Welcome Readers!
This blog is made
on the grounds of a task assigned by Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad Sir, Dean of
Faculty of Arts and Head of English Department, M. K. Bhavnagar University to
write a reflective blog on Metaphysical Poetry- one of the most important units
of our syllabus.
METAPHYSICAL POETRY
This is the image of the ‘Title page of The Mariners Mirror’ published in 1588. It is actually an English version of the world’s first sea-atlas which consist of a collection of charts, coastal views and directions to help sailors to navigate Europe, Spain, and Norway. This sixteenth-century image is worth noting with reference to the Renaissance spirit of explorations and sea voyages and as a result of these explorations ‘Literature’ played a vital role in reflecting things. This title page is constructed by Theodor de Bry which highlights the human role in measuring and shaping the earth, seas, and sky.
The affluent imagery of maps and a blank globe in the center is surrounded by a group of people earnestly waiting for the space to be filled. Hence, in some ways, I found this group in the image so relatable with Metaphysical Poets. It seems like these poets are trying to look at the distant world through the canon (directed by John Donne) are trying to capture far-fetched images to compose a scholarly work.
Point 1.
Characteristics of Metaphysical Poetry with explanation of a few metaphysical poetry written by John Donne as well as any other Metaphysical Poet.
The term ‘Metaphysical Poetry’ was extended by a remarkable critic Dr. Samuel Johnson in a biographical work called ‘Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets with critical observations of their Works’ (a collection of 5 volumes) in a derogatory sense addressed to a group of poets emerged in the second half of seventeenth century who followed the style of writings of John Donne.
The theme of Metaphysical Poetry can be defined as,
“A distinct style of writing that tries to explain the natural world beyond the physical speculation with intellectualized feeling by comparing it with far-fetched objects.”
Chief Characteristics of Metaphysical Poetry-
• Major Focus on unassociated entities-
The major focus of Metaphysical Poem is generally concentrated on the unassociated and distant entity or entities. These poems are artistically woven in such a way that a reader is not allowed to distract from the reading but to be highly attentive and to compare the central theme of the poem with the far different conceit which is described. The metaphysical poets connected dots of totally different objects with the highly appealing theme of love, marriage or human soul and composed altogether a new and separate poem which hardly is similar to the flamboyance and lavishness of Elizabethan verse. It compels the reader to go on for a mental exercise.
As for example, the poem “The Pulley” by George Herbert is one of the famous metaphysical religious poems. To reveal the truth of human beings’ restlessness, a device called Pulley is used as an unassociated metaphysical entity. In the first place, the poet is thankful to God for all that is granted but he then tells of a thing which God had not bestowed to any mankind- “Peace”.
‘The blessings of God bestowed upon mankind’ is highlighted with words- ‘the glass poured’. God’s gifts are Strength, Beauty, World’s Riches, Wisdom, Honor, Pleasure but not Rest. God had not given any rest or peace of mind to man. The poet then gives a reason for this restlessness as he thinks if God will give peace of mind than his gifts will be more adorn and valued then he himself. So let man has all the gifts except rest so then if he will get tired of the rest of the gifts, he can return to God and pray. In this way, Herbert’s feelings seem to be disillusioned with his vocation of a priest.
Herbert has done a remarkable use of architectural images in his poems. So, this is one of the qualities that separated Donne and his followers from other Elizabethan poets and established their greatness.
• Intellectual Scholarship
Donne is commonly considered as the great literary inventor of his age; a poet who invented a much more individual style of writing. The metaphysical poets forced themselves into literary limelight by the sheer energy, impudence, and originality of writings. The poets tried to concentrate on a distinct style of writing which rarely seemed to be the pure Elizabethan genre. The serious issues of life are dealt with humor and the intensity of seriousness is made light.
For example, John Donne compares his ladylove with a compass, a geometrical tool in his poem ‘The Valediction: Forbidding Mourning’.
“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.
And though it in the center sit,
Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.”
The “fixed foot” is his wife’s soul. Just as the fixed part of the compass, his wife would stay on the same center and he, if goes a way out (move round and round), will meet the end at last as the two feet of a compass end up being together.
