analysis of the flea by john donne
Observe a typical bar; every Saturday night sweat drenched bodies emitting alcohol and pheromones from every pore, exchange conversation, pleasantries, and yes even sex (perhaps not directly in view but certainly eluded to). Is this animalistic, barbaric behavior acceptable? Should sex be taken so lightheartedly? Or do we take it to seriously; guarding sex like it was the Holy Grail, or the secret to life itself? These questions may be to deep and pointed for most to approach, yet John Donne in his poem "The Flea" wades through them like the kiddy pool. In this clever poem Donne uses a flea, blood, and the murder of the flea as an analogy for the oldest most primal exchange, sex. Donne, through symbolic images, not only questions the validity of coveting virginity but also the importance of sex as it pertains to life. The metaphors in "The Flea" are plentiful, but the symbols repeated throughout the poem are clear, beginning with the most prevalent, and the flea. This small parasitic creature is chalk full of symbolic meaning. During the time this poem was written (the Renaissance) the flea was use in many poems about sex. I derive that in this particular poe
m the flea is symbolic of the act of sex from the speaker's remark in the beginning, "Mark but this flea, and mark in this, how little that which deniest me is" the flea is small and inconsequential, his lady denies him sex, which the speaker believes is also petty. The flea is described as a marriage temple and a carrier of life, but in the next stanza as something insignificant and small. The speaker applies a certain duality to the flea and therefore to sex. The metaphor develops more as it relates to the other symbols. Even today, with every movie and TV commercial screaming sexual connotations, is sex as important and life affirming as we make it out to be? In my view this poem conveys it's message loud and clear, but that doesn't mean that I agree with it. This poem has interesting points on which some aspects I agree with. We take sex to seriously, we covet the act of breeding as if it were gold, when truthfully it doesn't affect us as much as we would like to think. Although that is a very valid point it tends to be awfully one sided and testosterone based. While most would agree that we put to much importance on sex, it is an important issue that carries with it consequences, as well as physical and emotional repercussions. Now, this may be more relevant in modern times but sex during the time this poem was written still held most of the same connotations as today. For example disease, pregnancy, spiritual repercussions, and countless emotional issues, all which tend to impact more of the feminine population. In this poem the speaker does not seem to be very respectful of the female he is pursuing. Of course that is conducive to the time bu
Some common words found in the essay are:
Using Donne's, John Donne, Donne Observe, Holy Grail, Steeck English, act sex, murder flea, importance sex, poem written, flea blood, blood mixed, lady's blood, lady's blood mixed, sex speaker, marriage temple, flea symbolic,
Approximate Word count = 1128
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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