Cavalier Poet

Cavalier Poetry (17th Century)

Overview:

Cavalier Poetry refers to the literary style of a group of 17th-century English poets who were loyal to King Charles I during the English Civil War (1642–1651). These poets, often aristocrats and courtiers, wrote poetry that reflected their loyalty to the monarchy, admiration for beauty, love, and a carefree, elegant lifestyle. They opposed the more serious and religious poetry of the Metaphysical poets like John Donne.

Key Features:

• "Carpe Diem" (Seize the Day) Theme – Urging people to enjoy life before it passes
• Wit and Elegance – Smooth, graceful, and polished poetry
• Love and Loyalty – Praises of women, beauty, and courtly love
• Allegiance to the King – Royalist themes, often celebrating monarchy
• Lighthearted Tone – Less complex than Metaphysical poetry

Notable Cavalier Poets:

1. Robert Herrick – To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

   • Famous for the line: "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may"
   • Encourages youth to enjoy love before aging

2. Richard Lovelace – To Althea, from Prison

   • Known for the line: "Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage."
   • Expresses loyalty to King Charles I, even in captivity

3. Thomas Carew – A Rapture

   • Celebrated love and physical beauty in a refined style

4. Sir John Suckling – Why so pale and wan, fond lover?

   • Light, witty poetry about love and courtship

Cavalier vs. Metaphysical Poetry:

• Cavalier Poetry: Simple, graceful, focused on love, loyalty, and pleasure
• Metaphysical Poetry: Intellectual, complex, philosophical, and spiritual

Decline of Cavalier Poetry:

With the fall of King Charles I and the rise of Puritan rule under Oliver Cromwell, Cavalier poetry declined. Many Cavalier poets suffered exile or imprisonment, and their lighthearted, courtly style lost influence.

MCQs on Cavalier Poetry

1. Who were the Cavalier poets mainly loyal to?

A) Oliver Cromwell
B) King Charles I
C) The Church of England
D) The Puritans

✅ Answer: B) King Charles I

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2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Cavalier poetry?

A) Carpe Diem theme
B) Deep religious introspection
C) Witty and polished style
D) Celebration of beauty and love

✅ Answer: B) Deep religious introspection

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3. Who wrote the famous poem To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time?

A) Richard Lovelace
B) Robert Herrick
C) John Donne
D) William Davenant

✅ Answer: B) Robert Herrick

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4. What does the phrase Carpe Diem mean in Cavalier poetry?

A) Live a religious life
B) Serve the king
C) Seize the day
D) Seek revenge

✅ Answer: C) Seize the day

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5. Which of the following poets is NOT considered a Cavalier poet?

A) Sir John Suckling
B) John Milton
C) Thomas Carew
D) William Davenant

✅ Answer: B) John Milton

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6. What is the central theme of Richard Lovelace’s poem To Lucasta, Going to the Wars?

A) The pain of unrequited love
B) The conflict between love and honor
C) The beauty of nature
D) The passage of time

✅ Answer: B) The conflict between love and honor

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7. Which Cavalier poet was known for his extravagant lifestyle and gambling?

A) Robert Herrick
B) Sir John Suckling
C) William Davenant
D) Thomas Carew

✅ Answer: B) Sir John Suckling

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8. Which of the following statements best describes Cavalier poetry?

A) It focused on deep philosophical and religious themes
B) It was highly structured with a serious tone
C) It was lighthearted, elegant, and often focused on love and loyalty
D) It was mainly written in blank verse

✅ Answer: C) It was lighthearted, elegant, and often focused on love and loyalty

Robert Herrick (1591–1674)

Robert Herrick was a leading Cavalier poet known for his lyrical and "Carpe Diem" (seize the day) themes. His poetry celebrates love, nature, and life's fleeting pleasures.

Major Works:

1. Hesperides (1648)

• Herrick’s most famous collection, containing around 1,400 poems.
• Includes love poems, epigrams, religious verses, and nature poetry.
• Famous for its light, musical style and sensuous imagery.

Notable Poems from Hesperides:

1. "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time"

   • Most famous poem, emphasizing the theme of Carpe Diem.
   • Famous line: "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying."

2. "Upon Julia’s Clothes"

   • Celebrates beauty and elegance.
   • Famous for the lines:
     "Whenas in silks my Julia goes,
     Then, then methinks, how sweetly flows
     That liquefaction of her clothes."

3. "Delight in Disorder"

   • A playful poem about how slight imperfections enhance beauty.
   • Praises the charm of a woman’s slightly messy dress.

4. "Corinna’s Going A-Maying"

   • Urges Corinna to wake up and enjoy spring.
   • A joyful celebration of youth and nature.

5. "To Daffodils"

   • A melancholic reflection on how quickly life passes, using flowers as a metaphor.
   • "We have short time to stay, as you,
     We have as short a spring."

2. Noble Numbers (1647–1648)

• A collection of religious poems exploring faith and devotion.
• Less well-known than Hesperides but reflects Herrick’s spiritual side.

Notable Poems from Noble Numbers:

1. "His Litany to the Holy Spirit"

   • A deeply spiritual and devotional poem.

2. "A Thanksgiving to God for His House"

• Expresses gratitude for simple blessings in life.

Richard Lovelace (1618–1657)

Richard Lovelace was a Cavalier poet, soldier, and supporter of King Charles I. His poetry reflects themes of love, honor, loyalty, and freedom. He is best remembered for his elegant, musical verse and his unwavering devotion to both his king and his beloved.

