Donne as a Distinctive Poet

Submitted to: Ms. Sabahat Mushtaq
Subject: Classical Poetry

Topic: “Distinctive Qualities of Donne as a Poet”

Submitted by: Ambreen Naqvi (11014237-1006)

M.A English
Fall 2011
1st Semester

Content

 Introduction
• John Donne
• The Age of Donne
• Life History
• Major Works

 Donne As A Metaphysical Poet
• Metaphysical poetry
• Love Poetry
• Divine Poetry

 Donne’s Style
• Use of Metaphysical Conceits
• Bizarre Imagery & Thoughtful Comparison
• Use of Space in Love
• Use of Personification
• Man of Passion

 Critical Analysis
• Donne Vs. The Elizabethan Lyric
• Donne’s Journey Through Vulnerability
• Romantic Contradiction in Donne’s Poetry
• Vulgar Poetry

 Remarks/Conclusion
 References
John Donne (1572-1631)
Introduction
One of the most original and controversial poets in the history of English literature, John Donne (1572-1631) is best known for his metaphysical poetry on topics as diverse as the joys of lovemaking and humanity's subservience to God. John Donne wrote energetic, rigorous but uneven lines characterized by complex, witty conceits—contrasts and paradoxes—startling extended metaphors, and striking imagery juxtaposing the earthly and the divine. Eighteenth-century critic Samuel Johnson noted that in Donne's work,
“The most heterogeneous ideas are yoked by violence together; nature and art are ransacked for illustrations, comparisons, and allusions.”
The Age of John Donne
The age of John Donne was an age of transition, standing midway between the age of Shakespeare and the Jacobean age (1572-1631). The age of Donne would effectively and substantially cover the first thirty years of the seventeenth century. This age stands midway between the age of Shakespeare-and the age of Milton. There is, however, some over-lapping which cannot be avoided because literary periods or ages cannot be separated