The Flea John Donne Analysis
The poem “The Flea” by John Donne takes a very in-depth look at the lives of two characters that appear to resemble the infamous tale of Romeo and Juliet. Overall, in the poem the flea represents a metaphor for the unity between two beings, the child they create, and the lack of innocence and guilt that the two are left with. Each stanza has the ability to set a different mood due to what the flea is representing in that moment. Throughout the poem, the flea is able to represent many things. During the first stanza, the flea represents the unity between two people. The line “How little that which thou deniest me” (2) symbolizes a young man being denied of sex from a young girl. A metaphor is used with “A sin, nor shame, nor lose of maidenhead;
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“O stay, three lives in one flea spare” (10) re-illustrates that there are now three lives that have to be taken in to consideration. “This flea is you and I, and this our marriage temple is” (12 - 13) shows that now that they are faced with her pregnancy. They have to no choice but to get married, although it is very obvious that their parents are less than impressed with the situation their children have gotten themselves in. This is shown with the line, “Though parents grudge, and you, we’re met…” (14). This line also shows that even though their parents held a grudge, they still went through with having the baby and continuing their relationship. As stated earlier this is directly linked to Romeo and Juliet, since their parents didn‘t agree to their relationship as well. In a time when sex before marriage was forbidden and their parents had to pick their partner, they still had the desire to be together. In this poem, however, they do more than just be together, which pulls them away from Romeo and Juliet slightly. “Though use make you apt to kill me, / Let not that self-murder added be, / And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.” (15 - 17) shows that since they are upset with their children’s’ choices and are filled with embarrassment, they want to kill the children; however there is no longer just three of them. If they were to kill them, they
“O stay, three lives in one flea spare” (10) re-illustrates that there are now three lives that have to be taken in to consideration. “This flea is you and I, and this our marriage temple is” (12 - 13) shows that now that they are faced with her pregnancy. They have to no choice but to get married, although it is very obvious that their parents are less than impressed with the situation their children have gotten themselves in. This is shown with the line, “Though parents grudge, and you, we’re met…” (14). This line also shows that even though their parents held a grudge, they still went through with having the baby and continuing their relationship. As stated earlier this is directly linked to Romeo and Juliet, since their parents didn‘t agree to their relationship as well. In a time when sex before marriage was forbidden and their parents had to pick their partner, they still had the desire to be together. In this poem, however, they do more than just be together, which pulls them away from Romeo and Juliet slightly. “Though use make you apt to kill me, / Let not that self-murder added be, / And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.” (15 - 17) shows that since they are upset with their children’s’ choices and are filled with embarrassment, they want to kill the children; however there is no longer just three of them. If they were to kill them, they