Reference no: EM133303808

The introduction to the early seventeenth century explains that John Donne was fond of "drawing parallels between the macrocosm, or 'big world,' and the microcosm, or 'little world,' of the individual human being" (663). Similarly, the introduction to John Donne states that, through his poetry, Donne makes a "repeated insistence that the private world of lovers is superior to the wider public world, or that it somehow contains all of that world..." (686).

In the poem "The Flea," explain how John Donne uses this conceit of a small world representing a big world. How does the speaker of the poem employ this conceit to justify engaging in a sexual relationship with his hopeful lover? Use specific evidence (including citations) from the text for support. Include line numbers.