Metaphysical Poetry

Metaphysical Poetry

Discuss the uses of metaphors of colonization in metaphysical poetry

and/or Milton.

"Movement across or through space becomes a process

of colonization of that space."

During the period of Milton's Paradise Lost as well as myriad of poets

construction of an epoque submerged in metaphysical literature, a

number of significant events both socio-political, entwined with a

systematic religious metamorphism of the sixteenth and seventeenth

century led to a time of unrest and discovery. The creators and

author's of work of this periods placed their emphasis not specifically

on a level of morality or self understanding but rather a rediscovery

of the body and soul, almost a form of existensionalism or physical

cosmos with a geography. 'All things are subject to the Mind... It

measures in one thought the whole circumference of heaven and by the

same line it takes the geography of the earth. The seas, the air, the

fire all things of either, are within the comprehension of the mind.

It has an influence on them all, whence it lakes all that may be

useful, all that may be helpful in government. No limitation is

prescribed to it, no restriction is upon it, but in a free scope it has

a liberty upon all. And in this liberty is the excellence of the mind;

in this power and composition of the mind is perfection of a man... Man

is an absolute master of himself; his own safety, and tranquillity by

God... are made dependent on himself.'1 In this short example of

Puritanism text as it stands, alone contains a number of various

references to the process of colonization, of expanding, perceiving all

geographically and manipulating, making man or perhaps more

specifically the colonisers omniscient and God-like. The crusader

self-reliant and independent with the knowledge that God is his

guardian of safety and tranquillity. In this particular the growing

number of Puritans played a significant role both in the cultivation

and transformation of the Christian religion and foreign territories.

The Puritans themselves comprised of those in the Church of England

unhappy with limitations of the Elizabethan Settlement; some were

Presbyterians, and all were to some extent or other Calvinists (though

not all Calvinists were Puritans). They were a people of scrupulous

moral rigour and favoured plain styles of dress, detesting any form of

luxury or decadence. The name Puritan later became a catch-all label

for the disparate groups who led much of the New World colonization and

won the English Civil Wars. New World colonization began as early as

1480 by English seamen performing spectacular feats of exploration