chief features of Cavalier poetry
chief features of Romanticism
Feminism and Feminist Theory
The word Metaphysics means based on
abstract general reasoning. Basically it deals with questions that
can’t be explained by science. It questions the nature of reality in a
philosophical way. Metaphysics cover a broad range of topics from religious to
consciousness; however all ponder the nature of reality.
Literary critic and
poet Samuel Johnson first coined the term ‘Metaphysical Poetry’ in his
book Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets. It denotes the work
of group of poets who came directly or indirectly under Donne’s influence.
Usually lyrical in nature, there work shows a surprising blend of passion and thought;
their poems are full of learned imagery and striking conceits and at their best
reveal great psychological insight and subtlety of thought development. Metaphysical
poetry is primarily a style which provides the poet with a tool that places
emotions in the wider matrix of life and also perceives a correlation between
one emotion and the other. It is a conception of poetry in which the genesis
is, no doubt in private emotions of the poet, but the private emotion is judged
and evaluated in a bigger pattern. In this category are included a host of
seventeenth century poets namely Donne, Herbert, Crashaw, Marvell, Vaughan and
Traherne.
Features:-
- Blend of passion, thought and
feelings: The metaphysical were well-acquainted with the
human elements like passion, thought and feelings and they also believed that
there exists some kind of relationship among these three which they viewed more
in terms of morality and less aesthetics. Commenting on this relation T.S.Eliot
states,
The
relationship between thought and feeling is infact the recreation of thought
into feelings.
For
e.g; Donne in his poem The Extasie finds a close link between
body, soul and mind.
·
- Personal expression:
According to Duncan critics have found ‘the flux and flow’ of particular
experience of the metaphysical in their poetry. During Renaissance writers were
interested in the love theme or in the expression of the abstract in the
universe. But the metaphysical shifted the mode of expression from abstract to
personal. Though this feature is not present in all metaphysical but majority
were interested in the personal expression in order to communicate their
feelings. This tendency resulted into a new point of view in poetry, commonly
known as writer’s point of view.
- Theme:
Metaphysical poetry is the mixture of sensual and spiritual experience. Two
popular themes are religion and love. Many metaphysical did not believe in an
organized religion and encouraged people to think when it comes to religion and
spirituality. They often dealt with questions about the existence of God and
the tendency of human beings to perceive this world. Another frequent theme was love- lust, romance
and all that accompanies. There was little reference to contemporary matters-
political etc, but the problem of the time were often reflected in the poetry
especially the religious issues.
- Logic and metaphor (conceit):
Aristotle approved of the use of metaphors which are derived from
well-constructed enigmas and was opined that one should select metaphors from
objects which are closely related to the thing itself; but these should not be
immediately obvious. The metaphysical poets thoroughly followed this principle
of Aristotle. They brought logical extension into their poetry with the help of
metaphor. Andrew Marvell’s poem The Definition of Love is an
ideal example.
- Wit:
All the metaphysical had a great fascination for wit with which they tried to
refine their language of poetry. Wit played a vital role in the selection of
far-fetched and scientific images. John Donne is called the ‘monarch of wit’ in
the history of metaphysical poetry.
- Originality:
All the metaphysical poets were unique and original in their ideas and
thoughts. They stood against their contemporaries and followed their own way of
writing poetry.
- Unclarity:
Metaphysical poetry is considered highly ambiguous due to high intellect and
knowledge of metaphysical poets. The poetry is challenging to understand at the
first reading. It needs full concentration and attention to get to the roots.
- An expanded epigram:
A fitting description of metaphysical poetry. Nothing is described in detail
nor is any word wasted.. Though the verse forms are usually simple they are
always suitable in enforcing the sense of poem.
- Condensed Style:
With the reaction against Elizabethan ideas and techniques, the old rhetorical
contrived style gave way to a more condensed style following more closely the
wording and rhythm of everyday speech. There is wiry strength in the style. The
poetic style is sometimes almost startling in its sudden beauty of phase and
melody of diction but there are unexpected turns of language and figures of
speech.
Metaphysical Poets:-
John Donne (1573-1631)
George Herbert
(1593-1633)
Richard Crashaw
(1613-1649)
Henry Vaughan
(1622-1695)
Thomas Carew
(1594-1639)
Abraham Cowley
(1618-1667)
Andrew Marvell
(1621-1678)
Thomas Traherne
(1637-1674)
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