How did Eliot assess Johnson as a critic of the metaphysical poets?

Answer

How did Eliot assess Johnson as a critic of the metaphysical poets? [NU: 2017] Or, What is Eliot’s assessment of Johnson as a critic of the metaphysical poet? [NU: 2019, 22] ★★★

T.S. Eliot (1888–1965) was a poet and critic. His essay “The Metaphysical Poets” was published in 1921. Eliot writes about Johnson’s views on poets. He shares his own thoughts on Johnson as a critic. Let us analyze the assessment.

Johnson’s Criticism: Johnson judged the metaphysical poets’ style harshly. He thought their ideas were forced together. Johnson said,

“The most heterogeneous ideas are yoked by violence together.”

He did not like their strange wordplay. He preferred simple and natural poetry. Johnson’s comments became very famous.

Eliot’s View: Eliot strongly disagrees with Johnson’s view. He does not think metaphysical poetry is strange or weak. Instead, he admires its unique style and depth. Eliot believes Johnson focused too much on form. Besides, he did not focus enough on feeling or thought. In his essay, Eliot points out,

“The effect is due to a contrast of ideas, different in degree but the same in principle.”

It is about Johnson’s poem “The Vanity of Human Wishes,” but connects it with the metaphysical poets. This quote means the metaphysical poets use different images. However, the basic idea is the same as in other poems. Eliot says their poetry is built on real emotions and true experiences. Their ideas may seem new, but their method is not wrong.

Missed Unity: Eliot says Johnson did not see unity. Metaphysical poets joined thought and feeling. This strength was ignored by Johnson. Johnson looked only at the outside. He missed the heart of the poems.

Eliot’s Preference: Eliot respects the metaphysical poets more. He values their skill and deep ideas. He thinks they brought new life to poetry. Johnson’s criticism did not understand their greatness.

In short, Eliot thinks Johnson did not judge fairly. He believes Johnson missed unity and creativity. Eliot’s ideas help students see