The Spider and the Fly - A Critical

Analysis
The Spider and the Fly is a cautionary fable that highlights the disastrous consequences of flattery
on gullible and naïve minds. Originally meant as a lesson for children, The Spider and the Fly has
gained universal popularity due to its continued relevance to this period. The figure of the spider is
used to shed some light on the actions and the underlying intention of various manipulative
elements within our society. It also demonstrates how vanity and pride can have a crippling effect on
the workings of an otherwise discerning mind.

The poem features a spider who attempts to trap a fly through flattery and deception. After
exhausting various devices to coax the fly into entering his web, the spider lavishes flattery upon the
fly who ends up getting trapped in the spider’s web. Curiosity might have killed the cat but it is
flattery which finishes off the fly.

The poem consists of seven stanzas. The first six stanzas involve a tale of the spider and the fly. The
poet uses the last stanza to change the narrative into a message to people, especially the children,
reading the poem. The spider is using his charming words to lure the fly into his home. The fly
appears to understand every trick the spider uses. The persistence of the spider with charming
words and compliments confuses the fly. Gradually, the fly begins believing the spider and forgets
the dangers posed by drawing near his home. Readers can see the value of persistence, resilience,
and patience because the spider persisted with patience and finally attains his target. The spider
initially tries to tickle the fly’s curiosity by describing the sights in his ‘parlour’. He then offers a
resting place for the “weary” fly, followed by an offer of delicious food. Ultimately, it is the lethal
dose of praise and flattery which kills the winged narcissist.

The poem absolutely touches upon the theme of foolishness and folly through the irrational fly. The
fly is quite aware of the spider’s plans but goes ahead to draw near his home. In the first four
stanzas, the fly counters every trick employed by the spider because she knows he will eat her.
Eventually, the charming words used by the spider clouds the fly’s mind. The fly draws near the
spider’s home and is held firmly. The spider drags the fly into his parlor, and the fly never comes out.
The act represents the foolishness of the fly. The spider uses pride to entice the fly. First, the spider
praises his house by saying that it is the “prettiest little parlor” ever. The spider employs tricks to
lure the fly into a trap. When the fly shows that she is disinterested in the parlor, the spider uses
another tactic. He tells the fly about his comfortable bed, fine sheets, and pretty curtains drawn all
over the place. The fly does not buy into the spider’s story. Finally, the fly is confused by the spider’s
flattery words. The spider compliments her eyes and wings and allows her to step into his house to
look herself through his mirror. All this is vanity to lure the fly into a trap. The fly’s vanity stimulates
her to get into the spider’s house. Success is based on an individual’s enthusiasm to never give up.
The spider seems to be aware that persistence is the key to success. When the fly resists his
attempts to get her into his parlor, he keeps persisting. The spider does not give up, and eventually,
he is successful. Partly, this tale's moral lesson is that one should not give up on their mission. The
spider’s mission was to lure the fly into his house. Finally, his persistence bears fruits, and the fly falls
into a trap. The spider uses lies to manipulate the fly. He speaks about the beauty of his parlor and
deceptively praises the fly’s wings and eyes to entrap her. The spider knows that without the use of
deception, the fly would never fall into his trap. Weak people are easily manipulated by deception.
The fly represents weak people in society who are vulnerable to deception. As revealed in the last
stanza, the poet's main objective is to caution people against giving in to flattery words. The flattery
words lead to the fly’s death. This cautionary tale points out the consequences of succumbing to
flattery words. The story serves as a lesson to those people who are manipulated by flattery. The
author allows readers to see the consequences brought by giving in to flattery.

The tale cautions the readers against getting enticed into temptation by cunning people with ulterior
motives. The spider metaphorically signifies cunning yet evil people who use charming words of
deceit to lure others into temptations. Wrong people with sinister motives use tricks of flattery
words to achieve their wicked mission. These people don’t give up in pursuit of their target.
Tactfully, they employ several strategies, just like the spider, to achieve their objectives.

Howitt uses the last stanza to clarify her message of the poem. The poet warns children against
being enticed with flattery words. The strong people in the society can use manipulation to oppress
the weak. The spider manipulates the fly using the beauty of his home. Weak people in society are
vulnerable to imaginary comfort. These people don’t consider the dangers of flattery. The poem
gives readers an insight into the charms of vanity.