Likeness

The poem falls into the category of seduction poetry, as Sappho attempts to convince Philaenis to return her love and affection. This was a common genre within lyric poetry during the early modern period, and one for which Donne is particularly well-known. However, the convention arguments that speakers of these poems tended to make are largely absent from "Sappho to Philaenis." While most speakers (usually male) would often argue that the beloved must make the most of their youth while they are still beautiful, Donne's Sappho focuses instead on the difference between men and women and ultimately, the superiority of likeness over difference.

Sappho is, in literature and popular culture, associated with homoerotic desire between women. This poem uses that reputation to showcase a Sappho who argues in favor of this desire with Donne's signature wit and logic. She explains to Philaenis that men are "rough...