METAPHYSICAL POETRY..

METAPHYSICAL POETRY..

Here, I'll write about METAPHYSICAL POETRY & GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF METAPHYSICAL POETRY... 

METAPHYSICAL POETRY

                 What is metaphysical poetry? And who were the metaphysical poets? In this blog about metaphysical poetry I'm going to take a closer look at the origins of the term and some examples of this curious and enigmatic school of early modern poetry. Common features of metaphysical poetry, which I'll explore in this short introduction, include elaborate similes and metaphors, extended poetic conceits and paradoxes, colloquial speech, and an interest in exploring the interplay between the physical and spiritual world (and between the big and the small).

              

*Definition of Metaphysical Poetry

                 You've probably heard of haikus, lyrical poems and limericks. All of those types of poetry have specific qualities that allow us to group them together. Metaphysical poetry is a little bit different. The poems classified in this group do share common characteristics: they are all highly intellectualized, use rather strange imagery, use frequent paradox and contain extremely complicated thought.

                 However, metaphysical poetry is not regarded as a genre of poetry. In fact, the main poets of this group didn't read each other's work and didn't know that they were even part of a classification.

                 Literary critic and poet Samuel Johnson first coined the term 'metaphysical poetry' in his book "Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets" (1179-1781). In the book, Johnson wrote about a group of 17th-century British poets that included John Donne, George Herbert, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell and Henry Vaughan. He noted how the poets shared many common characteristics, especially ones of wit and elaborate style.

                  The word 'meta' means 'after,' so the literal translation of 'metaphysical' is 'after the physical.' Basically, metaphysics deals with questions that can't be explained by science. It questions the nature of reality in a philosophical way.

                 Metaphysics can cover a broad range of topics from religious to consciousness; however, all the questions about metaphysics ponder the nature of reality. And of course, there is no one correct answer to any of these questions. Metaphysics is about exploration and philosophy, not about science and math.

             Poets associated with metaphysical poetry include JOHN DONNE, GEORGE HERBERT, ANDREW  MaARVELL, and HENRY VAUGHAN: DONNE is often said to be FIRST metaphysical poet, and Donne’s genius for original, intellectually complex poetry certainly helped to set the trend for the poetry that followed him. (Donne began writing at the end of the sixteenth century, but the high moment of metaphysical poetry would be in the century that followed.) Key characteristics of metaphysical poetry include: complicated mental and emotional experience; unusual and sometimes deliberately contrived metaphors and similes; and the idea that the physical and spiritual universes are connected.

                 This last one is where the term ‘Metaphysical’ came from: from metaphysics, the branch of philosophy dealing with, among other things, the relationship between mind and matter, or between the physical world and human consciousness. (Curiously, the word ‘Metaphysical’ comes from the GREEK meaning ‘AFTER PHYSICS’, but more specifically referred to ‘after Aristotle’s work on physics’, probably because a student of philosophy was only meant to delve into the complex and more abstract world of metaphysics after they had mastered Aristotle on physics.)

 

                 For this reason – because they’re interested in the interplay between the world of the mind (or the spirit or soul) and the physical world ‘out there’ – metaphysical poets often give concrete form to abstract ideas through their unusual images and comparisons. So, for instance, in his poem ‘The Definition of Love’, Andrew Marvell (1621-78) writes about the fact that he and his beloved are doomed never to be together, despite being made for each other:

As lines, so loves oblique may well
Themselves in every angle greet;
But ours so truly parallel,
Though infinite, can never meet.

Therefore the love which us doth bind, B

ut Fate so enviously debars,

Is the conjunction of the mind,
And opposition of the stars.

                  Is this an example of ‘star-cross’d lovers’, as in Romeo and Juliet? Marvell doesn’t state the reasons why he and his love cannot consummate their love, but heuses the clever image of two parallel lines to embody the idea that, although perfect for each other, he and his love cannot be one. Parallel lines, you see, are a perfect match for each other (they run parallel, so are on the same course), but they can never meet, precisely because they are parallel. Clever, eh? Some critics have interpreted Marvell’s poem as being about same-sex desire (the two would-be lovers are parallel lines because they’re the same gender, but because homosexual love was outlawed in the seventeenth century, they must never ‘meet). 

              But whether we interpret the image in that way or not, the clever thing is that Marvell has given concrete form to an abstract dilemma. His poem also neatly captures metaphysical poetry’s fondness for paradox: he and his love are made for each other, but will never be together precisely because they are too ‘parallel’, too well-matched.

                    

*Characteristics of Metaphysical poetry

              Metaphysical poetry talks about deep things. It talks about soul, love, religion, reality etc. You can never be sure about what is coming your way while reading a metaphysical poem. There can be unusual philosophies and comparisons that will make you think and ponder.

               Even though it talks about serious stuff, it talks about it in a humorous way. The tone is sometimes light. It can be harsh sometimes too. The purpose is to present a new idea and make the reader think. 

                 Another characteristic of such poetry is that it is unclear. Because it provides such complicated themes, the idea of metaphysical poems is somewhat not definite. It is different for every person. It depends on the perception and experiences of the reader. Every person will take something different out of the same poem based on their beliefs and understanding.

                  Metaphysical poetry is also short. It uses brief words and conveys a lot of ideas in just a small number of words. There are many maxims in this type of poetry too. John Donne introduced sayings into metaphysical poetry.

             The unusual comparison of things in poetry is one of its unique and most interesting characteristics. The unusual comparison is conceit. Conceit compares very dissimilar things. For example bright smoke, calling lovers as two points of compass, taking soul as dew drop, etc.

                  Other unique feature of this poetry is Platonic Love. The word is taken after Plato. Platonic love is a non-romantic love. There is no lust or need of physical contact. It is spiritual love and is mostly for God.

                   

*Conclusion

              Metaphysical poetry is to be read with an open mind. It is not purposely trying to convince readers to think in a certain way but it provides a new way of thinking. Metaphysical poets are highly intellectual and people of learning. Reader’s minds open up, their area of thinking expands, and they awaken by their writings. The challenging approach of such poetry develops the concentration of readers on the things that exist beyond this physical world. It also permits the poets to state their inner thoughts in the poetry though higher cognitive skills are required to digest the abstract ideas and concepts coined in metaphysical texts of poetry.

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