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Analysis on the Metaphysical Conceit in John Donne's Poems

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Analysis on the Metaphysical Conceit in John Donne's Poems SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (SSRG-IJHSS) – Volume 6 Issue 5 – Sep – Oct 2019 Analysis on the Metaphysical Conceit in John Donne‟s Poems Zhang Li#1, Wang Ce*2 #English Department, North China Electric Power University 689 Huadian Road, Baoding City, Hebei Province, People's Republic of China. Abstract conceit. However, the man who first put forward the In 17th century, Metaphysical poetry came “Metaphysical poetry” is not John Donne, is John into existence which adopted the unconventional and Dryden. John Dryden pointed that “He affects the subversive means. John Donne’s poems were Metaphysics in his amorous verses, where nature featured with exquisite conceit, profound meaning only should reign, and perplexes the minds of the fair and unconventionality. The conceits were not in the sex with nice speculations of philosophy, when he stone-cold speculative and philosophical perspective, should engage their hearts that is the origin of but the flowing of inner emotions in peoples’ hearts. Metaphysical poetry[1]. The conceit is an elaborate This thesis explores the inner spiritual meaning by poetic image or a far-fetched comparison of very learning the conceit skills of Donne. I dissimilar things, a witty or ingenious way. The poets blended the images with conceit, allusions, and Keywords — Metaphysical poetry, conceit, thoughts become one. The conceit can present people defamiliarization a new appearance. The conceit is different from the traditional ones. What makes Metaphysical poetry I. INTRODUCTION different is the special conceit. The conceit gives As the representative figure of Metaphysical people totally different feelings while reading the poetry, John Donne played an important role in the poetry. Metaphysical poets regarded that ordinary Metaphysical poetry. Through analyzing the theme and stale can not express the rich connotation and and image of the poetry of John Donne, people can real feeling of life. Metaphysical poets broke the understand the special emotions of John Donne. form and pattern, using unconventional images to Because of the unconventional conceits and manifest the rationality, setting people thinking overstatement, John Donne’s works were castigated deeply and taste the aroma. by many critics. At the beginning of 20th century, the metaphysical poetry received the reassessment. The III. THE METAPHYSICAL CONCEIT IN JOHN poetry of John Donne contain the specific and DONNE’S POETRY disorganized rhythm, colloquial without mincing The conceit in John Donne‟s poetry is words, it makes his poetry full of strongly emotions peculiar and unconventional, so the paper divided the and direct effects. For it is his intelligence, which conceit into following parts: special meaning of the combined sophism and sentiment integrated that ordinary images in John Donne‟s poetry and the made conceits the significant symbol of Metaphysical distortion of the traditional images in John Donne‟s poetry. The Poetry of John Donne is the treasure of poetry. literature of Human. This thesis aims to find another perspective to A. The Special Images in John Donne’s Poetry study the conceits of poetry of John Donne. Through There are many images in John Donne‟s analyzing the skills of expression, people can get a poetry; the images are ordinary and common. comprehensive understanding of novel conceits. However, in John Donne‟s poetry, the images are covered with the mysterious color. It makes the II. METAPHYSICAL CONCITE special meaning of the poetry distinguish from the Metaphysical school is a special poetry school in ordinary meaning. John Donne find a new path to the 17th century in UK. The poets have a strong endow the novel meaning which lifting the inherent rebellious spirit and tended to apart from the meaning. That is the ingenious skill of the traditional love poetry during the Elizabethan period. Metaphysical poets owned. Metaphysical school is not an organized literary group, only the poets have the common point in a) The Mystery of Geometric Circle literary style. Metaphysical poetry characterized by In the poetry of John Donne, geometric unconventional conceits, peculiar rhyme, speculative circle is the important image. Geometric figure have philosophy and frequent use of paradoxes. the mystique associated with the philosophy. It is not Conceit is the main feature of Metaphysical poetry. difficult to find out mysterious figures in his poetry. Most of John Donne‟s poetry has the wit and the The shape of circle gives people a feeling of smooth. ISSN: 2394 - 2703 www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 95 SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (SSRG-IJHSS) – Volume 