The poetry of which metaphysical poet can be a prominent example of unification of thought and sensibility?

Correct option is A

Explanation:
The correct answer is John Donne.

The phrase "unification of thought and sensibility" was coined by T.S. Eliot in his 1921 essay The Metaphysical Poets. Eliot argued that John Donne and other Metaphysical poets had the ability to combine intellect (thought) and emotion (sensibility) in their poetry, creating a complex and deeply intellectual poetic style.
Donne’s poetry seamlessly blends philosophy, wit, passion, and intellectual depth, making him the most prominent example of Eliot’s concept.

Information Booster:

Metaphysical Poetry: A 17th-century poetic movement known for its intellectualism, wit, and elaborate metaphors (conceits).

Major poets include John Donne, Andrew Marvell, George Herbert, and Henry Vaughan.

Unification of Thought and Sensibility: Refers to the fusion of reason and emotion in poetry.

Unlike later poets (like the Romantics), Donne’s poetry did not separate feeling from intellect.

His poems reflect intense emotions expressed through philosophical and scientific reasoning.

Examples of Donne’s Poetry:

The Flea → Uses a flea as an extended metaphor for physical intimacy.
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning → Compares love to a compass, balancing separation and connection.
Death Be Not Proud → A philosophical meditation on death and eternity.

T.S. Eliot’s View on Donne:

Eliot praised Donne for integrating passion and reasoning in poetry.
Believed later poets (like Milton and Dryden) lost this quality, making poetry more rhetorical than emotional.

Metaphysical Conceits:

Donne’s poetry is famous for extended metaphors (conceits), where unrelated objects are compared in unexpected but meaningful ways.
Example: Comparing love to a mathematical compass (A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning).

Additional Knowledge:

Robert Browning  – A Victorian poet known for dramatic monologues (e.g., My Last Duchess), not Metaphysical poetry.

John Milton  – A 17th-century poet famous for epic poetry (Paradise Lost), but his style is grand and rhetorical, not Metaphysical.

John Dryden  – A Neoclassical poet, known for his satirical works like Absalom and Achitophel and his refinement of heroic couplets.