18 Matching Annotations
  1. Mar 2025
  2. southtexascollege.blackboard.com southtexascollege.blackboard.com
    1. Yet thou triumph’st, and say'st that thou <br /> Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now;

      In line 26, the listener explains how they feel no guilt, and there is no consequence from taking the flea's life as it took both their blood.

    2. ’Tis true; then learn how false, fears be:

      In line 27, the speaker agrees how there is no consequence and seems to fear something, but, that something is unknown.

    3. Just so much honor, when thou yield’st to me, Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee.

      In connection to line 27, it seems what seems to be getting lost is the listener's honor. The speaker (?) seems to connect this, comparing the fear of loosing her honor in connection to the flea's death. By saying this, the speaker goes on to push, saying that similar to the flea's death having no consequence, their will be no consequence to them being intimate.

    4. Yet thou triumph’st, and say'st that thou <br /> Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now;

      In lines 23 and 24, the listener finally speaks, claiming that by killing the flea, she is not weak. By saying this, she essentially says that there was no harm in killing the flea, as it took both their blood.

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

      In line 19, the speaker calls the listener "Cruel and sudden" because they killed the flea. In line 20, the speaker paints the picture of the flea's blood painting the purple nail of the listener, showing the violence and lost of a life.

    6. Though use make you apt to kill me, Let not to that, self-murder added be, And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

      In line 16 and 17, the speaker essentially tells the listener that if they were to kill the flea, it would be a ot only self-murder, but the murder of three lives: their own, the speaker's, and the flea's. In line 18, the speaker places the flea on this holy pedestal, treating it as if it were sacred . By doing this, he makes it seem as though killing it would be a greater offense than it really is.

    7. Though parents grudge, and you, w'are met, <br /> And cloistered in these living walls of jet.

      The speaker tells the listener to forget societal norms and barriers, telling them that they have already met in a sacred place, a reference to the temple or flea. The flea creates a close, private area for the two of them to be free from the view of others.

    8. This flea is you and I, and this Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is;

      The speaker tells the listener that the flea signifies their marriage bed and temple. By this logic, it sets the two being already married. By making the flea play the part of a temple and bed, it seemingly makes this small, insignificant bug, play a huge role within the poem.

    9. Where we almost, nay more than married are.

      Speaker says that the flea is more than just a unification, it carries: the speaker's, the listener's, and the flea's lives.

    10. Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare,

      Speaker essentially says to "spare the life of the flea as it has both their blood."

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

      The flea, despite being small and insignificant, accomplishes what the speaker cannot do: unite physically.

    12. Yet this enjoys before it woo,
      And pampered swells with one blood made of two,
      

      The seventh line calls the flea "insignificant;" yet, despite this, the flea likes the unity of blood, even though there is no connection in anyway.

    13. Thou know’st that this cannot be said A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead,

      I think the speaker attempts to take away from society, saying that what this is is different. In other words, the speak attempts to downplay the act of being physically intimate with the other.

    14. How little that which thou deniest me is; >

      Speaker tells listener what he seeks is a small thing; he's talking about sex.

    15. And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;

      The act of sharing blood in intimate and due to that, the speaker tells the listener that a "physical barrier" is, at this point, unnecessary.

    16. It sucked me first, and now sucks thee,>

      According to the speaker, the flea already united them, as it sucked both their blood.

    17. Mark but this flea, and mark in this,>

      "Pay attention to the flea", drawing in the reader's and receiver's attention

    18. POEM IS THE FLEA