Metaphysical Poetry

It was John Dryden who said in his “Discourse Concerning Satire”

that John Donne in his poetry “affects the metaphysics”. He
meant that Donne employs the terminology and difficult
arguments of the medieval scholastic philosophers.
Dr. Samuel Johnson extended the term metaphysical from Donne
to a school of poets while reviewing the poems of Cowley. It is
applied to poetry of an early group of the 17th century English
poets, notably John Donne, Richard Crawshaw, George Herbert,
Robert Herrick, etc.
The prominent features of metaphysical poetry are:
1. A metaphysical poem is full of metaphysical conceits that
make use of elaborate and unusual comparisons.
2. There is rigidity and harshness in versification.
3. Emotions are intellectualized and the images used are
intellectually conceived.
4. Contrasting associations are evoked by telescoping of
images.
5. Abrupt change of thought.
6. Succession of images that are only distinctly related.
7. A deliberate blend of incongruous images.
8. Bold and unconventional imagery.
Donne’s poem “a valediction: forbidding mourning” Contains
most of the aforesaid features. So, it is a famous metaphysical
poem.
In the second stanza of the poem the lover suggests that they
should part silently. There should not be any show of excessive
feeling such as shedding of tears or heaving sighs. The lover goes
on to say that they should melt when they part. The suggestion
helps to transmute thought into feeling.
The poem opens with a comparison between death and
separation. The poet compares his separation from his wife to the
separation of a man’s soul from his body at the time of death.
Comparing the temporary parting of the lovers to life and death is
an unusual comparison that evokes incongruous emotions.
The poem is full of metaphysical conceits. A conceit is a term for
figures of speech which establish a striking parallel between two
dissimilar things or situations. It is a clever expression or idea
used in poetry.
Earthquakes harm and fear. But motions of the outer spheres will
not do any harm to anyone. Here the separation of the poet and
his wife is compared to the motions of the outer spheres which
are harmless. This is an extension of the metaphysical conceit
used earlier.
It is like a piece of gold beaten to thinness. Here the poet makes
use of a simile. It is yet another example of a metaphysical
conceit. The best known conceit in the poem is the comparison of
their love to the coordinated moments of the two feet of a
compass. The firmness of the fixed foot is identified with the love
and faithfulness of the beloved. The fixed foot also moves as the
other foot revolves. The metaphysical conceit of the compass
gives a sense of spiritual completeness.
As we spoke earlier the use of telescopic images is yet another
feature of a metaphysical poem. Just like how a telescope would
make things look larger the poet resorts to expressions like “tear
floods” and “sigh tempests” to exaggerate the emotions
portrayed.
The way with which the poet moved from tear floods and sigh
tempests to earthquakes and the movement of heavenly bodies Is
an example of the quick or abrupt change of thought.
The comparison of his relationship with his wife to a compass and
the separation of lovers as an extension of love to the piece of
gold beaten to thinness are typical examples of the use of bold
and unconventional imagery.
Combining all these elements into a small poem like ”A
valediction: forbidding mourning” is a show of talent and
exceptional skill of John Donne. This poem reaffirms John Donne’s
title as the father of metaphysical poetry.