Donne as a Metaphysical Love and Religious Poet

Answer

Trace metaphysical qualities in Donne’s poetry.

Or Evaluate Donne as a metaphysical love and religious poet.

Or write about how Donne’s treatment of love in his poems is metaphysical.

Or Mention and analyze metaphysical traits in Donne’s poetry. 

John Donne (1571/72-1631) is the pioneer and most prominent metaphysical poet of the 17th century. His (love) poems are widely celebrated and notable for their metaphysical qualities, such as subject matter, use of conceits, witty argument, dramatic quality, passionate thinking, and so on.

His works, including “The Sun Rising,” “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” and “The Canonization,” exemplify his metaphysical style and thematic exploration of love. Let’s evaluate Donne’s metaphysical approach.

Subject Matter: Metaphysical Poetry deals with abstract subject matter, such as Love, God, Religion, Death, etc. We can trace these themes in his famous love poems. Donne’s “The Sun Rising” is an excellent example of his treatment of love. In this poem, the speaker rebukes the sun, telling it to go away because it’s interrupting a special moment with his lover. 

Busy old fool, unruly Sun,

Why dost thou thus,

Through windows, and through curtains call on us?

The speaker argues that the lovers are complete and content with each other; they don’t need anything else. Their bedroom is the whole world to them. Similarly, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is a poem about two lovers saying goodbye. The poem uses clever words and imagery to show the deep and lasting bond between the lovers. “The Canonization” is a poem where the speaker defends his love against people who criticize it.

Use of Conceit: Conceits are the striking features of metaphysical poetry, and Donne’s poems are the best example. Conceit is a striking example of two far-fetched things the poet uses to make his argument.

“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is about two lovers saying goodbye. In this poem. Donne compares the lovers with the legs of a drawing compass, with one leg fixed at home and the other exploring the world. He says that their love remains strong even though they are physically apart. As Donne writes,

If they be two, they are two so

As stiff twin compasses are two;

Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show

To move, but doth, if the other do.

Witty Argument: “The Canonization” is a poem where the speaker defends his love against people who criticize it. He jokes about their opinions and says his love should be considered sacred. The poem uses playful language and witty arguments to challenge society’s views on love. In one of the lines, Donne playfully says, 

For God’s sake hold your tongue and let me love.

This line expresses the speaker’s defiance against societal judgment and his assertion that love should be celebrated. The speaker also argues that his love for his beloved has not harmed anybody. It has not drowned any merchant’s ship, caused a plague, or driven away the spring season. So, the speaker defends his love against people who criticize it.

“The Sun Rising” also showcases witty arguments to prove the special love between the lovers. The poem argues that the lovers are beyond conventional boundaries, in which their bedroom renders the whole world.

Paradoxes and Irony: Metaphysical poets use paradoxes and irony to challenge conventional thinking. Donne’s “Death, be not proud” is a notable example, where he personifies and then belittles death.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

Colloquial Language: Unlike the ornate and polished language of earlier poetry, metaphysical poets often employed a more conversational and direct style. In this poetry, poets use the rhythms and cadences of everyday speech.

Complex Form and Structure: Metaphysical poetry experimented with form and structure, often using irregular meter, varied stanza lengths, and intricate rhyme schemes. This structure mirrors the complexity of their themes, and Donne’s poetry is no different.

Overall, Donne’s metaphysical love poems are unique and thought-provoking. He goes beyond the usual ideas about love and explores its intellectual and spiritual aspects. His poems make us think about love more deeply.