Spiritual Writing & The Metaphysical & Cavalier Poets

Spiritual Writing

1. Early efforts for Bible translation were censored by the church.

• John Wycliffe: attacked by British archbishop for translation
• William Tyndale: condemned as heretic and burned at the stake

2. 1604: James I commissioned 54 biblical scholars to create a new authorized version

• based on Greek, Hebrew, and early Latin translations

3. John Miltion's "The Paradise Lost" is based on a biblical story of the first humans 4. John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" is an allegory of the journey to the afterlife




The Metaphysical and Cavalier Poets


1. Ben Jonson: boisterous man, accomplished poet, and
an inspiration to other poets

• "sons of Ben"
• Robert Herrick
• Richard Lovelace
• Sir John Suckling

2. These poets were known as "Cavalier Poets" because
they took the side of Charles I and the Royalists.

3. Cavalier poetry was charming, witty, and dealt with
themes of love, death, and carpe diem

• carpe diem: living for the moment

4. John Donne: wrote Metaphysical poetry

• poems characterized by live, death, and religious devotion

5. Metaphysical poets used elaborate metaphors to explore the complexities of life