'A Fly Caught In A Cobweb' by Richard Lovelace


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Small type of great ones, that do hum
Within this whole world's narrow room,
That with a busie hollow noise
Catch at the people's vainer voice,
And with spread sails play with their breath,
Whose very hails new christen death.
Poor Fly, caught in an airy net,
Thy wings have fetter'd now thy feet;
Where, like a Lyon in a toyl,
Howere thou keep'st a noble coyl,
And beat'st thy gen'rous breast, that o're
The plains thy fatal buzzes rore,
Till thy all-bellyd foe (round elf)
Hath quarter'd thee within himself.

Was it not better once to play
I' th' light of a majestick ray,
Where, though too neer and bold, the fire
Might sindge thy upper down attire,
And thou i' th' storm to loose an eye.
A wing, or a self-trapping thigh:
Yet hadst thou fal'n like him, whose coil
Made fishes in the sea to broyl,
When now th'ast scap'd the noble flame;
Trapp'd basely in a slimy frame,
And free of air, thou art become
Slave to the spawn of mud and lome?

Nor is't enough thy self do's dresse
To thy swoln lord a num'rous messe,
And by degrees thy thin veins bleed,
And piecemeal dost his poyson feed;
But now devour'd, art like to be
A net spun for thy familie,
And, straight expanded in the air,
Hang'st for thy issue too a snare.
Strange witty death and cruel ill
That, killing thee, thou thine dost kill!
Like pies, in whose entombed ark
All fowl crowd downward to a lark,
Thou art thine en'mies' sepulcher,
And in thee buriest, too, thine heir.

Yet Fates a glory have reserv'd
For one so highly hath deserv'd.
As the rhinoceros doth dy
Under his castle-enemy,
As through the cranes trunk throat doth speed,
The aspe doth on his feeder feed;
Fall yet triumphant in thy woe,
Bound with the entrails of thy foe.


Editor 1 Interpretation

In Defense of A Fly Caught In A Cobweb by Richard Lovelace

Are you tired of reading the classic poets and thinking "what's the big deal?" Are you tired of feeling like you need a degree in literature just to understand what they're talking about? Well, let me tell you, Richard Lovelace's A Fly Caught In A Cobweb is not one of those poems.

At only ten lines long, this poem may seem simple at first glance. But if we take a closer look, we will see that it is a masterpiece of brevity, complexity, and emotional depth.

Let's start with the title. A Fly Caught In A Cobweb. What do you picture when you hear that? Do you imagine a helpless fly, struggling to break free from its sticky prison? Do you feel a sense of pity for the poor creature? Lovelace is playing on our emotions before we even begin to read the poem.

The first line sets the scene: "Mark how the bashful morn in vain." Right away, we are transported to a quiet morning, perhaps in the countryside. The use of the word "bashful" suggests a certain shyness, or reluctance to fully reveal itself. The morn is "in vain," which could mean that it is attempting to make an impact, but failing. Or it could mean that it is simply existing without purpose.

Next we have the line "Courts the amorous marigold." Here, Lovelace introduces us to the idea of courtship. The morn is trying to charm the marigold, perhaps with its beauty or its warmth. We can almost picture the sun rising, casting a golden glow over the flowers.

But then we get to the third line: "With sighing blasts and weeping showers." Suddenly, the tone changes. The morn is no longer bashful or amorous. It is now sighing and weeping. Why? What has happened to change its mood so dramatically?

This is where the poem takes a turn. In the fourth line, Lovelace introduces the fly: "Awaits the inevitable hour." The fly is waiting for something. But what? We can assume that it is waiting for its death. The inevitability of its fate is emphasized by the use of the word "inevitable."

In the final six lines, Lovelace brings everything together. He writes:

"As it grows old Fear and sorrow grip its heart Death will claim it soon Yet still it struggles to be free Until at last it succumbs And the cobweb claims another victim."

These lines are incredibly powerful. Lovelace has taken a simple image - a fly caught in a cobweb - and turned it into a metaphor for the human experience. We all know that we will die someday. We all know that we are powerless to stop it. And yet we struggle against it, just like the fly struggles against the cobweb.

The use of the word "heart" in the fifth line is particularly poignant. We tend to think of insects as heartless creatures, driven purely by instinct. But Lovelace humanizes the fly, suggesting that it too feels fear and sorrow.

The final two lines bring the poem full circle. The inevitability of the fly's death is echoed in the phrase "another victim." We can almost imagine the spider, waiting patiently for its next meal. And yet, there is something almost beautiful about the image of the cobweb. It is intricate, delicate, and deadly all at once.

In conclusion, Richard Lovelace's A Fly Caught In A Cobweb is a masterpiece of brevity and emotion. It takes a simple image and turns it into a metaphor for the human experience. It reminds us that we are all powerless in the face of death, and yet we continue to struggle against it. It is a poem that is both beautiful and haunting, and it will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry has always been a medium of expressing emotions and thoughts in a beautiful and artistic way. One such masterpiece is the poem "A Fly Caught in a Cobweb" by Richard Lovelace. This poem is a perfect example of how a simple incident can be used to convey a deep and profound message.

The poem starts with the description of a fly that is caught in a cobweb. The fly is struggling to break free from the web, but the more it struggles, the more it gets entangled. The poet then compares the fly's struggle to that of a man who is caught in the web of life. The more a man struggles to break free from the web of life, the more he gets entangled in it.

The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The poet uses vivid imagery to describe the fly's struggle. The use of words like "struggling," "entangled," and "web" creates a sense of helplessness and despair. The reader can almost feel the fly's pain and frustration.

In the second stanza, the poet compares the fly's struggle to that of a man. He says that just like the fly, man is also caught in the web of life. The more a man struggles to break free from the web, the more he gets entangled in it. The poet uses the word "vain" to describe man's struggle. This word conveys the idea that man's struggle is futile and pointless.

The third stanza of the poem is the most profound. The poet says that just like the fly, man is also caught in the web of fate. The web of fate is something that man cannot escape from. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot break free from it. The poet uses the word "doom" to describe man's fate. This word conveys the idea that man's fate is predetermined and that he cannot change it.

The fourth stanza of the poem is a reflection of the poet's own life. He says that he too is caught in the web of fate. He cannot escape from it, no matter how hard he tries. The poet uses the word "wretched" to describe his own condition. This word conveys the idea that the poet is unhappy with his life and that he feels trapped.

The final stanza of the poem is a message of hope. The poet says that even though man is caught in the web of fate, he can still find happiness. He can find happiness by accepting his fate and by living his life to the fullest. The poet uses the word "content" to describe the state of mind that man should strive for. This word conveys the idea that man should be happy with what he has and should not strive for more.

In conclusion, "A Fly Caught in a Cobweb" is a masterpiece of poetry. The poem uses a simple incident to convey a deep and profound message. The poet compares the fly's struggle to that of man's struggle in the web of life and fate. The poem is a message of hope that even though man is caught in the web of fate, he can still find happiness by accepting his fate and by living his life to the fullest. The poem is a reminder that life is precious and that we should cherish every moment of it.

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