Sexist Politics: Reading Donne’s Metaphysical Poetry

Abstract

Donne's metaphysical poetry is full of sexist ethos which underestimates the intellectual competence of thewomenin the society. Exposition of the gender hierarchy is highlighted through the extraordinary sexual light which,at deeper level,contradicts with the aesthetic impression.His political poem aspires to subjugate women in all cultural, social, economic, familial and political domains. He consolidates the ideological frame existing in the society to serve the masculine ego and misogynistic behavioral pattern of patriarchy inhis time. Renaissance women who enjoyed a bit liberty under the monarchy of Queen Elizabeth exerted havoc in his mind. So, he aspires to marginalize women to prolong the domination of male over female. Therefore, he expresses his strong aversion towards the women and connotes them negatively as “imposture being”, “mindless creature” and so on. He aggressively creates monomaniacal images about women as they are “body without mind” and “unfaithful, lusty creature” fit only for sexual dance with men. Being motivated with the patriarchal norms of his time, his sexist politics gets ahead very tactically in the poetry by relegating women to secure his covert intention at stable height through the creation of beautiful rhymes.