One good example of Donne’s use of absurd metaphors is in the poem entitled “The Flea”. In this poem the flea is used in a humorous matter in order to down play the female’s reluctance to give up her virginity. In lines 1 and 2 Donne begins by telling the female how unimportant her virginity is. In order to back this up he continues by presenting the first, and main, metaphor that the flea is sex between these two lovers. At first this seems absurd but it is made to work by Donne laying out plainly how he came to the conclusion that the flea is the same as sex. In line 4 the point is made that when the flea bit the male and the female the bodily fluids of the two were immediately mixed within the flea. Donne goes on to tie in how this proves tha

Donne’s use of metaphors continues in the second stanza as the female is about to kill the flea. The death of the flea is portrayed as a tragic event, compared to killing three people at once. It can be argued that this is a reference to the holy trinity, which makes the metaphor even more absurd and also makes it that much worse to kill this flea. In lines 12-13 three more metaphors are stated as the flea is compared to “you and I”, “our marriage bed”, and “marriage temple”. The flea is the two lovers because it contains a piece of both of them, it is the marriage bed because it is the first meeting of their bodily fluids, and it is their marriage temple because it is where their relationship is sealed. Donne goes on to plead the flea’s case as he continues to use metaphors to show how terrible it would be if the flea died. The girl would be killing the male, committing suicide, as well as sacrilege, simply by crushing this one little flea.

It seems that two lovers could never be used in a metaphor with a compass, but Donne makes it work wonderfully. Donne makes it possible by comparing their love to characteristics of a compass that mirror the feelings that these two have for each other. The idea that these two are in love and don’t want to leave each other is in no way new but the way that it is presented and described helps the reader to more fully understand and relate to the feelings that are being expressed.

The third example of Donne effectively using metaphors to express his feelings is from “Holy Sonnet 14”. In this poem metaphors of attack and assault are used to describe what Donne feels is necessary for God to do in order to make him obedient and faithful. It is particularly effective in this poem because Donne is feeling guilty and saddened by his inability to obey God’s will. Contradictions are made continuously throughout the sonnet about what God must do in order to make him obey. In a way Donne is asking for tough love because the kindness and generosity shown to him in the past has failed to make him faithful. For example i

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