"The Flea" by John Donne

"The Flea"

 

by John Donne (1572-1631)

 

Mark but this flea, and mark in this,   

How little that which thou deniest me is;   

It sucked me first, and now sucks thee,

And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;   

Thou know’st that this cannot be said

A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead,

    Yet this enjoys before it woo,

    And pampered swells with one blood made of two,

    And this, alas, is more than we would do.

Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare,

Where we almost, nay more than married are.   

This flea is you and I, and this

Our mariage bed, and marriage temple is;   

Though parents grudge, and you, w'are met,   

And cloistered in these living walls of jet.

    Though use make you apt to kill me,

    Let not to that, self-murder added be,

    And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

Cruel and sudden, hast thou since

Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence?   

Wherein could this flea guilty be,

Except in that drop which it sucked from thee?   

Yet thou triumph’st, and say'st that thou   

Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now;

    ’Tis true; then learn how false, fears be:

    Just so much honor, when thou yield’st to me,

    Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee.

 

Donne, John. "The Flea."Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 April 2014

 

    Although this poem was not listed among the recommended works of metaphysical poetry according to the College Board, I believe that this poem meets the same qualifications. Initially, according to the College Board, the poem should demonstrate huge shifts in scale. "The Flea" exemplifies this ideal using a flea as a symbol for love and romance despite its odd relationship to those topics. Likewise, the poem should utilize wit, irony, and paradox throughout the poem to meet the standards of a metaphysical poem. Comparing the bite of a flee to the idea of a first sexual encounter is indeed very humorous only exacerbated by the absurdity of the situation that depends on a heavy use of irony and wit in this context. Moreover, metaphysical poetry should incorporate metaphors and rhyme scheme which this poem does to a great extent. Every line rhymes with the line preceding and the entire poem serves as an extended metaphor relating to premarital sex under the watchful eyes of overbearing parents. Finally, this poem, like all metaphysical poetry, discusses a mature issue, in this case premarital sex, playfully. Donne asserts that sexual encounters should be treated lightly instead of placing a heavy strain on young people forced to comply with strict moral guidelines with little practicality.