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What is Metaphysical Poetry? | English Literature Lessons
English Lessons
Overview
This video explores the characteristics and historical context of Metaphysical Poetry, a 17th-century English literary movement. Initially viewed negatively by critics like Dr. Samuel Johnson, who found their work pretentious and overly intellectual, the poets gained recognition much later. A pivotal moment was H.J.C. Grierson's 1921 anthology, which inspired T.S. Eliot's influential essay. Eliot championed the Metaphysical poets, particularly John Donne, for their "unified sensibility" – the ability to seamlessly blend thought and feeling. The video contrasts this with the "dissociation of sensibility" that Eliot believed emerged later. Key features discussed include a departure from traditional verse, analytical and philosophical themes, colloquial language, varied subject matter (religion, love, spirituality), and the prominent use of "conceits" – elaborate and often surprising comparisons drawn from science, mythology, and everyday life. Examples like Donne's comparison of lovers to the legs of a compass and the expansion of gold illustrate this technique. The poets also employed "shock tactics" to jolt readers out of complacency.
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Chapters
- •Metaphysical poets (Donne, Marvell, Herbert, etc.) were active in 17th-century England.
- •The term 'metaphysical' was initially used negatively.
- •Dr. Samuel Johnson criticized them for being learned but pretentious and lacking naturalness.
- •He credited them with originality but felt their wit was their sole endeavor.
- •H.J.C. Grierson's 1921 anthology, 'Metaphysical Lyrics and Poems of the 17th Century', revived interest.
- •T.S. Eliot's 1921 essay, 'The Metaphysical Poets', was a major turning point.
- •Eliot praised their "unified sensibility" – the fusion of thought and feeling.
- •He placed John Donne at the pinnacle of poetic achievement.
- •Unified sensibility allowed poets to apprehend thought directly and sensuously.
- •Eliot argued this quality was lost after the Elizabethan/Jacobean eras.
- •The Age of Reason had thought without feeling; Romanticism had feeling without thought.
- •Modern poets, including Eliot, sought to regain this unified sensibility.
- •Broke from conventional, mellifluous verse.
- •More analytical, philosophical, and realistic than sentimental.
- •Often ironic, sarcastic, and cynical.
- •Used contemporary, colloquial language, sometimes resembling arguments or dialogues.
- •Wrote on diverse themes: religion, spirituality, love, philosophy.
- •Employed "conceits": elaborate, far-fetched, or strained metaphors.
- •Comparisons were drawn from science, metallurgy, mythology, etc.
- •Example: Lovers compared to the two legs of a compass.
- •Example: Love expanding like gold beaten thin (Donne's 'Valediction: Forbidding Mourning').
- •Conceits served to elaborate complex ideas in surprising ways.
- •Poets used "shock tactics" to engage the reader.
- •Example: Donne's opening line in 'The Sun Rising': 'Busy old fool, unruly sun'.
Key Takeaways
- 1Metaphysical poetry, initially criticized, was revived by T.S. Eliot's concept of "unified sensibility".
- 2This "unified sensibility" represents a seamless integration of intellect and emotion in poetry.
- 3Metaphysical poets broke from traditional poetic conventions, favoring analytical and philosophical content.
- 4They utilized colloquial language and often adopted an argumentative or conversational tone.
- 5A defining feature is the "conceit," an extended, often surprising metaphor drawn from diverse fields like science and mythology.
- 6The poets employed "shock tactics" and unconventional imagery to challenge readers' perceptions.
- 7Metaphysical poetry's themes spanned religion, love, and philosophical inquiry.
- 8Modern readers often find Metaphysical poetry more relatable than contemporary audiences did due to shifts in sensibility.