John Donne's verse has been affected by his being a frequenter of plays'. Justify. ( MEG 101 ) ( STUDY OF JOHN DONNE )

John Donne's poetic style is characterized by the use of dramatic and colloquial language, which some critics have attributed to his association with the theater. Donne himself acknowledged the influence of drama on his writing, stating in a letter to Sir Henry Goodere that he sought to "fashion [his] style to the present taste, which is to express a dull matter, as if it were witty, in conceits and figures." This desire to make the ordinary seem extraordinary is a hallmark of metaphysical poetry, which Donne is credited with helping to pioneer.

In particular, Donne's use of paradox, irony, and wit, as well as his tendency to mix different registers of language, all bear similarities to the conventions of Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. His poetry is also marked by a conversational tone and a frequent use of rhetorical questions, both of which suggest a theatrical influence. Additionally, Donne's reliance on dramatic monologue, in which a speaker directly addresses an implied or explicit listener, can be seen as a reflection of his engagement with the dramatic form.

Overall, while it is difficult to establish a direct causal link between Donne's attendance at plays and his poetic style, it is clear that his familiarity with the theater had an impact on his writing.