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What are The Metaphysical Poets Or Poetry

 "Then love is sin, and let me sinful be"

Samuel Johnson was poet and literary critic, who first coined the term metaphysical poetry in his book lives of the most eminent English poets in 1779. Also known as lives of poets. The term metaphysical poets name which was given by Dr Samuel Johnson in derision because of the fantastic form of Donne's poetry, who borrowed it from John Dryden's phrase about John Donne , He affects the metaphysics( Negative review). Drummond is the first critic to write of a group of metaphysical poets. Donne is considered as father of metaphysical poetry.

The term metaphysical means something supernatural and transcendental(उत्तमोत्तम). The word meta means beyond, after and physical means body nature. Its sense is 'what is beyond physical'. It is concerned with fundamental problems of life, death, soul even after death. The term metaphysical poetry means poetry dealing with metaphysical subjects. These subjects are nature of universe, movements of stars and planets and the whole relationship of man to God. Basically, metaphysics deals with questions that can't be explained by science. It questions the nature of reality in a philosophical way. John Donne and George Herbert are the two major poets of this school. Abraham Cowely. Henry Vaughan ,Andrew Marvell and Edmund Waller are the minor poets of this school. John Donne and Herbert are in different ways, a type of revoult against earlier forms and standards of poetry. In feeling and imagery both are poets of a high order, but in style and expression they are the leaders of the fantastic school whose influence largely dominanted poetry during the half century of the puritan period. The metaphysical poets were honest, original thinkers. They tried to analyse their feelings and experience of love. They were also aware of the life, and were concerned with death, burial descent into hell etc. Though hoped for immorality, they were obsessed by the Consciousness of morality which was often expressed in a mood of mawkish disgust. 

Features Of Metaphysical Poetry Or Characteristics 

There are Use of hyperbole, of philosophical argument, of abrupt beginning, of colloquial language, of Complex theme, of word play and wit, paradox, uniqueness, Platonic love, of fusion of thoughts and feelings, of baroque style ( use of puns, ironies ). There are Use of far fetched images and metaphors, called conceits, For instance, comparing unlikely things, such as lovers to a compass or the soul to a drop of dew. These weird comparisons were called conceits.

Metaphysical poetry is that in which a poet remains away from description of physical intimacy. The most important metaphysical poets are John Donne, George Herbert, Henry Vaughan, Thomas Traherne, Abraham Cowley, Richard Crashaw, and Andrew Marvell, Called as school of metaphysical poetry. Their work has considerably influenced the poetry of the 20th century and metaphysical poetry became famous in the 20th century. Andrew Marvell 1621 to 1678, because of his loyal friendship with Milton, and because his poetry shows the conflict between the two schools of Spenser and Donne. Edmund Waller 1606 to 1687, stands between the puritan age and the restoration age. Abraham Cowley, Who blossomed young and who, at 25, was proclaimed the greatest poet in England, is now scarcely known even by name, but his pindaric odes set an example which influenced English poetry throughout the 18th century. 

T . S. Eliot wrote eliot's essay metaphysical poets, said that unification of sensibility in metaphysical poets ( publication of his book) Donne became a first rate poet. Metaphysical poet Flourished towards the end of the Elizabethan era and the beginning of the Jacobean era. It majorly belongs to the Caroline age. 

Johnson writes that The Metaphysical poets were men of learning and to show their learning was their whole endeavour ( Efforts)... They neither copied nature nor life... Their thoughts are often new, but seldom natural, they are not obvious, but neither are they just, and the reader , far from wondering that he missed them, wonders more frequently by what perverseness of industry they were ever found.

The two major poets of this school

George Herbert  And  John Donne


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