In this week’s episode of Beyond the Verse, the official podcast of PoemAnalysis.com and Poetry+, Joe and Maiya delve into the strange brilliance of the Metaphysical Poets. From the explosive intimacy of Donne’s 'The Flea,' to the restless rebellion in Herbert’s 'The Collar,' and the dizzying contradictions of Marvell’s 'To His Coy Mistress,' this episode unpacks what unites—and divides—these 17th-century innovators.

Joe and Maiya trace the origins of the term “metaphysical poets,” coined pejoratively by Samuel Johnson, and explore how these poets tackled vast philosophical themes—time, mortality, innocence, desire—through unexpected conceits and daring paradoxes. They debate whether these poets truly form a unified movement or are better understood as outliers brought together by critics. Whether it’s Donne’s mingling of sacred and profane, Herbert’s oscillation between doubt and faith, or Marvell’s seductive argument wrapped in cosmic dread, this episode wrestles with how intellect, sensuality, and contradiction define the metaphysical legacy.

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Tune in and discover:

Why conceits lie at the heart of metaphysical poetry
How these poets balance contradiction, faith, and philosophy
What “vegetable love,” fleas, and collars have in common
Whether the metaphysical poets ever really existed as a movement

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The Makings of a Movement: The Metaphysical Poets

Beyond the Verse