Metaphysical Poetry

1. Metaphysical Poetry What defines it?

2. Metaphysical Poetry Defined • Metaphysical poetry is concerned with the whole experience of man, but the intelligence, learning and seriousness of the poets means that the poetry is about the profound areas of experience especially - about love, romantic and sensual; about man's relationship with God - the eternal perspective, and, to a less extent, about pleasure, learning and art.

3. Famous Metaphysical Poets • John Donne • George Herbert • Andrew Marvell • Henry Vaughn T.S. Eliot’s essay: The Metaphysical Poets

4. Metaphysical poems are lyric poems. They are brief but intense meditations, characterized by striking use of wit, irony and wordplay Metaphysical Conceit: An elaborate or unusual comparison-especially using unlikely metaphors, simile, hyperbole, and contradiction. In literary terms the word denotes an elaborate figure of speech, especially an extended comparison.

5. To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell Who is the speaker? Who is he addressing? What is the speaker’s argument? What is the attitude of the audience? How metaphysical?

6. Apt Specific Text References • Line # Notation Notes Type

7. The Flea by John Donne Who is the speaker? Who is he addressing? What is the speaker’s argument? What is the attitude of the audience? How metaphysical?

8. Write your own metaphysical poem Combine dissimilar images Discover resemblance in things apparently unalike Use far-fetched images, conceits, paradoxes, and intellectual wit Look beyond the palpable and real world images Spiritual and love key concepts