What best describes the language of metaphysical poetry?

• A. Direct, plainspoken and unadorned.
• B. Focused on natural description.
• C. Witty, intricate, and argumentative with elaborate conceits.
• D. Heavy with mythological allusions.

Answer: (C)

Metaphysical poetry uses sharp wit and a debate-like tone, exploring big ideas like love, faith, and mortality through extended, clever conceits—metaphors that fuse two unlike things in surprising, intricate ways. This makes the language inventive, argumentative, and densely crafted, rather than plain or purely descriptive. That’s why describing it as witty, intricate, and argumentative with elaborate conceits fits best: poets like Donne and his contemporaries build a chain of reasoning and striking comparisons to probe deep questions. The other descriptions miss the essential move: plain language, simple natural description, or mostly mythic allusions don’t capture the distinctive argumentative play and the elaborate, inventive metaphors that define metaphysical verse.