Compare and/or contrast Donne’s `The Flea` to Marvell’s `To His Coy Mistress.` Which speaker presents the more effective argument? Why?

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The Flea ' and To his Coy Mistress

In John Donne 's The Flea ' and Andrew Marvell 's To his Coy Mistress , both of the narrators (men ) address their virgin lovers Both poems are animated attempts by the male to seduce his virgin love before they marry . Donne uses the flea in a symbolic way to represent the combining of the two lovers ' blood in the tiny body of the flea It suck 'd me first , and now sucks thee , And in this flea our

two bloods mingled be (3-4 . He argues that if it can mingle and become one in this flea , then surely there is no harm in their union . When she tries to kill the flea , he becomes more intense and romantic about their binding love contained within the small life and pleads for its salvation , holding it up as our marriage bed and marriage temple ( The Flea . While witty and humorous , the poem almost seems trifling . The flea is not a romantic creature and it is hard to take this romantic sentiment seriously . Marvell , on the other hand , uses very romantic notions such as timelessness and death to try to sway the narrator 's lover to bed . The argument of the poem is straightforward (Wikipedia . He first cries out his never ending love and timeless devotion to his lover , promising to wait An age at least to every part (16 . However , he then tries a more straightforward pleading , informing his lover that although he most certainly would wait ages for her , they are mortals and will one day die . He would rather enjoy her while the youthful hue Sits on they skin like morning dew (33-34 . Marvell presents the more intriguing and romantic argument for his suitor .Works Cited

Donne , John . The Flea . HYPERLINK "http /www .luminarium .org /sevenlit /donne /flea .php http /www .luminarium .org /sevenlit /donne /flea .php . Accessed 17 March 2007

Marvell , Andrew . To his Coy Mistress . HYPERLINK "http /luminarium .org /sevenlit /marvell /coy .htm http /luminarium .org /sevenlit /marvell /coy .htm . Accessed 17 March 2007

The Flea . HYPERLINK "http /www .sparknotes .com /poetry /donne /section3 .rhtml http /www .sparknotes .com /poetry /donne /section3 .rhtml . Accessed 10 March 2007

Wikipedia . To His Coy Mistress ' HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /To_His_Coy_Mistress http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /To_His_Coy_Mistress . Accessed 10 March 2007

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