the time, as the Protestant Reformation and the rise of Puritanism challenged the authority of the Church of England
• Responds to the political and social upheavals of the period, such as the English Civil War and the execution of King Charles I
• Builds on the poetic traditions of the English Renaissance, particularly the sonnets of Shakespeare and the devotional poetry of the metaphysical poets' predecessors
• Challenges the conventions of Elizabethan poetry, which favored simplicity, clarity, and emotional restraint, by embracing complexity, ambiguity, and intense emotion
• Anticipates the intellectual and artistic concerns of the later 17th century, particularly the Baroque style in art and music

Influence on Later Literature

• Had a significant impact on the development of English poetry in the 17th and 18th centuries
  • Poets such as Abraham Cowley and John Cleveland were directly influenced by the metaphysical style
• Shaped the religious poetry of the later 17th century, particularly the works of Thomas Traherne and Edward Taylor
• Influenced the Romantic poets of the early 19th century, who admired the metaphysical poets' emotional intensity and imaginative power
  • Samuel Taylor Coleridge praised the "mystical charm" of Donne's poetry
  • T.S. Eliot's essay "The Metaphysical Poets" helped revive interest in the metaphysical style in the early 20th century
• Inspired the modernist poets of the early 20th century, who appreciated the metaphysical poets' use of complex language and unconventional forms
• Continues to influence contemporary poets who engage with themes of love, faith, and the human condition through inventive language and metaphorical reasoning

Analysis of Notable Poems

• "The Flea" by John Donne uses the conceit of a flea that has bitten both the speaker and his lover to argue for the consummation of their relationship
  • The flea becomes a symbol of their union, as their blood is mingled within its body
  • The speaker uses logical reasoning to persuade his lover, arguing that since the flea has already joined them, they should not hesitate to physically unite
• "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne uses the conceit of a compass to describe the unbreakable bond between the speaker and his lover
  • The speaker's soul is the fixed foot of the compass, while his lover's soul is the moving foot that circles around him
  • The poem argues that their love is not diminished by physical separation, as their souls remain connected
• "The Collar" by George Herbert depicts the speaker's struggle to submit to God's will
  • The title refers to both the clerical collar worn by priests and the collar used to restrain a horse or dog
  • The speaker rebels against the constraints of his faith, only to ultimately surrender to God's love and guidance
• "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell uses the carpe diem theme to urge his lover to seize the day and consummate their relationship
  • The speaker argues that time is fleeting and that they must make the most of their youth and passion
  • The poem blends sensual and metaphysical imagery, as the speaker imagines their love persisting even after death

Why It Matters Today

• Metaphysical poetry continues to inspire and influence contemporary poets who seek to explore complex themes through inventive language and metaphorical reasoning
• Offers insight into the intellectual, spiritual, and artistic concerns of the early modern period, shedding light on the historical and cultural context of the 17th century
• Provides a model for how poetry can engage with the big questions of human existence, such as love, faith, death, and the nature of the soul
• Demonstrates the power of language to convey deep emotions and philosophical ideas through wit, paradox, and imaginative comparisons
• Encourages readers to think critically and creatively about the world around them, challenging conventional ways of seeing and understanding
• Invites readers to explore their own spiritual and emotional experiences through the lens of poetic expression
• Serves as a reminder of the enduring value of art and literature to illuminate the human condition and provide solace, insight, and inspiration across time and culture