The language used in the second stanza, together with some strong imagery changes the tone dramatically. The tone is now chilled dark at in a way aggressive (‘my echoing song; then worms shall try That long preserved virginity and your quaint honour turned to dust.’). This brings the woman who he is speaking to back from the fantasy world which he talks of in the first stanza, and back to reality. He reminds the woman that
life does not last forever and they must make the most of their lives. (‘Times winged chariot hurrying near’). In my opinion although this stanza adds an edge to the poem, it severely damages his chances of seducing the woman.
The first four lines of the stanza are packed with positive and flattering; words. He again mentions time and youth. (‘Now therefore while youthful hue sits on thy skin like morning dew’). The language he uses in the second stanza could be used as a cover up for the stanza before where he uses dark, bleak language. He leaves the woman with an interesting proposition at the end of the stanza. He states that they cannot stop themselves from dying but they can make the most of their lives and make the sun which sets on their life run. (‘Thus we cannot make our sun Stand still, yet we will make him run.’) This proposition may have been irrefutable had it not been for the second stanza. ‘To his coy mistress is undoubtedly Marvell’s most popular poem today. It is similar in some ways to some of John Donne’s love poems. It is however rather more than jus a seduction poem.
The first stanza of “The Flea” differs from ‘To His Coy Mistress’ although both poets have the same aims. Donne’s argument seems rather pathetic and unorthodox. He talks of a flea that has bitten him and the woman who he is talking to. He then argues that because both of there blood is mixed inside this flea that they are practically married (‘Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare, Where we almost, yea more than married’). The woman who he is talking to seems to find this argument petty but when she goes to squash this seemingly insignificant creature Donne bombards her with even more ridiculous, but yet hypnotically interestingly arguments to keep her interested. An example of this can be found in the second stanza - ‘Though use make you apt to kill me, Let not that, self murder added be, And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.’ Whilst studying this poem I think that it is important to take into consideration that Donne trained as a lawyer and employs the skills learnt in training along with his natural wit and intelligence in order to get the lady to succumb to his passion. Donne arguments contain much more of a religious significance and this is different from Marvell whose arguments had more of a sexual significance. Examples of this can be found in the second stanza - ‘Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is.....’.
In the third stanza the woman seem to be fed up with Donne’s arguments and dramatically squashes the flea. This at first seems to have eliminated the central figure of Donne’s argument but Donne counteracts her with his final and most convincing argument. He argues that the drop of blood which the flea took from her and himself was insignificant as they both feel no different but Donne then relates the drop of blood to the honour of keeping her virginity saying that it is as insignificant as the drop of the blood, as they would both fell no different if she were to sleep with him (‘`Tis true, then learn how false, fears be; Just so much honour, when thou yield’st to me, Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee.’). This is a great way to end the poem and it seems to have the woman who
he is speaking to searching for an answer and it would seem that she would have to give in to his argument. My one criticism of this poem is that Donne seems to be exceedingly desperate for her love & he like Marvell could be accused of only wanting the woman to sleep with her.
Both poets make very strong arguments and use there intelligence and understanding with great affect however, in my opinion Donne’s argument is not as solid as Marvell & leaves himself open to rejection. Marvell was more complimentary of the woman and seemed more seducing as his poem was more of a traditional romance poem. Both use very different angles to create their own interpretations of a love poem and win over the girl. However their real purpose I believe is somewhat different than what it seems. Whilst reading the two poems it became apparent to me that both men do not truly actually love the woman they are talking to however they wish only to lead them into bed. There is evidence of this within ‘To his Coy Mistress’ as he spends most of the first stanza talking of her physical beauties without a mention of her personality. This ‘act’ however seems to fool the two women. The two poems are great to read and in a way show what men and women think of each other the extent people go through to find love and the need for love within human life. Written any differently and the poems would not have had the same affect on millions of readers.
