How is the poetry of the 17th century different from the poetry of the 16th century?

The poetry of the 16th century and the poetry of the 17th century were mainly lyrical.
However, this similarity of expressing personal thoughts and feelings did not prevent
major differences between both periods whether in themes or in structure.

Poetry in Elizabethan time was based on courtly love conventions which included
conceits and complements. Themes such as the unattainability of the lady, sleeplessness,
constancy in love, cruelty of the beloved, renunciation of love, fine passion of the lover
versus icy emotions of the beloved, praise of the beloved’s beauty and eternalizing her as
being subject of the poem; these all are characteristics of courtly love. Nevertheless,
those themes were contrasted by cavalier poets in the early 17th century.

Courtly love poets used to vow to be faithful for ever to their sweethearts that is
why they always stayed constant in their love, ever if their affection was rejected by the
lady. For this reason, they used to stay always on fire because of their burning passions
which made them sleepless; whereas the beloved used to remain clam and careless.

In contrast, cavalier poets especially Suckling, in his poem “song” mocks and
chides those who weep in love with women who reject their love. He advises lovers to
leave ladies who do not return the same affection because it is useless i.e. it leads to
nothing; it is unmanly and degrading i.e. shameful because love cannot be taught by tears
or by signs. [According to cavaliers, it is shameful to beg or cry for love and these
attitudes will not move the lady. If she does not have feelings to one, it is impossible to
make her do so. [Suckling also finds it strange and surprising that the lover has been
faithful for “three whole days together” and maybe so for three more in the poem “out
upon it. And his purpose was just paying an exaggerated compliment to the lady.
Suckling mocks the trouble and pain courtly love poets show in their sticking to courtly
love convention. In other words, Suckling’s attitude towards love is anti-petrarchan. He
dismisses a too coy mistress and seeks enjoyment of sensual pleasure which is classless.

Praising the usual British beauty who is fair, chaste and unattainable in courtly love
poems in order to eternalize it later on, contrasts being very sensuous in praising the
beauty of the lady, who is attainable and not chaste. [Herrick is a cavalier poet who, for
his poetic purpose created a member of women with exotic names. In the poem “upon the
loss of his mistress”, he went from one woman to another and he loved each for a certain
quality. Removed among a number of ladies, with exotic natures, loving each with a
dissolute affection for a specific purpose, usually a physical one. He even used a
sensuous style in his poems to express this sensuous subject. The best example for this is
the language used in his poems “upon the nipples of Julia’s breast” where he compares
the nipples of Julia’s breast to something red or white; and the strongly connotated words
in the poem signify the sensuality of the poet. Herrick also acted Columbus when
discovering the body of a lady, by crawling to every poet of her body in the poem “the
virtue”] (we must provide more details to show sensuality) this theme of sensuality is in
counter with courtly love poetry.

The early 17th century was characterized by themes that never occurred in the 16th
century. Honor is a major theme in cavalier poetry. The duty of standing by the king and
fighting for his cause is must clear in Lovelace’s two poems “to Lucasta Going to the
War” and “to Althea from Prison”. In the first poem, he addresses to his beloved, since he
explains to her the situation that he is forced to go to war because of his duty. He is a true
lover, but he gives priority to honor. In the 2nd title, the speaker is in prison, since he
fought for the royal cause, but he admits that he feels more than birds in the sky, fish in
the sea and ranging wind. For him, only angels who fly high in the heaven are as free as
he is. The possessions and even one’s life of the royal cause.

Carpe Diem is another major theme never found in courtly love poetry, but rather in
cavalier. Cavalier poets urge young lovers to “seize the day”, enjoy the present moment
because youth and beauty will fade soon and forever. The theme of brevity of life also
serves the carpe diem, since the best in life ends “Corinna’s Going a Maying” insists on
enjoying youth and love and not to be shy, because all pleasures of life come to an end
when death comes. [Cavalier poets did not take life seriously, because this life is too
short, so one should enjoy it.

As to structure, the form of the 16th century’s poems is different from early 17th
century’s poems. Elizabethan’s poems were mainly sonnets which present a situation (in
the octave or in the first three quatrains) to find a solution (in the sestet or in the couplet)
whereas cavalier poets used only short lyrics composed of stanzas which are simple in
verse and style to express their feelings and thoughts.

Although both periods were contrasting in themes and form, poets could express
their emotions and opinions according to the events surrounding them.