Metaphysical Poetry

Metaphysical poems are very intellectual. One of the main characteristics of metaphysical poetry is that it tends to analyze emotions rather than expressing them. Another of the primary concepts found in metaphysical poetry is the idea that the perfection in life should be used as a remembrance of beauty in the eternal realm. Overall, their work relies on images and references to contemporary (or of the time) scientific or geographical discoveries.

Metaphysical Poets: 

John Donne “The Flea”

George Herbert “Artillery”

Henry Vaughn “I am the woman”

Thomas Carew “An Elegy upon the Death of the Dean of Paul's, Dr. John Donne”

Andrew Marvell “A Dialogue between Thyrsis and Dorinda”

Richard Lovelace “The Grasshopper”

Sir John Suckling “Upon My Lady Carlisle’s Walking in Hampton Court Garden”

Metaphysical Poetry Terms:

Imagery: unpoetic imagery that is sometimes shocking, and drawn from the commonplace or the remote, including extended metaphors that sometimes seem like they shouldn’t make sense.

Simple Diction: supports the pauses and breaks of everyday speech.

Form: frequently expressed as an argument with the poet's lover, God, or oneself.

Meter: often uneven so it goes naturally with the metaphysical poets' attitude and purpose: their belief in the perplexity of life, a spirit of revolt and the putting of an argument in speech rather than song.

Metaphysical Conceit: used in far-fetched and extended comparison used by metaphysical poets to explore all areas of knowledge. Uses unusual analogies for the poet's ideas with startlingly obscure or  shockingly commonplace metaphors.