On Alchemical Images in John Donne's Poems

As a leading figure among Metaphysical poets, John Donne's works are fresh and rich.Alchemical images are cleverly employed in Donne's poems from six aspects: alchemy as pure craft; alchemy as satire; alchemy and four elements: soil, water, gas, fire; alchemy as divine expression and alchemy in elegy.Different love and women and souls are portrayed in terms of alchemical images. There are various underlying factors which contribute to Donne's artful use of alchemical images.