Write a note on the arguments advanced by the poet in favour of the supposed marriage. ( MEG 101 ) ( STUDY OF JOHN DONNE )

In "The Flea," the speaker argues that the flea that has bitten both him and the woman to whom he is speaking has become a symbol of their union, and that killing it would be akin to killing part of their love. He uses the flea to make an argument for physical intimacy between them, suggesting that the flea has combined their blood just as a child would be created from their sexual union.

The speaker attempts to persuade the woman to have sex with him by using a variety of arguments. First, he argues that the flea has already bitten both of them, which means that they are already united in some way. Killing the flea, therefore, would be like killing a part of both of them. Second, he argues that sex is a minor sin, especially in comparison to the greater sin of killing the flea. Finally, he suggests that their physical union is a reflection of a greater spiritual union.

The speaker's arguments can be seen as somewhat desperate and disingenuous, as he is clearly more interested in having sex than in any sort of spiritual or emotional connection with the woman. The use of the flea as a symbol of their union is also somewhat grotesque, as it suggests a parasitic relationship rather than a healthy one. Overall, "The Flea" can be read as a humorous and somewhat cynical take on the courtly love tradition, in which poets often celebrated an idealized and often unattainable love.