John Donne Biographiesi Simple introduction to metaphysical poetry. What is it?

1. John Donne
(1572-1631)

2. John Donne
Born 22 Jan 1572,London ,England
Died 31 March 1631(Age at death 59)
Occupation poet ,priest, lawyer
Nationality English
Genre Satire, love poetry ,sermon
Famous for Metaphysical poetry
Subject Love, Religion, Death

3. Biography
John Donne was born into Roman catholic family.
His parents were john Donne, wealthy merchant and Elizabethan Heywood.
His Father died on 1576 when he was only four, leaving and his mother remarried with a
surgeon Dr. john syminges.
He married secretly Anne More the niece of Sir Thomas Egerton in 1601.

4. Conti…
Since the marriage was against her fathers will he did not receive dowry and
was sent to prison for short period.
The couple had 12 children in sixteen years of marriage.
The death of this wife and three children left him in a state of acute pain and
despair and drove him into committing suicide.
He fell ill in 1624 and after facing many tragedies of life ; he died on the 31st of
March 1631 and he was buried in old St Paula's Cathedral.

5. Writing career
John was an English poet who is most well known because of his association to the concept of
metaphysical poetry .
He was also a cleric in the church of England .
His fame lies entirely on his significance in the field of metaphysical poetry .
His poems have followed basically two themes –Love and God.
After the death of his wife he devoted his energies to more religious subjects.
In 1950 he wrote most of his love lyrics and erotic poems.

6. His style
His poetry is marked by subtlety and complexity of thought ,excessive use of
paradoxes, distorted imagery and bold conceits.
His poetic style is also marked by abrupt openings.
He known for making poetry personal unlike the trends in classical poetry.
Use of wit and unique metaphors and similes are visible in his poems.
After his death he was termed a pioneer of the metaphysical school of thought. His style
is the most typical example of metaphysical poetry.

7. Best poems
 GO And Catch a Falling Star
 For Whom The Bell Tolls
 The Good Morrow
 Death Be Not Proud
 A Valediction Forbidding Mourning
 Hymn To God The Father
 The Canonization
 The Sunne Rising

8. Metaphysical poetry
The word meta means beyond and physical means physical nature.
Metaphysical poetry that goes beyond the physical world of the senses and explore
the spiritual world.
Metaphysical poetry refers to a type of very intellectual poetry.
It’s a type of poetry dealing with abstract or philosophical subjects such as love,
religion ,God, beauty, faith and so on.

9. Conti…
 The major quality of Metaphysical poetry is combination of thought and feeling.
And Donne is the master of presenting together different objects which have a remote similarity
between them.
He connects the abstracts with concrete, the remote with the near and physical with the
commonplace.