1. Renaissance Poetry John Donne 1572-1631 Metaphysical Poetry Prose

2. OBJECTIVES  Develop strategies for reading and analyze metaphysical poetry  Interpret metaphysical conceits and paradoxes  Compare/contrast poetry styles

3. METAPHYSICAL (p. 506-507)  What is the definition of metaphysical? – “of or relating to the transcendent” – “reality beyond what is perceptible” – “abstract and theoretical reasoning”

4. METAPHYSICAL (p. 506-507)  What does transcendent mean?  What does theoretical mean?  What does devotional mean?  What does mystical mean?  Now define metaphysical poetry in your own words. Share.

5. METAPHYSICAL  Transcendent- – Extending beyond the limits of ordinary experience and knowledge  Theoretical- – Abstract, confined to speculation (ponder the possibility rather than able to demonstrate)  Devotional- – Religious  Mystical- – Spiritual communication with God

6. METAPHYSICAL  Now define metaphysical poetry in your own words. Share.

7. METAPHYSICAL (p. 506-507)  What is the goal/purpose of the metaphysical poets?  What are the key characteristics of metaphysical poetry?  What were the primary criticisms made about the metaphysics?

8. METAPHYSICAL (p. 506-507)  What is the goal/purpose of the metaphysical poets? – The expression of feeling and spiritual devotion through techniques often associated with prose (argument, rhetoric, logic) rather than poetry. – To experiment with language in an attempt to represent the complexity of life

9. METAPHYSICAL (p. 506-507)  What are the key characteristics of metaphysical poetry? – Simple vocabulary – Metaphysical conceits – Inconsistent poetic meter – Witty word play – Use of logic/reasoning – Set up as an argument, uses rhetorical devices

10. METAPHYSICAL (p. 506-507)  What were the primary criticisms made about the metaphysics? – Use poetry just to “show off” knowledge – Uses logic where emotion should rule – Difficult to understand – Disrupts poetic meter

11. METAPHYSICAL  Explain Eliot’s compliment of the metaphysical poets that they were able to “feel their thought as immediately as the odor of a rose.”

12. COMPARE/CONTRAST Complete the chart ELIZABETHAN  Ornamental diction  Natural images  Heartfelt emotion  Regular meter  Focus on love and nature  Two-word paradoxes such as “Sweet Sorrow” METAPHYSICAL

13. COMPARE/CONTRAST Complete the chart ELIZABETHAN  Ornamental diction  Natural images  Heartfelt emotion  Regular meter  Focus on love and nature  Two-word paradoxes such as “Sweet Sorrow”  Uses comparisons considered “poetic” such as love to a rose or the sea METAPHYSICAL  Plain diction  Unusual images  Wit and intellect/logic  Irregular meter  Often about faith and death (even when about love)  Jarring and elaborate paradoxes such as love/hate  Use of metaphysical conceits- unexpected, more “intellectual” and less “poetical”

14. Practice p. 507  Restate the excerpt from “The Canonization” by rewriting it in prose, untangling the complex syntax and paraphrasing its meaning. Identify the metaphysical conceit.  Share

15. SAMPLE  We can die by love even if we cannot live by love. Our legend may be unsuitable for either a tomb’s inscription or a hearse, but it is fitting for poetry. And even if no history gives an account of our love, it will be perfectly immortalized in poetry.  The metaphysical conceit is the comparison of their love, fitting to poetry, to a legend that immortalizes what it records.

16. Practice #2 p. 507  Close read of “A Fever”

17. John Donne 1572-1631 Biographical information Meditation 17 Holy Sonnet 10 A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning

18. BIOGRAPHICAL EXPLORATION  How does his notable quote reflect the Renaissance era?  Based upon the description on page 508 how might the following statement best be completed: Donne was a man who himself was a _________.  What is revealed about Donne under the heading “Impoverished by Love?”

19. TERMS REVIEW- Metaphysical Conceit  Definition  Explain the metaphysical conceit in the following: Other artists seek success, But she found it a deceptive goal- A steep bridge full of pain and stress, Hard to cross, and not worth the toll.

20. TERMS REVIEW- PARADOX  Define  Explain the paradox and provide a concrete example  To succeed is to fail  Take the idea from the example for the metaphysical conceit and write it as a paradox.

21. Example  The search for success is a painful joy.

22. ASSIGNMENT 1.Read Meditation 17. Answer questions B & C posed on page 514; answer questions 1, 2, 3, and second part of 6 p. 515. 2.Read Holy Sonnet 10 and write a poetry analysis items 1-5. As well as answer questions 1 & 2 on p. 513 and #9 on page 515. *Be prepared to compare/contrast subject matter, tone, style, techniques in the two selections.

23. DISCUSSION  Discuss writing prompt and Meditation 17 answers to the questions.  Identify the techniques/rhetorical devices used in the piece.

24. John Donne-Writing Prompt  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tijW_Sr Coxs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tijW_Sr Coxs  Explain what you believe Donne’s opinion of the song lyrics for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” would be and why.

25. RIDDLE  Why did Frosty go to live in the middle of the ocean?  Because snow man is an island!!  Claire Wilson, 2012

26. American Gods excerpt  Pages 322-323  Which stance do you personally hold, that expressed by Donne or that expressed by Gaiman? Explain.

27. DISCUSSION  Discuss/Share Holy Sonnet 10 and assignment  Compare/contrast subject, theme, style, and tone between Sonnet 10 and Meditation 17

28. ASSIGNMENT 3. Read A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning  Answer question A, 1 and 2 on page 512  Answer questions 4-8 on page 515.  Poetry analysis items 5 & 6 and your own question creation (see item 7)

29. DISCUSSION  A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning  Significance of the title & its punctuation  Discuss questions and poetry analysis