A Metaphysical poet is any of the 17th-century English poets who are drawn to the personal and intellectual depth and focus demonstrated in John Donne's poetry, the chief of the Metaphysicals.... Donne was an Augustinian monk who became dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. He began writing poems at an early age and continued throughout his life. Donne used his theological knowledge to write about spiritual matters with the aim of encouraging readers to lead holy lives.
He was born on March 31st, 1572 in Snitterfield, England and died on April 19th, 1631 in London, England.
Donne's work pre-dating Herbert's by about fifteen years made him famous during his own lifetime. His poems were widely read and many of them have become classics. Today his writings remain important sources for writers interested in metaphysical poetry.
Donne was educated at Cambridge University and after becoming a priest he moved to London, where he worked as a preacher before being appointed dean of St. Paul's. However, due to mental illness caused by epilepsy he left this post only three years later and died six years later at the age of forty-one.
He wrote more than thirty thousand lines of poetry which include epigrams, sonnets, and verses.
John Donne was the founder and head of the metaphysical poetry school. Dryden initially used this term to describe Donne, saying that he "affects the metaphysics." Abraham Cowley, Henry Vaughan, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell, George Herbert, Robert Herrick, and others are examples of metaphysical poets.
Donne's work pre-dating Herbert's by about 15 years brought him fame during his own lifetime but was later overshadowed by Herbert. However, both men have been praised and followed since their deaths. Today, many poets consider themselves members of the metaphysical school.
Metaphysical poetry is a loose label applied to various kinds of poems that use abstract ideas as their theme or subject matter rather than physical reality. The term was first used in 1668 by Samuel Johnson who described John Donne's work as "metaphysical poetry". Later writers such as Alexander Pope and William Hazlitt expanded on this definition.
By focusing on concepts such as truth, virtue, and beauty, these poets sought to explore what it means to be human. They also shared a belief that reality is beyond our senses and that there is more to life than mere materialism. These beliefs can be found in many other cultures throughout history but were particularly popular in 18th century England when modern science was developing at a rapid rate.
Donne was born in 1572 into a wealthy family in East Grinstead, Sussex.
Poet of metaphysics
Metaphysical poetry is distinguished by original concepts and phrases, conceit, wit, obscurity, and learning. All of these essential features may be seen in Donne's poetry. Because of his independence and need for knowledge, his poetry is metaphysical. His poetry is filled with humor. Donne was able to combine seriousness and humor in his writing.
Donne was born on March 15th, 1572 in London. He was educated at Cambridge University and Lincoln's Inn. He became a priest in 1603 but was forced to resign due to mental illness. Donne died in 1631 at the age of 38.
His most famous work is The Complete English Poems. This collection contains all of Donne's poems that are available today. They were published between 1633 and 1667. The Complete English Poems has been called "the greatest anthology of seventeenth-century poetry."
Donne's work pre-dating Herbert's by about fifteen years made him the most important metaphysical poet of his time. "Donne's influence on Herbert is undeniable," writes one critic. "Herbert copied many of Donne's metaphors and images and incorporated them into his own work."
Donne wrote about religious subjects but did not preach or teach. Instead, he used his poetry as a tool for discussion and debate.
The name "Metaphysical Poets" was used by the poet and critic Samuel Johnson to designate a loose group of 17th century English lyric poets whose work was distinguished by the imaginative use of conceits and speculation on issues such as love or religion. Johnson also called them "a school without a master".
The phrase "metaphysical poetry" has been used since at least 1650 to describe the work of various poets including John Donne, George Herbert, and Michael Drayton. But it was not until much later that this term came to be applied to the imagination of William Blake or the poetry of Percy Shelley.
Blake used the term to describe his own work but also suggested that it was already being used for other purposes so he called his poems "Ecclesiastical Poems" instead.
Shelley adopted the term to describe the poetry that he and his friends wrote together during their time in Geneva. He used it in a letter written in 1821 when he described one of his own poems as "a metaphysical poem."
The word "metaphysics" comes from two Greek words meaning "afterthought" or "something after thought", and was first used by Aristotle to describe any study of nature or reality beyond what can be known directly through sense perception or scientific investigation.
John Donne, George Herbert, Henry Vaughan, Thomas Traherne, Abraham Cowley, Richard Crashaw, and Andrew Marvell are among the most notable metaphysical poets. Their work had a significant impact on twentieth-century poetry. The term "metaphysical" comes from the Greek metaphysikos meaning "related to nature or reality," and thus refers to any writing that focuses on exploring the depths of human understanding and experience.
Donne, Herbert, and Vaughan were members of the English Church in the early 17th century. They were opposed to the English Church's acceptance of the Holy Trinity after the Restoration following the English Civil War. Donne was born 1572 and died 1631, Herbert five years later and Vaughan in 1622. All three were educated at Cambridge University. Their poems reflect their interest in religious faith and skepticism. They also explore the limits of human knowledge and imagination. These subjects are discussed with great clarity and elegance in Donne's poems which make him the leading figure of the group.
Herbert wrote several collections of poems but is best known for his single volume titled The Temple of God. This poem describes the building of a temple as a metaphor for the creation of something new within the soul. It explores various ideas such as sin, guilt, repentance, forgiveness, redemption, and salvation.
The critic Samuel Johnson used the term "metaphysical poets" to designate a loose group of 17th-century English poets whose work was distinguished by the imaginative use of conceits and a stronger focus on the spoken rather than lyrical nature of their poems. Johnson also noted that they were all metaphysical dissenters who took up arms against the established church in England.
The metaphysical poets included George Herbert, Richard Braithwaite, John Donne, and Thomas Stanley. They wrote in the early part of the 17th century, when England had been without an official state religion for almost a decade after the execution of Charles I in 1649 for treason against the Church of England. The poet John Milton was also considered a member of this group because he shared many of their views on religion and politics.
Herbert is regarded as the father of metaphysical poetry because of his influential book Of Heavens Ultimates (1633). This poem consists mainly of descriptions of natural phenomena such as stars, sunsets, and storms that are often compared to human emotions. It also contains several prayers that serve as introductions to each of the five sections of the work.
Braithwaite was an Anglican priest who became disillusioned with the conduct of the English church during the years following the end of King James I's two reigns.
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