Time and Drama in Richard Crashaw’sSelected Poems

In this paper, four poems by Richard Crashaw have been analyzed based on Lowry Nelson's approach tothe Baroque period. The selected poems are “To the Infant Martyr,” “I am the Door,” “On the Wounds of OurCrucified Lord,” and “Christ Crucified.” Although, Nelson has used his approaches to analyze a limited number ofpoets in the Baroque period, such as Milton and Donne, the novelty of this paper lies in the fact that it has extendedhis approaches to Crashaw's poems. Accordingly, Time and Drama become two Structural means of debates inCrashaw’s selected poems. In conclusion this paper will demonstrate that Crashaw has manipulated time to make anew understanding of the world for the reader. This new understanding can change reader’s attitude from amaterialistic to a spiritual life and from a passivity to God’s power which are Baroque’s code. Crashaw has alsomade a rhetorical situation in which the interaction between audience and speaker makes the poem dramatic. Thisdramatic situation helps Crashaw to convince the reader to change their attitude and awaken them of the limitationsof human beings and the illusion of earthly life.

Keywords:

Time , Drama , human limitations , Passivity , The Experience of Contradiction , Richard Crashaw , LowryNelson