The metaphysical poets of the Renaissance sought to explore universal concepts of religion and love against the backdrop of great social and religious change. The movement's chief contributor was probably John Donne, whose poetry was innovative for its elaborate use of conceit in the depiction and discussion of these enduring themes. Born Catholic in an era with strong anti-Catholic sentiments, Donne later renounced his faith and became an Anglican priest. This deeply personal relationship with spirituality strengthened his poetic exploration of desire. The profound effect of religion on his poetry is evident in Donne's heavy use of religious imagery as a vehicle for expressing romantic love. To reflect and challenge the changing social values ​​of his era in The Canonization and A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, Donne employs techniques favored by metaphysical poets, including paradox, rhetorical language, and conceit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Paradox was a usual tool of metaphysical poets to force audiences to reexamine preconceived ideas about love. Conventional love poetry of the time emphasized the elevation and objectification of women, an Elizabethan belief that Donne sought to address. However, Donne uses paradox to promote intellectual and sexual equality in relationships, challenging social values ​​that favored courtly love. In the Canonization, the poet creates an extended paradox in which two lovers are united as one. Donne uses the mythological allusion to the “phoenix” to introduce this paradox. The bird is the symbol of rebirth, becoming a metaphor of two lovers uniting as one. The repetitive use of the first-person plural pronoun “we” throughout the fourth stanza suggests inclusiveness between the lovers. This paradox is explicitly raised when she states “we two, being one,” causing Renaissance readers to reconsider the objectification of the female subject. Despite this broad paradox, Donne succumbs to societal views in his assignment of gender roles in relationships, as he divides lovers into “the eagle and the dove.” The “eagle” is a symbol of strength, typically associated with masculinity, while the “dove” connotes feminine peace. Therefore Donne's use of paradox both confirms and subverts inequality in relationships in Renaissance culture. The rhetorical language is typical of metaphysical poetry, emphasizing the rational progression of logic that characterized the movement's discussion of abstract concepts of love and religion. Renaissance poets followed the Petrarchan style, emphasizing beauty as a woman's primary virtue. Donne's use of rhetoric, however, encouraged readers to look beyond a purely physical connection between man and woman. In A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, the previous paradox is repeated when Donne hypothesizes that “the two souls therefore… are one.” Rhetorical language, such as “therefore,” allows readers to follow the logical progression of his argument. In stating that “dull sublunary lovers…cannot admit absence,” elevated modal language in combination with assonance strengthens his argumentative tone, working to devalue the Renaissance preference for physical love. The poet uses synecdoche to highlight that the lovers “don't care about anything, eyes, lips and hands are missing,” demonstrating that they connect beyond the purely physical level. Furthermore, to challenge the Elizabethan preference for overt displays of passion in literature, Women parodies.