Write a note on the "Impossible She" ( MEG 101 ) ( STUDY OF JOHN DONNE )

The "Impossible She" is a recurring theme in English love poetry, particularly in the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. It refers to an unattainable or idealized woman who is often described in terms of perfection and unattainability. The Impossible She is an object of desire, often depicted as remote, unattainable, and unresponsive to the speaker's advances.

John Donne, one of the most significant poets of the time, often wrote about the Impossible She. In his poetry, Donne creates a persona who is constantly struggling with the unattainability of his love object. His poetry often features a complex and contradictory view of love, in which the speaker longs for the Impossible She but also recognizes the futility of his quest.

Donne's approach to the Impossible She differs from that of the Petrarchans, who idealized and worshiped their beloveds from afar. Donne's speaker often expresses frustration and despair, and the woman he describes is often depicted as capricious and cruel. In his poetry, Donne challenges the conventions of courtly love and presents a more realistic view of love and desire.

Overall, the Impossible She is a common theme in early modern English poetry, and Donne's approach to this theme reflects his innovative and challenging approach to conventional love poetry.