VCCS Litonline Introduction to Literature                                                                                                                                             Page 1 of  15
English 112 (English Composition II)

The following web pages will introduce you to a poetic genre known as "seduction poetry." It will do so through two examples of the genre: John Donne's "The Flea" and Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress." As these two poems are also famous examples of metaphysical poetry, you will also learn about this broader poetic genre.

NOTE: While the poems with which these pages deal are written by men, and the speakers in them are men who, on a first reading, are attempting to seduce women, the genre is not restricted to this gender focus: seduction poetry by female writers, with female speakers, extends back to the lyrics of Sappho and forward to today. There are links on this site to other seduction poems by both men and women, and a discussion forum where users can submit copies of and/or links to other examples of this poetic genre, as well as where users can debate the issue of sexism in these poems.