Comparing Philosophies of Donnes To His Mistress and Herricks Corrina

comparability Philosophies of Donnes To His Mistress and Herricks Corrina departure A-Maying The seventeenth century in England produced two varying schools of poetical philosophy which included the metaphysical and the high-handed. While the metaphysical poets, comprised of the artists who followed ass Donnes use of the metaphysical conceit, tended to reinforce the traditional forms of love and devotion, the cavalier poets, conduct by Ben anticson, intellectualized the themes of their poetry. Both metaphysical and cavalier poets such as John Donne and Robert Herrick experimented with poetry of seduction, dramatic verse from a male lover attempting to work his beloved. Although both poets attempt to incite their mistresses, the methods of persuasion in Donnes To His Mistress expiry to Bed and Herricks Corrinas Going A-Maying differ in accordance with their different schools of poetic thought. Whereas Donne utilizes a lustful attitude, derogatory diction, and metaphysical co nceits to harshly command sexual activity Herrick utilizes a more intellectual and sensitive argument with his ghostly undertones, persuasive and playful diction, and personification of nature. The variation between metaphysical and cavalier poetry can be seen through differences in Donnes and Herricks attitudes towards their mistresses represented by varying structure, diction, imagery, and religious language. Although both To His Mistress Going to Bed and Corrinas Going A-Maying contain many imperative sentences, their structural differences reflect Donnes disembodied spirit of favourable position in spite of Herricks admiration for his mistress. Donnes simple aabb rhyme scheme omens his feeling that his mistress either cannot understand or does not des... ...gently rebuking Corrina for her inactivity. Although both Donne and Herrick employ imperative structures, sensual imagery, religious language and allusions to persuade their respective mistresses, Donnes superiority c omplex debases his mistress while Herricks reverent attitude cajoles. Donne cares very secondary about his mistress evidenced by the lack of her name end-to-end the poem which resembles an urgent appeal. Conversely, Herricks five stanzas and elaborate metrical structure indicate a planned appeal. Donnes lustful and solely physical approach contrasts shrewdly with Herricks intellectual ploy in a complimenting and gently rebuking manner. The variance in the approaches of the poets is characteristic of their respective schools of poetic thought and illustrates the differences in approaches to poems of seduction by the metaphysical and cavalier writers.