THE FLEA AND THE GOOD-MORROW BY JOHN DONNE – WORD MADE FLESH

Dorota Gładkowska

Katedra Filologii Angielskiej Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie


Abstract

This article reveals the exceptional union of two metaphysical poems by John Donne,
so far regarded as separate entities. By conducting a thorough linguistic analysis, the
author gradually shows subtle links between The good-morrow and The Flea on the
lexical, thematic, and structural levels. Their existence provides evidence that J. Donne’s
works may form meaningful assemblages and should therefore be interpreted only in
the context of the whole manuscript. The Flea and The good-morrow clearly comment
on one another and together complete the vision of the world which emerges from their
verses. Thanks to their autotelic character – the material form that itself conveys
a message − the reader experiences this lyrical diptych as an observable phenomenon
and an intellectual puzzle. The poet deliberately breaks existing patterns and rules
to expose chosen elements. It is the irregularities in the composition of the verses and
stanzas, frequently perceived as imperfections, that open the door to deeper levels
of his metaphysical concept.


Keywords:

metaphysical concept, lyrical diptych, structure, sense, unity


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Published
2017-12-01

Cited by

Gładkowska, D. (2017). THE FLEA AND THE GOOD-MORROW BY JOHN DONNE – WORD MADE FLESH. Acta Neophilologica, 2(XIX), 97–116. https://doi.org/10.31648/an.645

Dorota Gładkowska 
Katedra Filologii Angielskiej Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie