The metaphysical poets were a group of 17th century poets who concerned themselves with the experience of man and the nature of being in the world. What is our place within the world and how to best define that place? Taking up the philosophy of metaphysics, first set forth by Aristotle, the metaphysical poets wrote of experience, including love, romance, beauty, and man’s relationship with God.
Batter my heart, three-person'd God; for you
As yet but knock, breath, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurpt town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy:
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I
Except you entrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chase, except you ravish me.
(Holy Sonnet XIV, "Batter my heart," John Donne)
Led by John Donne, the metaphysical poets were overall independent of one another. Unlike say the Romantics, who shared ideas and influence. Quite simply, the metaphysical movement of the 17th century was one that simultaneously captured a number of poets at the time, including George Herbert, Andrew Marvell, and George Chapman – though they worked alone. Their poems were lyric poems, defined by wit, wordplay, and arguments that often prove a dualism in meaning. As for their name, it was actually Samuel Johnson in The Life of Cowley (1779-81) who grouped the poets under the well-known umbrella: “the metaphysical poets.”
