The Flea Metaphors

Sexual intercourse is a perplexing thing. To some people, it is an action that should never be spoken about, and to others, it is simply a part of life that should be celebrated as pleasurable. This juxtaposition is what makes the poem, The Flea by John Donne, complex yet also simple. For many centuries, sexual intercourse took place only between a married couple, as was taught in many religions. Anything that happened outside of a marriage was considered a sin and shameful on the people involved. With the time period being set in 1635 and through the use of different forms of literary devices, the author seamlessly creates an argument within the poem about why the engagement in sexual acts should not be looked on as bad. Through the use of

The speaker says “…in this flea our two bloods mingled be.” The mingling of blood is therefore “…more than what we would do.” The speaker is implying that losing your virginity is unimportant by comparing it to the mingling of blood within the flea. Donne cleverly compares sex with a flea and the similarities between them. The speaker mentions "...three lives in one flea spare…” meaning the flea binds them together much like the unity of marriage and that the only “sin” she will commit is the murder of the flea. The use of extended metaphor is incredulously important to this poem because it makes vital connections and weighs the importance of losing your virginity, according to Donne’s

Donne also chooses the word “enjoys”, making an innuendo in his concluding of his first stanza. In the final line, the speaker fails to mention that the flea also took life from him. This specific word choice made in the poem accentuates how premarital sex is not a sin and that it should be as common as the sucking of blood from a flea. This is shown by how little the fleas importance is to the