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Major Works of Richard Lovelace

1. Lucasta (1649)

• Lovelace’s most famous poetry collection, published while he was imprisoned for supporting King Charles I.
• Contains many of his best-known poems about love and duty.

Notable Poems from Lucasta:

1. "To Althea, from Prison"

   • Written while Lovelace was imprisoned for his royalist beliefs.
   • Famous lines:
     "Stone walls do not a prison make,
     Nor iron bars a cage."
   • Explores the theme that true freedom exists in the mind and heart.

2. "To Lucasta, Going to the Wars"

   • A poem addressed to his beloved Lucasta, explaining why he must leave for war.
   • Famous lines:
     "I could not love thee, dear, so much,
     Loved I not Honour more."
   • Highlights the Cavalier ideal of loyalty to king and country above personal love.

3. "The Grasshopper"

   • A pastoral poem celebrating joy and companionship.
   • Emphasizes the Carpe Diem theme (seizing the day).

4. "Love Made in the First Age"

   • A reflection on ideal love, contrasting it with the corruption of modern love.

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2. Posthume Poems of Richard Lovelace Esq. (1659)

• Published after his death, containing additional poems and fragments.
• Less famous but still showcases his wit and poetic elegance.

Thomas Carew (1595–1640)

Thomas Carew was a Cavalier poet known for his elegant, polished, and sensual poetry. He was a courtier in King Charles I’s court and wrote poems that combined wit, charm, and admiration for beauty. His poetry often reflected themes of love, pleasure, and admiration for women, making him one of the most refined poets of the Cavalier tradition.

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Major Works of Thomas Carew

1. "A Rapture"

• One of Carew’s most famous and controversial poems.
• A bold, sensual celebration of physical love and pleasure.
• Uses classical mythology and vivid imagery to describe passion.

2. "To My Mistress Sitting by a River's Side"

• A romantic and sensual poem comparing his lover’s beauty to nature.
• Celebrates feminine grace and admiration for women.

3. "Song: Ask Me No More"

• A famous love poem that compares beauty to fleeting natural wonders.
• Famous lines:
  "Ask me no more where Jove bestows,
  When June is past, the fading rose."
• Expresses the inevitability of change and the passing of youth.

4. "An Elegy upon the Death of Dr. John Donne"

• A tribute to John Donne, the famous Metaphysical poet.
• Highlights Donne’s poetic brilliance and influence.

5. "The Spring"

• A pastoral poem celebrating the beauty of spring and renewal.
• Reflects Carew’s Carpe Diem theme (seizing the day).

6. "Mediocrity in Love Rejected"

• A poem about the intensity of love—Carew rejects lukewarm emotions.
• Emphasizes passion and deep devotion in relationships.

Sir John Suckling (1609–1642)

Sir John Suckling was a Cavalier poet, playwright, and courtier known for his witty, playful, and lighthearted poetry. He was a royalist who supported King Charles I and was famous for his extravagant lifestyle and love of gambling. His poetry often focused on love, courtship, and satire, making him one of the most charming poets of the Cavalier tradition.

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Major Works of Sir John Suckling

1. "Why So Pale and Wan, Fond Lover?"

• His most famous poem, from his play Aglaura (1638).
• A humorous take on unrequited love, advising the lover to move on.
• Famous lines:
  "Why so pale and wan, fond lover?
  Prithee, why so pale?"
• Suggests that if a woman does not love a man, no amount of suffering will change her mind.

2. "The Constant Lover"

• A witty poem about a man who stays in love for three whole days—which he considers a long time!
• Satirizes the idea of romantic constancy.
• Famous lines:
  "Out upon it! I have loved
  Three whole days together."

3. "Ballad Upon a Wedding"

• A playful, humorous description of a wedding scene.
• Praises the beauty of the bride and the joy of marriage.
• Uses rhyming couplets to create a lively, musical tone.

4. "A Doubt of Martyrdom"

• A short poem questioning whether dying for love is truly noble.
• Suggests that love should be enjoyed, not suffered for.

5. "Love Turned to Hatred"

• A dramatic poem about a love that turns into hate.
• Reflects the Cavalier spirit of emotional freedom—moving on quickly from heartbreak.

William Davenant (1606–1668)

Sir William Davenant was an English poet, playwright, and courtier, closely associated with the Cavalier poets and a strong supporter of King Charles I. He was a royalist, a poet laureate, and a key figure in the restoration of theater after the Puritan ban on drama.

He was rumored to be the illegitimate son of William Shakespeare, a claim he never denied. His work blends Cavalier elegance with epic ambition, especially in his efforts to create an English national epic.

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Major Works of William Davenant

1. Gondibert (1651)

• An unfinished epic poem intended to be England’s answer to Homer and Virgil.
• Inspired by Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia** and classical epics.
• Themes: Chivalry, virtue, love, and destiny.
• Uses heroic couplets and philosophical reflections on morality and fate.
• Famous lines:
  "Honor, the moral conscience of the great."

2. The Siege of Rhodes (1656)

• A musical drama—considered the first English opera.
• Performed in a private theater, as public theaters were banned by Puritans.
• Introduced the first professional actress on the English stage.
• Themes: War, heroism, and political intrigue.

3. Madagascar (1638)

• A heroic poem dedicated to King Charles I.
• Celebrates exploration and conquest, showing royalist ideals.

4. The Works of Sir William Davenant (1673, posthumous collection)

• A collection of his plays, poetry, and political writings.
• Showcases his Cavalier wit, royalist loyalty, and love for the arts.