What makes John Donne a unique poet?


Well, I am not saying this just for the sake of making a statement. John Donne was, is, and will always be my favorite poet for penning down a fine number of poems and reading them is a great satisfaction to your soul. Be it his love poems, religious or metaphysical ones all extend the joy of reading. The following characteristics of John Donne’s poetry put him in the league of a unique poet:

Exotic Similes

John Donne is widely known for using the far-fetched similes, which adds a great flavor to his poetry. You pick any poem and you’ll find a simile, which is never used by any other poet the way Donne used it. For instance:

"So let us melt, and make no noise,/ No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;/ 'Twere profanation of our joys/ To tell the laity our love." Their love is not the ordinary love of mere mortals. It is on a celestial level. The simile reveals how the love that the speaker and his beloved share is not merely sense-based, it transcends the physical. So, for them, being apart won't cause distress.

Updated on: 25-Jun-2020

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