John Donne and Andrew Marvell

¶ … poetry of John Donne and that of Andrew Marvell. While on the surface the two poets seem to share many similarities, but a deeper analysis reveals important differences. Both poets exemplify metaphysical poetry of the type known by critics as "seduction poetry" in the Western tradition of ancient love poetry ranging from ancient Greece across the expanse of the Middle East, including India and China. In these poems, the male appears to want to woo his quarry into a potential relationship ("VCCS Litonline ").

Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" and John Donne's "The Flea" are among the most famous in English. In both works, the subject of the casanova's advances is a virgin. Subsequent to the seduction, the man's purposes are not just to induce the party to give into their love moves, but their virginity in the process. In addition, the above works are archetypes of metaphysical poetry in that they both use unusual/striking images and extended metaphors. This metaphorical imagery appears to have nothing to do with the parties in the seduction network and therefore make the reader has to pay attention to more than surface themes and to look at the underlying emotional, romantic issues. Both of these authors were deeply religious, so the poetry is not carnal in the modern sense. Rather, the authors are looking to extend the love relationship within the religion traditions and conventions of love withing morally acceptable parameters (ibid).

The blood in the flea in Donne poem evidentially symbolizes the blood that would be lost if the woman is seduced and loses her virginity. The virginity, like the flea is only a minor thing and of no importance. It is a metaphor for the seducer and his lover's small relationship. He is drawing the lady's attention to this smallest things in life by indicating to her that she needs to "mark this" when he holds the flea in front of her to indicate the above insignificance. The mixed blood symbolizes the bodily fluids that the two lovers exchange in the act of lovemaking. The act is seen as not being sinful. This is seen the verse "Thou know'st that this cannot be said A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead" (Donne). Unfortunately for the seducer, the flea has succeded where he failed. The social conventions of marriage and consumation are symbolized by it in the verse where Donne speaks of marriage bed and marriage temple." The killing of the flea would be like killing his lover and symbolizes the shortness of life and the immediacy and importance of finding love above all else (ibid.).

On the surface of it all, the Marvell poem appears to expound the concept of seizing the moment, however in that the works are different in that Donne is using an animal metaphor while Marvell is using that of a coy mistress instead (Donne and Marvell). Also, the Marvell work is a warning to the lady against the inflated flattery men use to seduce and bed women. While on the surface it seems similar, this is a very different purpose. The male makes fun of the female coyness and shyness noting that it is a pretense and that men can play this game as well (Marvell).