Discuss the ways in which ‘The Canonization ’ and ‘The Sun Rising’ exemplify the
characteristics of metaphysical poetry.
Answer -:
Metaphysical poetry is a type of poetry that flourished in the 17th century, particularly in
England. It is distinguished by the use of intricate metaphors, intellectual study of issues such as
love, religion, and existence, and frequently employs a sarcastic and paradoxical tone.
John Donne is one of the most celebrated figures among metaphysical poets. Metaphysical
poetry can be noticed in a variety of ways in John Donne’s poems, such as “The Sun Rising” and
“The Canonization.” In “The Sun Rising,” Donne uses elaborate metaphors to explore the
concept of love, like comparing the lovers’ bedroom to the center of the universe and rejecting
worldly issues in favour of their love. This poem exemplifies metaphysical concepts, with Donne
using unusual comparisons to convey intricate ideas. Similarly, in “The Canonization,” Donne
goes into the idea of love while also exploring the connection between love and spirituality. He
employs metaphysical conceits to argue that the speaker’s love for his beloved deserves to be
cherished and canonized in the same way as saints are. Both poems exhibit metaphysical
elements and exhibit writers’ proclivity to engage in significant intellectual and spiritual concepts
through imaginative and intricate language.
Donne’s “The Sunne Rising” is an example of metaphysical poetry through its exploration of
complex love and cosmic themes. The poem presents a speaker who addresses the sun and
personifies it as a disturbing force that invades his private, intimate space with his lover. Through
rich metaphors and paradoxes, Donne delves into the idea of love as a cosmic force that
transcends earthly concerns. The speaker’s assertion of his lover’s superiority over the sun
reflects the tendency of metaphysical poets to combine the physical and spiritual realms. Donne’s
conceit, such as comparing the lovers’ bed to the center of the universe, launches the
metaphysical tradition of using complex and intellectually stimulating imagery to convey
abstract ideas. Furthermore, the poem’s playful tone and wit contribute to its metaphysical nature
as it questions traditional notions of love and existence.
“ Busy old fool, unruly sun
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows and through curtains call on us ?
Must to thy motions lover’s seasons run?”
The poem defies the norms of traditional love poetry by depicting the sun as an intrusive and
irritating entity rather than a cherished symbol. Donne’s use of vivid imagery and unusual
metaphors vividly illustrates this assumption. For example, he thinks of the sun as a “dusty old
fool” who rudely interrupts the intimacy of the lovers by shining through the window. This
irreverent tone is exemplified by lines such as “Why do you do that, / Through windows and
curtains call us.
Donne expands this metaphor by declaring that love transcends the usual dimensions of time and
space. He boldly asserts that love knows no seasons or boundaries, saying, “Love, however,
knows no season or climate.” This argument challenges the notion of love as being tied to
external factors, pointing to its timeless and universal nature.
Moreover, Donne uses lavish fantasies to emphasize the supreme importance of love in the world
of lovers. For example, he compares the lover to “all states and all princes”, raising her
importance to a level beyond earthly powers. This metaphorical language emphasizes the idea
that love has a primary position in the lives of lovers, above all other concerns.
Finally, Donne ends the poem by suggesting that the intimate world of the lovers is more
meaningful than the outside world. He describes their bedroom as the center of the universe with
lines like “This bed is your center, these walls, your sphere.” This image emphasizes the deep
depth of the connection between them and the insignificance of external forces in comparison.
Thus, the poem ‘The Sunne Rising’ is a exemplary metaphysical poem which blends elaborate
poetic images and far fetched comparison of dissimilar things with conceits,allusions and
paradoxes.
“The Canonization” describes metaphysical poetry through its complex exploration of love,
spirituality, and the interplay between the physical and the abstract. The poem features a speaker
who passionately defends his love affair against social criticism, elevating it to a sacred status
reminiscent of religious devotion. Donne uses complex images and paradoxes to convey the
intensity and depth of the lovers’ relationship, blurring the lines between worldly desires and
spiritual pursuits. For example, the poem juxtaposes imagery of everyday activities with
references to saints and martyrs, emphasizing the speaker’s belief in the transcendent nature of
his love.
The poem progresses through five stanzas, each controlled by the Canonization metaphor,
mirroring the process of proving sanctity, heroic virtue, miracles, examination of burial place and
writings, leading to declaration of Sainthood. However, “The Canonization” is consistent with
the former Canonization process, which required immediate declaration upon approval. The
poem depicts the steps of this process, reflecting the investigation into personal sanctity, heroic
virtue, miracles, writing, and burial sites. The lover’s reaction to the inquisitor mirrors the
process, with irony in his list of imperfections and renunciation of space. The second stanza
delves into heroic characteristics, which are depicted through humorous conceits that highlight
the lover’s passionate emotions. Each stanza uses ironic conceits to uphold the contrast between
the lover and the saint. The final stanza brings prior pieces together, depicting the lovers as
hermits who discover a more intense world in each other.
“The phoenix riddle hath more wit
By us we two being one are it”
The central conceit revolves around the metaphor of the phoenix, a mythical bird symbolizing
rebirth and renewal. The lovers in the poem are likened to the phoenix, experiencing a spiritual
transformation through their union.
The poem highlights the intricate parallels between the lover’s journey and the process of
Canonization in the Roman Catholic Church, as the lovers undergo a similar scrutiny and
validation. Another important symbolism is the imagery of the taper and the fly.The speaker says
that both the lover and his beloved are the tapers as wells as flies for each other who would die in
the flame of love. This symbolizes the sexual and spiritual union of the lovers.
John Donne’s metaphysical poetry, “The Sun Rising” and “The Canonization,” explores love
And spirituality through intricate conceits, paradoxes, and metaphors . Defying tradition of
Petrarchan love, de construction of poetic imagery and challenging the Christian notion of
Spirituality are some of the important features of Donne’s poetry.
Sources: 1)Donne’s “The Canonization”
Author(s): John A. Clair
Source: PMLA , Jun., 1965, Vol. 80, No. 3 (Jun., 1965), pp. 300-302
Published by: Modern Language Association
2)Zang Li Analysis on the Metaphysical Conceit in John Donne‟s Poems
