(no subject)
Dan Miglin
In seventeenth century England, there were two very predominant styles of poetry that were popular at the time. These schools of poetry were known as Cavalier poetry and metaphysical poetry. Though they both existed at around the same time, they were very different from each other. Even the types of people that wrote these different types of poetry were different from each other.
Cavalier poetry is characterized as having a lyric flow to it, as can be seen in Sir John Suckling’s “Constancy.” For the most part, Cavalier poetry deals with the topic of courtly love. This holds true for this poem, as can be seen by the lines “’Ere he shall discover/ In the whole wide world again/ Such a constant lover (6-8).” Another characteristic of the Cavalier poem is the ongoing theme that one should seize the day. This is illustrated nicely by the line “Time shall moult away his wings (5).” Finally, Cavalier poets tend to distance themselves from their poetry. This poem is a nice little love story told from the viewpoint of a courtly man with sort of a bragging tone, as seen in the line “There had been at least ‘ere this/ A dozen dozen in her place. (15-16.)”
In seventeenth century England, there were two very predominant styles of poetry that were popular at the time. These schools of poetry were known as Cavalier poetry and metaphysical poetry. Though they both existed at around the same time, they were very different from each other. Even the types of people that wrote these different types of poetry were different from each other.
Cavalier poetry is characterized as having a lyric flow to it, as can be seen in Sir John Suckling’s “Constancy.” For the most part, Cavalier poetry deals with the topic of courtly love. This holds true for this poem, as can be seen by the lines “’Ere he shall discover/ In the whole wide world again/ Such a constant lover (6-8).” Another characteristic of the Cavalier poem is the ongoing theme that one should seize the day. This is illustrated nicely by the line “Time shall moult away his wings (5).” Finally, Cavalier poets tend to distance themselves from their poetry. This poem is a nice little love story told from the viewpoint of a courtly man with sort of a bragging tone, as seen in the line “There had been at least ‘ere this/ A dozen dozen in her place. (15-16.)”