English writer and theologian John Donne composed memorable poems focused on death, love, spirituality and sex that ranged in style from satire to love poems and from sermons to elegies. His writing style was a perfect fit for a man plagued by death in both his personal and professional life. The 17th century writer was declared one of the first metaphysical poets to set pen to paper over the course of the 59 years of his life.
Identification
According to multiple dictionaries, metaphysical poetry is unconventional, other-worldly, conceit-driven and clever. John Donne fit this newly-minted definition perfectly. He used wit, subtle arguments, creative metaphors and an idealized view of eternal, perfect beauty as a platform from which he composed controversial sonnets, poems, treatises and theses. The earliest writings of John Donne were filled with puns and earthy, obscure metaphors.
History
Like most poets, John Donne was inspired and influenced by the era in which he lived and the role he played during that era. The 17th century was known for its emerging acceptance of sexually-influenced writings. Given his personality, conversion to the Anglican faith from Catholicism and eclectic career path, John Donne's exploration of sensuous, sometimes erotic sonnets, songs and satires were laced with vibrant language and vivid imagery.
Considerations
Donne salted his writings with irony and unlikely comparisons; his poems were never short on cynicism. Fans and critics alike credited his difficult life with driving his philosophical, spiritual poetic style, much of which was devoted to helping him wrestle with mortality and death. "Death, be not proud" (Holy Sonnet 10) is considered by literary critics to be Donne's most important work. It represents coming to terms with the many deaths he experienced during his short life -- including four members of his immediate family by age 10 and several stillborn children born to his wife Anne before she died in childbirth following her 12th delivery.
Effects
Using his clerical and legal education as a framework against which his poetry was written, Donne died in 1631 leaving a wealth of writings to future poets. As a matter of fact, most of his work was not even published until after he had died. Included in the community of metaphysical poets were Donne's contemporaries: John Dryden, Samuel Johnson, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell and Henry Vaughn. He survived as a poet thanks to the support of patrons (especially Sir Robert Drury) for whom he authored original works.
Expert Insight
According to the many biographies written about John Donne, the poet spent his last decade as a Church of England clergyman, a period that marked a dramatic transformation in his poetry style. Gone were the titillating metaphors that marked his earliest writings. His final body of work focused on faith in the scriptures and include a deeply moving collection of sermons and Bible-inspired poems that paid homage to his never-ending quest to understand the meaning of mortality.
