[Poem] THE FLEA - A Playful Metaphysical Argument on Desire and Consent (AMP)

The Flea - John Donne

/The Flea - John Donne/

A Clever Plea for Intimacy Through a Tiny Insect

Note: Below is John Donne’s “The Flea” in its entirety. Each line is presented twice (original Early Modern English, followed by the identical line) to reflect the requested format.

Original (Early Modern English) / Modern English (Identical Text)

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, yea more than married are.

This flea is you and I, and this

Our marriage 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 honour, when thou yield'st to me,

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

John Donne’s “The Flea” is a celebrated example of Metaphysical poetry, known for its witty argument and striking conceit. In this poem, the speaker addresses a lover who is hesitant to consummate their relationship. By focusing on the seemingly trivial bite of a flea—which carries the blood of both individuals—the speaker constructs a clever justification for closer intimacy.

He points out that this small insect has mingled their bloods without causing shame or sin, so why should the lovers fear uniting in a more significant way? The flea, then, becomes a microcosm of marriage and union. Donne’s speaker takes a playful yet audacious stance, suggesting that if their mixed blood inside the flea does not violate religious or social norms, then their physical union should not be seen as scandalous either.

In the second stanza, the speaker presses the argument further by personifying the flea as a metaphorical sacred space—akin to a ‘marriage bed’ or ‘temple.’ This inversion of churchly imagery, typical of Donne’s Metaphysical style, simultaneously teases and challenges societal mores about chastity and the sanctity of marriage. The speaker also invokes the idea of ‘three sins in killing three’ when pleading for the flea’s life, emphasizing that both he and his lover (and, symbolically, their union) reside within its body.

Ultimately, the final stanza reveals that the lover has killed the flea, attempting to prove that no consequence has arisen from its ‘death.’ The speaker then twists this act to underline his point: just as the flea’s killing does not reduce her honor, so too physical union would not diminish her virtue. This bold, ironic turn exemplifies Donne’s skillful rhetorical flair and clever persuasion.

Despite its playful tone, “The Flea” raises deeper questions about how social norms shape our understanding of love, morality, and bodily connections. Its enduring appeal lies in the poet’s ability to turn a tiny insect into a daring symbol that links physical intimacy, sacred values, and clever wordplay all at once.

Key points

• Uses a flea as a witty conceit to argue for intimate union.
• Merges religious, sensual, and everyday imagery in typical Metaphysical style.
• Challenges social conventions regarding chastity and honor.
• Showcases Donne’s skillful, paradoxical blending of the trivial and the profound.