Critical Realism In John Donne's Poetry

John Donne is the most important representative of the English"metaphysical poets"in the seventeenth century. He has rich sentiment, acute thought and overflowing talent. He is well known in the poetry world for his erudition, wit and innovation. The characteristics of his poetry lie in keen emotion and open mind. What is more important is that he likes to use fabulous images and odd analogies to unite reason and sense. In his poetry, wisdom mingles with enthusiasm and conceits reflect in paradoxes. On the one hand, readers find everything in his poetry new and fresh; on the other hand, the great violence concealed in his poetry convulses readers'heart and soul.Donne's life is full of frustrations and miseries and, on many occasions, his thought is extremely perplexed. The conflicts and struggles in his inner world are reflected in many of his poems. By reading these works one can feel that the then English society is permeated with a sense of doubt and disillusion. The poet recurs the reader the then alternating and change-stricken reality with his intricate philosophical conceits and, criticizes the troubled times with his pen.The thesis consists of three chapters, attempting to exhibit the critical realism in John Donne's poetry by picturing the seamy side of the seventeenth century England.Chapter One deals with the critical realism of political turbulence. This is expected to be achieved by exposing corruption at court, reflecting people's miseries and witnessing the outbreak of violence.Chapter Two is about the critical realism of religious belief. In Donne's poetry, it is easy for the reader to find out the echo of persecution of the Catholics, the poet's disclosure of crisis in faith and his true record of torment for betrayal. All this leads to one conclusion that Donne is critical about the religious reality of the then England.Chapter Three revolves around critical realism of human nature. The then British society molds the then human nature. It is just by excavating man's evil mind, denunciating the inequality of genders and condemning the inconstancy of lovers that Donne criticizes the abnormality of the then human nature.The Conclusion makes an over-all assessment of Donne's poetry, drawing the conclusion that Donne is a down-to-earth critical realist. It also mentions Donne's influence on later poets and contains some suggestions for later work in the study of Donne.