The Flea Flashcards
1
Q
Methods of John Donne
A
- Metaphysical conceit
- Benign violation
- Final line conjoins the couple
- Intensely theatrical and dramatic narrative
- Absurdity
- Alternates between tetrameter and pentameter
2
Q
Second stanza
A
female threatens to kill the flea
‘the flea is you, and i, and this our marriage bed’
there is this imagery of the stand off, which creates the comedy as the flea now represents the marriage bed
‘three sins in killing three’
-sacrilege to kill it; he tries to link pre marital sex to marriage itself
3
Q
Opening stanza
A
‘pampered swells’
-the flea is surfeited in the joy of sucking blood from both of them, enjoying it ‘before it woo’
why can’t they follow the flea’s example?
4
Q
Third stanza
A
‘purpled thy nail’
the female is daring and provocative, but this inspires him, outlining how the sacrilege has been as bad as pre marital sex, so neither can be bad
