Summary of The Mosquito by D.H. Lawrence
The Mosquito - Summary
The poem ‘The Mosquito’ is taken from D.H. Lawrence’s collection of poems titled Birds, Beasts and Flowers. He is a famous novelist and poet of the 20th century. The poem uses the poetic technique called ‘pathetic fallacy’ and ascribes human emotions to animals and objects. In this poem the poet talks to the mosquito by treating it as a fellow companion.
The poem is in a form of an assumed conversation between the poet and a mosquito. The poet raises many questions about the mosquito by using the second-person narration ‘you’ regarding its trick. The poet calls the mosquito ‘Monsieur’ and questions when did it start its trick? He observes the movements of the mosquito and comments about its high and shredded legs. It lifts its weightless body and stands upon him without his knowledge. He questions whether it is a ‘phantom’ as it comes and goes without others' knowledge. The poet heard a woman calling the mosquito ‘the Winged Victory’ symbolizing its action and triumph. The poet exaggerates that the mosquito listens to this and smiles at her.
The poet raises his doubt again to the mosquito that how can it put such cruelty in such a half-transparent weak body. It is surprising that with its thin wings and legs, it could sail like a heron in water and in the air. Though it looks like nothingness, it is surrounded by an evil aura. The mosquito’s secret moves in search of prey give a kind of numbness to the poet’s mind. The poet wonders about the trick and magic to be invisible. The mosquito is very tricky; it prowls and circles around the poet to approach him to devour his blood. Due to its greediness for human blood, he calls it a ‘Ghoul on wings’ (an evil spirit who eats dead bodies).
The poet describes the action of the mosquito. It stands on its thin legs, settles on him and looks at him cunningly sideways and by knowing his awareness of its presence it specks him. Later by understanding his anger, it flies quickly from that place. This bluff game continues between man and mosquito. The poet calls the mosquito evil and its bulge in the poet’s ears is an advantage for it and it increases his sudden hatred.
The poet calls the activity of biting a bad policy and asks for a reason for such behaviour. As others say it is natural for a mosquito, the poet believes in the destiny of protecting the innocent. According to the poet, the sound of the mosquito is like a slogan, which the mosquito makes as a yell of triumph for scratching his scalp. For mosquito, blood is super magical liquor. It sucks blood and stands for a second in imposed forgetfulness. It is in silence, without any movement, stuffing blood without permission. The poet feels that the weightlessness of the mosquito saves it from getting killed. Such thoughts develop his ego to kill it in order to prove his power. He kills it and it leaves a stain of his sucked blood and the mosquito disappears as a dim smudge. At the beginning of the poem, the poet looks at the mosquito as powerful almost equal to humans. But in the end, it becomes nothing.