The poem exhibits Donne’s scholarship in a particular dramatic occasion. The poet is about to start a long journey so he farewells his lady with advice not to be sad and shed tears. Donne begins by stating that the virtuous man leaves life behind so delicately that even his friends fail to describe the difference. The love is so much woven by the matrimonial strings that those who are outside their marriage bond won’t be able to even realize their threads. Though he goes out on a long way, he will soon return to her as both the ends of a compass eventually gets back together.
Sir Walter Scott rightly quoted on Metaphysical poets,
"They played with thoughts as the
Elizabethans had played with words."
• Witty, Ironical and conversational tone
The metaphysical poems are marked by subtle wit, pun, and irony. They are composed in a conversational style. Metaphors, puns, paradoxes & meter are used to create drama & tension. In Dryden’s phrase, the texts of metaphysical poets have seemed as if they
“torture one poor word ten thousand ways”.
For instance, Donne’s poem ‘The Anniversary’ begins with a serious tone but the paradox of the poem is in the central theme- the immortality of true love which transcends death itself.
The speaker of the poem says their day is an everlasting day of love which is beyond any worries of yesterday or tomorrow. Hence the tone is full of wit, is ironical and a complete paradox.
•
Platonic Love
The concept of Platonic love is philosophical doctrine.
Platonic love is simply loving that steps short of sexual gratification. As per
M. H. Abrams, the platonic lover is irresistibly attracted to the bodily beauty
of a beloved person, but reverses it as a sign of the spiritual beauty the
spiritual beauty that it shares with all other beautiful bodies, and that at
the same time regards it as merely the lowest rung on the ladder that leads up
from a sensual desire to the pure contemplation of Heavenly Beauty in God.
‘The Good-Morrow’ by John Donne is a poem that goes from lusty
love towards spiritual love. There are forceful
comparisons between his love and the astronomy, geography and medieval alchemy
in this poem. The lovers have reached the immortality in their love and hence
the theme of Platonic love is very uniquely depicted in the poem.
•
Unification of Sensibility
One of the most characteristic features of metaphysical poetry
is what T. S. Eliot defines as “unification of sensibility”. The phrase denotes
the fusion of thought and emotion. Unlike other poets, the metaphysical poets
felt their thought and then recreate the beauty of their thought into feelings.
Donne's poem "Song" is the correct illustration of unified sensibility.
‘Song: Sweetest Love, I do not go’ is a poem about death in
love. The poem is a valediction.
‘Sweetest love, I do not go,
For weariness of thee,
Nor in hope the world can show
A fitter love for me;
But since that I
Must die at last, 'tis best
To use myself in jest
Thus by feign'd deaths to die.’
In the first place, the poet’s passionate argument comforts his
beloved that his absence will be a rehearsal of death.
‘When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not wind,
But sigh'st my soul away;
When thou weep'st, unkindly kind,
My life's blood doth decay.
It cannot be
That thou lov'st me, as thou say'st,
If in thine my life thou waste,
That art the best of me.’
In the second place, it denotes the unified sensibility of
emotion and feeling.
In a nutshell, some of the characteristics of metaphysical
poetry – use of metaphysical conceits, the poets were learned University
scholars who made a conscious attempt to differ in their style of writing
poetry. Platonic love, a unification of sensibility and all these features help
one to understand the metaphysical poetry in a much deeper way.
#Metaphysical poetries written by John Donne
John Donne is considered as a pioneer of Metaphysical Poetry. Here
is a critical examination of some poetry. Click on the link to view a brief
analysis of poems-
- 2. The Relic
(click on the link to view)
Q. If you can write creative poems, try to rewrite or create new
metaphysical poem in either English or Gujarati or Hindi or Sanskrit language.
Here is my attempt in trying to write a metaphysical poem in
English Language. As it is my first attempt to write a metaphysical poem for the first time, in my poem ‘The Match’, I have tried to
signify a young girl’s feelings who is at the verge of death with a match
stick.
Thank you.
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