The poem makes a familiar argument in a very original way. ‘The Flea’ is one of the most commonly cited examples of a metaphysical poem, it is also one of Donne’s best. Poets whose works have been categorized as “metaphysical” often seek out the answers to questions such as, does God exist? Or, does humankind really have free choice? Or, what is the nature of reality?Įxamples of Metaphysical Poems The Fleaby John Donne Other common features include the use of colloquial diction, philosophical exploration, new and original conceits, irony, and the relaxed use of meter. One of the most prominent characteristics of this movement is the spoken quality of the poetry, something that many other writers of that time did not approve of. It is because of his writing that many writers who came after took on some or all of the features of metaphysical writing. Donne is most often cited as the best of this shortlist of writers and the originator of the basic tenants of the genre. He is followed by others such as Henry Vaughan, Andrew Marvell, and George Herbert. The best known of the metaphysical poets is John Done. He applied many of their techniques to his own writing. Eliot is one of the many twentieth-century literary critics who helped to establish the well-deserved reputation that writers such as John Donne and Andrew Marvell now hold. It was not until the twentieth century that many of these poets were adequately recognized for their talent and originality. The term was likely taken from Dryden who had described John Donne as affecting “metaphysics” in his “satires” and his “amorous verses”. Johnson wrote in Lives of the Most Eminent Engish Poets in the late 1700s, that a “race of writers” had appeared that might be termed “metaphysical poets”. These poets are noted for their “unnaturalness”.

Ahead of our latest course looking at the works of Eliot, it's worth bearing in mind the verse of the man he deemed to 'possess a mechanism of sensibility which could devour any kind of experience'.The word “metaphysical” was used by writers such as John Dryden and Samuel Johnson in regards to the poets of the seventeenth century. Eliot, influencing many of the modernists of the era. Donne's style was known for its vibrancy, inventiveness and paradoxes, one of which is set up in the very title of this poem - how can we think of 'absence' as 'present', and how does time 'settle' and also 'tarry'?ĭonne's poetry was revived in the 20th centrury by poets including W.B. This week's Featured Poem is a selection from John Donne, considered to be the founder of the Metaphysical Poets of the 17th century.

John donne complete poems