What prompted Ben Jonson and Samuel Johnson to castigate Donne for writing verses that are unmetrical. ( MEG 101 ) ( STUDY OF JOHN DONNE )

Ben Jonson and Samuel Johnson criticized John Donne's poetry for not adhering to traditional rules of meter and for being unmetrical. They were both advocates of the classical poetic tradition, which emphasized the importance of regular meter and strict adherence to established poetic forms. Donne's poetry, on the other hand, often used irregular meter and unconventional verse forms, which Jonson and Johnson viewed as an affront to established poetic norms. Jonson famously remarked that Donne "for not being understood would perish," implying that his poetry was too difficult and obscure for readers to appreciate. Johnson similarly criticized Donne's "irregularity" and "deficiency" in meter, arguing that such departures from established norms detracted from the aesthetic quality of his poetry. However, many modern critics have since come to appreciate and even celebrate Donne's unique style and unconventional use of meter, seeing it as a sign of his originality and creativity.