John Donee

Ladies and Gentleman, I have been asked to speak on Poetry form the 16-18th century today I will be discussing the poem, The Flea by John Donne and how the composer conveys meaning through several literary concepts in the piece. In this speech I will be hoping to explain the techniques and how they have been used by the author to convey meaning. The poem is written in : structure. And the rhyming couplet :To refresh your memory I will start with a reading of the poem.

MARK but this flea, and mark in this,

How little that which thou deniest me is ;

It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee,

And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.

Thou know'st that this cannot be said

A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead ;

Yet this enjoys before it woo,

And pamper'd swells with one blood made of two ;

And this, alas ! is more than we would do.

O stay, three lives in one flea spare,

Where we almost, yea, more than married are.

This flea is you and I, and this

Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is.

Though parents grudge, and you, we're met,

And cloister'd in these living walls of jet.

Though use make you apt to kill me,

Let not to that self-murder added be,

And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

Cruel and sudden, hast thou since

Purpled thy nail in blood of innocence?

Wherein could this flea guilty be,

Except in that drop which it suck'd from thee?

Yet thou triumph'st, and say'st that thou

Find'st not thyself nor me the weaker now.

'Tis true ; then learn how false fears be ;

Just so much honour, when thou yield'st to me,

Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.

Donnes earlier work was controversial as such in society they were on topics that was taboo; Religon and Sex.

Stanza 1.

Line 1-2: "Mark but this flea, and mark in this,
How little that which thou deniest me is;"

Mark!