John Donne : the monarch of wit and icon of metaphysical poetry

Abstract EN

Metaphysical poets revolutionized English poetry stylistically and thematically.

they worked out a new way to give expression to their thoughts.

they sometimes drew their conceits from “recesses of learning not very much frequented by common readers of poetry”.

as sir Walter Scott said, “they played with thoughts as the Elizabethans had played with words”.

metaphysical poetry is less concerned with expressing feeling than with analyzing it, with the poet exploring the recesses of his consciousness.

the boldness of the literary devices used-especially obliquity, irony, and paradox-are often reinforced by a dramatic directness of language and by rhythms derived from that of living speech.

as a representative of metaphysical poets, John Donne’s poems were featured with exquisite conceit, profound meaning and unconventionality.

this article sheds light on features of metaphysical poetry and explores the conceit in John Donne’s selected poems.

it puts forth the assumption that the conceit is a sign of novelty in English poetry and that readers of John Donne should be acquainted with science, philosophy, astronomy, geometry, law and other fields of study.