The Language of Metaphysical Poets

Frances Austin examines the language of the five best-known metaphysical poets, Donne, Herbert, Crashaw, Vaughan and Traherne. The author shows how the characteristics of their vocabulary, figurative language, syntactical structures and versification reflect their individual attitudes towards their shared Christian faith, which is the subject matter of most of their poetry. The diversity of language, albeit having a common basis, is demonstrated in the course of this work.