The Metaphysical Poets

Essay | T. S. Eliot

How does Eliot praise Donne’s ability to unify the intellectual thoughts and sensation of feelings?

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How does Eliot praise Donne s ability to unify the intellectual thoughts and sensation of feelings Elucidate T S Eliot was a great poet and critic He lived from to His famous essay The Metaphysical Poets appeared in In this essay Eliot writes about the qualities of poets He especially admires John Donne - Eliot praises Donne s special gift Donne could join intellectual ideas and strong feelings Eliot explains this skill in his essay His points teach us what makes Donne s poetry powerful Let us read Eliot s thoughts about Donne Donne s Unique Poetry Style Donne was a leading metaphysical poet He wrote poems with deep meaning and feeling Donne s poetry is not cold or dry Eliot says Donne s ideas are always full of emotion He uses smart thoughts and real feelings together This made Donne s poems difficult but beautiful Eliot believes Donne is

one of the few poets who did this very well His style is always fresh and honest Thought as Experience in Donne Eliot admires how Donne lived his ideas For Donne thinking was not just using the brain Every thought became a feeling Eliot writes about this quality He says A thought to Donne was an experience it modified his sensibility This quote shows Donne joined thoughts and feelings Each new idea changed how he felt He felt ideas not just in the mind but also in the heart This made his poems full of life and energy Eliot praises this rare gift Mixing Heart and Mind in Poetry Eliot says Donne could join mind and heart He did not keep them separate in poems Donne mixed brainwork with strong emotions Eliot calls this true poetic intelligence He uses a clear phrase in his essay Eliot writes Fidelity to thought and feeling This quote means Donne was honest about his ideas and emotions His poetry holds both together He never wrote only about one thing Each poem was complete with heart and mind Eliot respects how Donne always achieved this unity Combining Many Experiences Eliot notes how Donne combined many life experiences Donne used everything he saw felt and thought His poems were full of different ideas and events Eliot likes how Donne made many things become one He says When a poet s mind is perfectly equipped for its work it is constantly amalgamating disparate experience This quote shows why Donne s poems are rich and surprising He mixed thoughts and feelings from all parts of life His poems feel real and deep Eliot says this made Donne special among poets Donne s Lasting Influence Eliot thinks Donne s poetry is brave and creative Donne s use of sharp ideas and strong feelings changed poetry Here is an example of his such strange idea If they be two they are two so As stiff twin compasses are two Thy soul the fixed foot makes no show To move but doth if the other do Eliot says not many poets could equal Donne Later poets often failed to mix things so well Donne s method set a high example Eliot believes this unity is the best way for poetry He wants new poets to learn from Donne s way To conclude Eliot greatly admires Donne s special skill Donne s poems always join deep thought with strong feeling Eliot shows this with strong quotes and examples He says Donne makes poetry rich and exciting Students and poets can learn much from Donne s unity Eliot s praise helps us value Donne s lasting influence today

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