Seminar Review

       Metaphysical poetry

 by

       Dr. R. K Mandaliya Sir

     " Small acts of kindness go a long way

         Your good works could change someone's day"

   

                      This is specially for Dr. Dilip Barad sir to my side because of he ornganised many thoughtful seminars or sessions for students. The same way we have attended the beautiful and knowledgeable session on Metaphysical poetry by Dr. R.K Mandaliya sir from S.P University Anand at Department of English, Bhavnagar. We have three days seminar 16th, 17th and 18th August. Here I would like to share my review of these three day step by step that what Mandaliya sir taught us in these three days and what we have learnt in these three days. Now let us start with 16th August day.

● 16th August- 1st day of seminar :-

                         On 16th August we all had assembled in Sem 1 class. First warmly welcomed to Dr. R.K Mandaliya sir by Dr. Dilip Barad sir and all sem 1 students. After that Mandaliya sir started his lectures on Metaphysical poetry with the meaning of the term " Metaphysical ". Sir taught to us that, " Something that is superior to the physics called " Metaphysical ". The Metaphysical poetry has been extensively commented upon by Dr. Samuel Johnson.  In his biographical book " The Lives "  while writing about the life of Cowly, Dr. Johnson has tride to interpret the metaphysical poetry and it's featurs. John Donne is the pioneer of the group of Metaphysical poets. He described some characteristics of Metaphysical poetry such as,

                  • Conscious attempts 

                  • Far Fatched images etc.

                   

                    After this basic information Mandaliya sir started the poetry of John Donne. Very beautifully described all poems by him with perfect pronunciations and poetic expressions line to line. I learn one thing in his teaching style is that give your hunderd percent in your work whatever you do. He taught us with full of energy and strength. In first day he taught two poems. These are,

• " The Sun Rising " :-

                        First before going to the description of the poem I would like to put the original poem. For go to original poem Click here. The short analysis of the poem is about the lover, who is in the company of his beloved and addressed to the rising Sun. The poems open with lover's rebuke to the rising Sun that the Sun peeps into the bedroom of the lover. The lover mentions that the Sun is not half so happy as he is in the company of his beloved. The lover wants to convince the Sun that the seasons and climate of lovers can not be governed by the Sun. The lover advises the rising Sun to go away and show his command on late school boys, workers, officers of the court and farm labourers. The third and the last stanza of the poem is about comparison between the political empire of the King and the empire of love. So, this is a poem about the lover and his beloved addressed to the rising Sun. 

• " Death be not Proud " :-

                          First for go to the original poem click here . This is taken from the Holy Sonnets X. It is a popular poem of John Donne addressed by the poet to death itself. The attempt of the poet is to nullify fear of death by writing fourteen lines on death. Generally most of the people considered death mighty and dangerous, frightening and very painful experience of life but the poet react on together on the different way. The poet considered death nothing more than a transitary pause in the eternal life. The poet try to nullify fear of death by giving example of the best of people. The poet can say with confidence that death has no courage or capacity to kill. The present sonnet of John Donne confirms Donne's belief in the theory of rebirth. When he talks about waking up eternally. After a small sleep it is nothing but his belief in rebirth. 

• 17th August- the second day :-

                           On the second day 17th August we all met at 11:00 am at Department of English. On this day sir had taken three poems. The speciality of his teaching style is that he gives many suitable examples of classic movies and classic actors and actresses. I remembered that he gave many examples of classic movies such as, उपकार,  कटी पतंग, जागते रहो  etc. Let us see the short description of these three poem taken by Mandaliya sir on second day. 

• " The Flea " :-

       

                 " The Flea " is a remarkable example of John Donne's Metaphysical poetry. Donne has taken here help of a biological image of the Flea. For go to the original poem Click here. The Flea to deal with the theme of love. Through this image of the Flea - an insect that the lover in the present poem expreses his love for a woman and tries to convince her not to refused his love for her.

• " The Dream " :-

  

                    " Fantasy is better than reality "

     

                    This is the main theme of this poem. For the reading of original poem " The Dream " Click here. This is a poem about comparison between the life in dream and the life reality. Through this poem John Donne tries to convey the message that life in reality can never be so much interesting and joyful as life in dream and fantasy. 

• " The Sweetest Love - I do not go " :-

                   Generally from the starting of the John Donne's poetry we see that his all poem is about love. Here the same theme we can find out in this poem. For the original poem click here. It is a poem about about death in love. The poet here wants to convey that those who love never die. Physically death is not death at all. In love there can only type of death in love that is separation. The poem is addressed by the poet to his beloved in which his attempt is to convince his beloved not to be a sad because of his fast approaching physical death. The lover gives examples of the sun- an astronomical image to convince his beloved. 

• 18th August- the last and third day :-

                           The last and the third day on 18th August we have met at 10:30 o'clock at Department of English. This day sir gave the example of ' ગાઈડ ' movie. On the last day we have short lecture. Sir taught us the last poem by John Donne. First let us see the description of the poem.

• " The Ecstacy " :-

    

                    First I would like to share the link of original poem. For the link Click here . This is a beautiful poem about abstract experience of oneness in sublime love. The reading of this poem makes it clear that John Donne must have gone through the " Geeta " because there is an overtone of the Geeta in the present poem. The poet here wants to explain significance of both body and soul. In love here the journey is from body to soul and back to body. 

                     So, after the discussion of the last poem we all have assembled for feedback and thanking. 

Two students have gave feedback and last thanking vote by sem 1 student. After completing this session we all assembled at ground for group photo.

After taken group photos we all have taken personal photos with Mandaliya sir, 

So, this is a very beautiful, thoughtful, knowledgeable, enjoyable three days session by Dr. R.K Mandaliya sir.  This was a best and great opportunity for us. This was possible only because of Dr. Dilip Barad sir. I would like to say thank you very much for this type of beautiful session. We hope further more session in future. 

 Thank you.