Attitude Towards Love in Valentine and The Flea

Through Close Analysis of Language, Structure and Theme, Compare and

Contrast the Poet's Attitude Towards Love in Valentine and The Flea.

The two poems "Valentine" and "The Flea" are about the two different

ways in which the poets portray their views about love, however the

poems are still linked in a few ways. "The Flea was published in the

seventeenth century and was written by 'John Donne'. "Valentine" was

published in 1983 and was written by 'Carol Ann Duffy'. Both poems are

addressed to an unknown lover.

The poem "Valentine" is written in free-verse form. Carol Ann Duffy

could have used this irregular pattern because of the irregular

present that she is giving to her lover.

"Not a red rose or satin heart. I give you an onion."

When you first read the poem you think that an onion is an absurd

present to give to a lover but after analysis, you realise that she is

trying to portray a message to us: It is not what is on the outside

that counts.

Duffy uses quite a lot of imagery in her poem to explain her message

to the reader.

"It is a moon wrapped in brown paper."

This could be referring to the moon as a pure object that you first

have to unwrap and explore before you can find the real meaning of it.

It is also linking back to her point that it may look a bit unromantic

from the outside but it is really what is inside that counts. She

could be saying this because of her lover's attitude towards women.

Maybe the lover only thinks about what the people look like, not what

they really are is like inside. Duffy then comments on the emotional

feelings that love could bring into a relationship.

"It will blind you with tears like a lover."

When you cut an onion it makes you cry, and usually...

... middle of paper ...

...lood from his lover and that is what all

fleas do. Donne then again emphasises the idea that now because of the

flea's death some life has been taken from his lover.

"Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee."

This puts forward the idea of some life being taken from his lover

because part of her was contained inside the flea.

At first the two poems appear very different but after close

inspection links can be established between the two poems. I think

Carol Ann Duffy's poem is the more serious of the two as she is using

an unusual item to portray her feelings for her lover. John Donne is

just worried about getting his lover into to bed using the idea of the

flea instead of wanting to portray his feelings towards his lover. He

is too overconfident with himself that he will get the girl into bed

with him when in the end he doesn't succeed.