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to recite poetry and converse). The salon was run by two ladies, and on on occassion a flea liappened to land upon one ladys breast. The poets were amazed at the creature's audacity, and were inspired to write poetry about the beast. It soon became fashionable among poets to write poems about fleas.

In this poem, the "I" of the poem is lying in bed with liis lover, and trying to get her to give her virginity to him. (It could, of course, quite easily be a FEM ALE "I" trying to seduce a MAŁE, but I will stick with one for convenience). While lying there, he notices a flea, which has obviously bitten them both. Since the 17-century idea was of sex as a "mingling of tlie blood", he realises that by mixing their bloods together in its body, the flea has done what she didn't dare to do.

Then, he argues, sińce the flea has done it, why shouldn't they? To back up his argument, he refers to the marriage ceremony, which States that "man and woman shall be one flesh". He argues that sińce they have mingled their bloods and are therefore "one blood", they are practically "one flesh" and are therefore married!

Not only does that reinforce his seduction argument, but it also provides ammunition for him to defend himself when the female does the next logical thing and moves to kill the flea. Donnę argues that by spilling his blood and hers by killing the flea, she is practically committing murder. Not only tliat, but by breaking the holy bond of marriage she is committing sacrilege!

However, the flea flnally is killed, and the poet is forced to change tactics. There, he argues, killing the flea was easy, and as you say it hasn't harmed us - well, yielding to me will be just as easy and painless.

This poem borrows a lot of religious imagery, because it helps add an aburd authority to tlie poem, as Donnę tries to argue that what they are about to do is not only supported by God, but to not do it would be heretical.

Poetic Devices

•    Direct address: Markę but this flea...

•    Repetition: And markę in this

•    Conceits: Flea > Church > Flea

Movement Within the Poem

•    First stanza: Contemplative and whimsical

•    Second stanza: Becomes morę absurd, pace gets faster

•    Third stanza: Slowing and reversal of argument.

•    Not a good idea to write down, but interesting to notę that the pace of the poem follows that of sex - a gradual build-up of intensity leading to the sudden, climactic... deatli of a flea.

Imagery