Write a note on the reigning love conventions in the early 17th century lyrics. How does John Donne differ from the Petrarchans ? ( MEG 101 ) ( STUDY OF JOHN DONNE )

The early 17th century was a period of transition in English poetry, and the conventions of love poetry were changing. The Petrarchan tradition, which had dominated love poetry in the previous century, emphasized idealized, unattainable love, and the use of elaborate conceits and metaphors to describe the beloved. The poet placed the beloved on a pedestal and worshipped her from afar, often with a sense of melancholy or longing.

John Donne was one of the poets who broke with the Petrarchan tradition and developed a new style of love poetry. He rejected the idea of idealized, unattainable love and instead wrote about the experience of real, physical love. His poems are often explicit and use vivid, concrete imagery to describe the beloved's body.

Donne's love poetry also differs from the Petrarchan tradition in its emphasis on the mutual nature of love. In his poems, the beloved is not just an object of the poet's desire, but an active participant in the love affair. Donne celebrates the physical and emotional intimacy between lovers, and his poems often explore the complex dynamics of relationships.

Overall, John Donne's love poetry marks a significant departure from the conventions of the Petrarchan tradition. He emphasizes the physical, mutual nature of love, and his poems often have a more realistic, earthy quality than the idealized, ethereal love of the previous century.