6 Issue 5 – Sep – Oct 2019 In western, geometric circle means perfection, —Death Be Not Proud (lines: 5-8) integrity. No matter where to start, it will come back In this poem, John Donne describe death to its end. So circle also have the endlessness and with the “rest and sleep”, it shows his dauntless spirit loop. In John Donne‟s poetry, he usually link circle on death. John Donne regard death as a short period with compass in his love poems. In A Valediction: of rest and sleep, it shows that death is just a moment, Forbidding Mourning [2], he writes: while the joy after the death is eternal. Death is just a If they be two, they are two so short time for flesh to rest, but the spirit can be free. As stiff twin compasses are two; Death can take away everything, but we need not fear Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show that. The dynamic words “rest and sleep”, skillfully To move, but doth, if th‟ other do. modified the death and the poet‟s attitude. In the —A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning (lines: 25-28) poetry Holy Sonnet ⅹⅶ: Since She Whom I Loved In this poem, John Donne compares the feet [2], John Donne showed his contradictory feeling of compass with the relationship of a couple. That is towards death and life. In the former stanzas, he held the ingenious conceit. The feet of the compass is just the optimistic feeling to death, but in latter stanzas he like the wife and husband. The wife is the fixed foot, held the opposite feeling. only the wife fixed in the center, can the circle be Since she whom I loved hath paid her last perfect. The circle shows the perfection and happy debt ending. The feet show the souls of the couple. John To Nature, and to hers, and my good is dead, Donne eulogizes the faithfulness and spiritual love. And her soul early into heaven ravished, Because of the perfection of circle, it was covered Wholly on heavenly things my mind is set. with the color of holiness. In A Valediction of — Holy Sonnet ⅹⅶ: Since She Whom I Loved [2] Weeping , John Donne blended many circle images. (lines: 1-4) On a round ball John Donne showed his optimistic feeling to A workman that hath copies by, can lay his wife‟s death without too mush sorrow. After An Europe, Afric, and an Asia, death, his wife could get rid of the affairs of human And quickly make that, which was nothing, life. John Donne used the phrase “paid her last debt” all; to describe the death, it gave people a feeling of ease So doth each tear and novel. However, John Donne did not ignore the —A Valediction of Weeping (lines: 10-14) death of his wife completely, so the following stanza In this poem, John Donne used a series is: images of circles blended and fused. From round ball But why should I beg more love, whenas to global, from tear to the world, it showed a perfect thou world, a perfect state. Through these images, it also Dost woo my soul, for hers offering all thine: showed the ideal love. The blended images of circles And dost not only fear lest I allow such as a round ball, tear and the globe; these show My love to saints and angels, things divine. the images of circles naturally. A workman pasted the — Holy Sonnet ⅹⅶ: Since She Whom I Loved picture of the earth to a round ball; the ball then from (lines: 9-12) empty became the globe. The image of the circle John Donne could not put all his love for his implied that the mystery and wonder from emptiness wife to God, so he burst into bitter grumble to the to fullness. These images leave people a vast divinity. It shows the contradictory feelings of John imaginary space and profound meaning. Donne to death. In Song [2], John Donne described the death as following: b) The Dynamic Images of Death But think that we More than half of the Songs and Sonnets Are but turn‟d aside to sleep; written by John Donne, are related with the theme of [3] They who one another keep “Death” . Unlike other poets, John Donne‟ attitude Alive, ne’er parted be. towards to death is quite optimistic. John Donne —Song (lines:37-40) regards death as a new birth; people can get immortal Sleep was used by John Donne to describe through experiencing death. That is his attitude the death. John Donne told his lover that regarded his towards to death; the images have the dynamic state. ’ In John Donne‟s poetry, the death has the dynamic death as turning aside to sleep. In John Donne s state and the static state. In this section, the author of poetry, death is often shown by dynamic state, not a static state. In Devotions upon Emergent Occasions the thesis emphasized the dynamic state of the death. [2] In Death Be Not Proud [2], John Donne writes: , John Donne treated death as another state of life. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures He regarded human beings as the book that created be, by the God.
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