Metaphysical Poetry

★ Metaphysical Poetry according to Helen Gardener is characterized by:

• Concentration.
• The Expanded Epigram.
• Versification.
• Fondness for Conceits.
• The Abrupt, personal Openings of metaphysical poems .
• A Strong Sense of Actual Situations.
• Religious Poetry of the Metaphysical poets.

★ Metaphysical Poetry according to Jim Hunter is characterized by:

• Intellect and Emotion.
• The Use of Conceits.
• Concrete Imagery.
• Paradox.
• Conciseness.
• The Elements of Drama.
• The Sense of Humor.
• Intelligence.

★ Notes:
• Elements make a metaphysical poem concentrated are brief and conciseness.
• The classical epigram seems to inspire most of the metaphysical poetry.
• Metaphysical poets prefer shorter lines and simple verse form.
• Metaphysical poets would not use a line of ten syllables.
• The forms of the 17th century lyrics marked by concision and concentration.
• Conceit is a brief comparison between two things patently unlike.
• Conceits were so popular in Elizabethan poetry.
• Metaphysical poets deal with a conceit as a tool for definition or persuasion.
• John Donne is a master of metaphysical Conceit.
• John Donne gives one of the most unusual and the most famous metaphysical Conceits:
_ He describes the relationship between two lovers by comparing them to hands / legs.
• A considerable number of metaphysical poems are inspired by real life events or actual happenings.
• John Donne is the rightful master of inserting brilliant extraordinary ideas in mundane situations.
• Donne's love poems:
_ It is entitled to be true metaphysical creations.

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_ It have the right to the title metaphysical in its true sense.
• Mortification:
_ I Jim t is written by George Herbert.
_ He introduces the most familiar theme of man‘s life and the different stages and phases it
witnesses.
_ He uses two comparisons that are very traditional:
- He compares death to sleep.
- He compares a bed to a grave.
_ He concludes the poem with an old moral.
• Hunter defines metaphysical poetry as:
_ poetry that is concerned with the fundamental problems of the nature of the universe, and man‘s
place in life.
• Jim Hunter considers Henry Vaughan‘s poetry typically metaphysical.
• The world:
_ It is written by Henry Vaughan.
_ He says " I saw eternity the other night ".
• Metaphysical poetry involves both intellect and emotion.
• Strong emotions and powerful intellect are both needed for the production of good metaphysical
poetry.
• The soul and the brain are both creators of a metaphysical poem.
• Metaphysical poets favored the use of concrete are fond of the concrete metaphors.
• Henry Vaughan‘s poems:
_ It is good examples of this use of concrete metaphors.
• The use of paradox is a frequent stylistic device that gives power to a metaphysical poem.
• The Definition of Love:
_ It is written by Marvell.
_ He introduces one of the most clever and intellectually challenging paradoxes.
• Affliction:
_ It is written by John Herbert.
_ It is an example of paradox.
_ He says " Ah, my dear God! Though I am clean forgot ".
_ He says " Let me not love thee, if I love thee not ".
• An epigrammatic conciseness is one of the strengths of metaphysical poetry.
• Metaphysical poets are characterized by their terseness and neatness of style.
• Herbert‘s poetry:
_ It is an example of conciseness.
_ He says " Beauty and beauteous words should go together ".
• Vaughan's poetry:

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_ It is an example of conciseness.
_ He says " But life is, what none can express, ".
_ He says " A quickness, which my God hath kissed ".
• The element of drama, which appears clearly in first lines of poems.
• Herbert's and Vaughan's poetry:
_ It is an example of elements of drama.
• The elements of drama enrich the poem with speech rhythms and music.
• Humor is an element that appears in almost all metaphysical poems.
• Humor gives more focus to its seriousness.

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