Metaphysical Conceit Essay -- English Literature

Metaphysical ConceitMetaphysical Conceita highly quick-witted kind of conceit widely usedby the metaphysical poets, who explored solely areas of knowledge tofind, in the startlingly esoteric or the shockingly commonplace, sexual intercourse and unusual analogies for their ideas. Metaphysical conceitsoften exploit verbal logic to the dit of the grotesque and sometimesachieve such extravagant turns on marrow that they become absurd(e.g. Richard Crashaws description of Mary Magdalenes eyes as devilwalking baths two weeping motions,/Portable and compendious oceans).These conceits work stovepipe when the reader is given a perception of areal just previously unsuspected similarity that is enlightening thenthey may sing to our minds and emotions with force. Examples ofpotential metaphysical conceits-love is like an oil change love islike a postage stamp love is like a equalize of compasses the soul of asinner is like a damaged pot. As you can see, the temptation to bemerely clever must be hard to resist, while the difficulty in makingsuch a conceit truly effective is quite considerable.The Flea1. Background tienne Pasquier and Catherine Desroches, 1579.Pseudo-Ovidian flea poems in which the rooter wishes to become a fleain order to gain enhanced overture to the beloveds charms theme isoften bestialization of the lover by his own passion.2. Plot is childlike a) loudspeaker points to a flea that has jumped fromhim to the woman and bites both b) she has hunted down and caught theflea speaker tries to dissuade her from killing it c) she disregardshis pleas and kills it. N.B. all the action occurs mingled with thestanzas. Elaboration he has argued that their being bitten by theflea is tantamount to ha... ...en the most moronic of women-unless she were as hotof being convinced as the speaker is of convincing her-and this one is faraway from moronic. She is clearly not bewildered or dazzled by thesearguments. The consentient poem has the air of a little int ellectual haltindulged in by these two, both of them knowing what the outcome willbe evening if they dont quite know how the conclusion will be reached,and both enjoying the game for its own sake, rather than that of aserious attempt to lead individual astray. If the poem is read this way,the fact that the argument is false, is pure sophistry, is at least(prenominal)beside the point and can even become a strength-it is the interactionbetween the participants that is central. Donne (also Spenser, see 28,29, 75, 54) frequently uses argument as a form of love-play and positsa woman who is an intellectual match for the man.