Advantages: very good read Disadvantages: controversion
John Donne is one of the most fantastically interesting metaphysical poets.
Just to give you a brief description of what metaphysical poetry is about:
metaphysical poets were a group of poets in the 17th century whose name was given to them after they had been writing by Samuel Johnson. It's hard to describe exactly what a metaphysical poem is just because, well there isn't really a strict pattern they follow as most of them were not famous until after death and well didn't really know of each other.
Anyway, the key thing that more or less all of the metaphysical poems contain is an extended metaphor or conceit throughout the poem. For example in John Donne's 'The Flea' the conceit is that he imagines himself and his lover throughout the poem making love inside of the flea, their "marriage temple". Sounds strange, i know but it ...
Advantages: Do you like poetry,or not? Disadvantages: The outdated language
John Donne was born in 1572,into Shakespearan England,and yet he is so different to Shakespeare in his works.He is usually described as a metaphysical poet,although I do not think that a particularly helpful description.Donne is physical,emotional,sexual.I was introduced to Donne by my A-Level English Literature teacher.Many of his poems are short and easily understood- particularly the erotic "The Flea" and "The Sunne Rising".Others,especially "The Anniversaries" need to be ploughed through.Donne's poetry is vivid and haunting,and intense.Much of Donne's work is love poetry,which is wonderful,although his later work is of a religious nature,given his Catholic background.All of it it inspired.
You,reader of the 21st century,may think Donne had nothing to say to you.Think again! ...
