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The FleaShort story by John Donne

Flashcards for The Flea

27 cards · 3 characters · 8 key quotes · 4 symbols · 12 literary devices. Nothing is saved and nothing is asked for — close the tab and the deck resets.

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Characters · 3

  1. The Flea

    In John Donne's poem "The Flea," the flea serves both as a literal insect and as the main symbol of the poem — a living, breathing argument.

    character

  2. The Mistress (Beloved)

    The Mistress plays a silent yet crucial role in John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea."

    character

  3. The Speaker (Male Lover)

    The Speaker is the male lover and the only voice in John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea."

    character

Key quotes · 8

  1. “Mark but this flea, and mark in this, / How little that which thou deny'st me is.”

    These lines come from "The Flea" by John Donne, a brilliant example of metaphysical wit likely crafted in the 1590s and published posthumously in 1633.

    The male lover / poetic speaker

  2. “It sucked me first, and now sucks thee, / And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.”

    These lines are delivered by the male speaker in John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea" (written in the 1590s and published in 1633), as he tries to seduce a woman.

    The male poetic speaker (John Donne, persona) · Stanza 1

  3. “This flea is you and I, and this / Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is.”

    These lines come from John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea," written in the 1590s but published in 1633.

    The male speaker / poetic persona · Stanza 2

  4. “Though parents grudge, and you, w'are met, / And cloistered in these living walls of jet.”

    This couplet is delivered by the unnamed male speaker in John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea" (from the 1590s, published in 1633), directed at his hesitant beloved.

    Male poetic speaker

  5. “Cruel and sudden, hast thou since / Purpled thy nail in blood of innocence?”

    These lines are spoken by the male speaker in John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea" (circa 1590s, published 1633), directed at his beloved after she has killed the flea they were debating.

    The male speaker / poetic persona · Stanza 3

  6. “Wherein could this flea guilty be, / Except in that drop which it sucked from thee?”

    These lines come from John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea," where the male speaker tries to seduce his hesitant beloved.

    The male speaker (Donne's poetic persona) · Stanza 2

  7. “Yet thou triumph'st, and say'st that thou / Find'st not thyself nor me the weaker now.”

    These lines are spoken by the male speaker in John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea."

    The male speaker / narrator · Stanza 2 (closing lines)

  8. “Just so much honor, when thou yield'st to me, / Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.”

    These closing lines from John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea," written in the 1590s and published in 1633, are delivered by the male speaker to his hesitant beloved.

    The male poetic speaker · Stanza 3 (final stanza)

Symbols · 4

  1. Blood

    In John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea," blood represents the intertwining of two souls and the closeness of sexual union.

  2. Death (La Petite Mort)

    In John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea," death operates on two intertwined levels.

  3. The Flea

    In John Donne's metaphysical poem "The Flea," the flea is a clever symbol for sexual union and the trivialization of chastity.

  4. The Flea as Marriage Bed / Temple

    In John Donne's metaphysical poem The Flea, the flea becomes a bold symbol of sexual union, marriage, and sacred space.

Literary devices · 12

  1. Conceit

    The entire poem revolves around a bold extended metaphor: a flea serves as the basis for a seduction argument.

  2. Dramatic Monologue

    Though we only hear the speaker's voice, the poem unfolds like a live debate with a silent partner.

  3. Irony

    Irony is woven throughout the poem.

  4. Metaphor

    Beyond the overarching idea, local metaphors perform specific roles.

  5. Volta

    Each of the poem's three stanzas features an internal shift.

  6. Apostrophe

    The speaker talks directly to the flea — 'Mark but this flea' — bringing it into the poem as a kind of witness or partner in crime.

  7. Paradox

    The poem revolves around a series of paradoxes.

  8. Alliteration

    Donne uses alliteration to connect key phrases and create rhetorical impact.

  9. Symbolism

    The flea takes on different meanings throughout the poem's three stanzas.

  10. Enjambment

    Within each nine-line stanza, Donne employs enjambment to keep the argument flowing without interruption.

  11. Rhetorical Question

    Rhetorical questions thread through the speaker's argument, challenging the beloved to find a way out.

  12. End Rhyme

    Each stanza adheres to a strict AAB AAB CDCD rhyme scheme (with some slight variations), which lends the poem a formal, almost legal tone.