Entertainment / Literature / Metaphysical Poets: In his 1693 work, Discourse of Satire, John Dryden used the term metaphysical to describe the style of certain poets earlier in the 17th century. Later, Samual Johnson popularized the term in 1779. The term metaphysical implies the poetry is abstract and highly complex. The chief metaphysical poets include John Donne, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell, George Herbert, and Henry Vaughan. The group shares certain traits, but their themes, structures, and assorted tones in their poetry vary widely. (1) The group as a whole rejects the conventions of Elizabethan love poetry, especially the Petrarchan conceits that, by 1600, had become clich???©s. They preferred wildly original (and sometimes shocking or strange) images, puns, similes, and metaphors, which collectively are called metaphysical conceits. (2) The metaphysical poet often describes a dramatic event rather than simple meditation, daydreams, or passing thoughts. (3) The metaphysical poets employed inconsistant or striking verse--often imitating the rhythmic patterns of everyday speech, rather than attempting to create perfect meter in the manner later favored by neoclassical poets. Basically, the metaphysical poets would not let metrical form interfere with the development of a line of thought. (4) The poem often expresses an argument--often using wild flights of logic and unusual comparisons. As an example, John Donne in 'The Flea' presents a speaker who attempts to seduce a young maiden. The basis of his argument is the comparison between sex and a flea-bite. In 'Holy Sonnet 14,' Donne fashions a prayer in which he compares God to a rapist and himself to a besieged city.
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Entertainment / Literature / Metaphysical Poets: In his 1693 work, Discourse of Satire, John Dryden used the term metaphysical to describe the style of certain poets earlier in the 17th century. Later, Samual Johnson popularized the term in 1779. Th MORE
Lifestyle / Poetry / Poets Corner: An area in the south transept of westminster abbey that holds monuments (or graves) for such as geoffrey chaucer, william shakespeare, edmund spenser, ben jonson, john milton, michael drayton, samuel MORE
Lifestyle / Poetry / Beat Poets: A san francisco-based group of counter-culture poets such as allen ginsberg, lawrence ferlinghetti, and kenneth rexroth. MORE