
The phrase 'purpled thy nail' is found in the poem 'The Flea' by John Donne. The poem is about a lover who wants to have premarital relations with his beloved, but is denied. In the poem, the speaker is bitten by a flea, which he uses as a reference to their shared blood.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Refers to | Shared blood of the speaker and his beloved |
| Found in | 'The Flea' by John Donne |
| Symbolises | Loss of innocence of the loved one |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- 'Purpled thy nail' is a phrase from the poem 'The Flea' by John Donne
- The phrase refers to the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved
- The speaker wants to have premarital relations with his lover
- The speaker uses the flea as a metaphor for their shared blood
- The poem explores the futility of the lover killing the flea

'Purpled thy nail' is a phrase from the poem 'The Flea' by John Donne
Purpled thy nail is a phrase from the poem 'The Flea' by John Donne. The poem is about a lover who wants to have premarital relations with his beloved, but is denied. In the poem, the speaker is bitten by a flea, which he uses as a reference to their shared blood. The phrase 'purpled thy nail' refers to this shared blood of the speaker and his beloved in the flea. The speaker tries to kill the insect, but his lover says it would be suicide and murder because he has their blood on him. The speaker argues that it doesn't matter if he kills the insect because he doesn't need to love before marriage. The phrase 'purpled thy nail' can also be seen as symbolising the loss of innocence of the loved one.
Soft Nails: What Do They Mean for Your Health?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The phrase refers to the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved
The phrase 'purpled thy nail' is from the poem 'The Flea' by John Donne. In the poem, a lover wants to have premarital relations with his beloved, but is denied. The speaker uses the flea, which has bitten both him and his beloved, as a metaphor for their shared blood. The speaker argues that because the flea contains their shared blood, it would be both suicide and murder to kill it. The speaker uses this as an argument for why his beloved should agree to have premarital relations with him.
Dreaming of Broken Nails: Interpreting Your Subconscious Worries
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The speaker wants to have premarital relations with his lover
The phrase "purple thy nail" is used in John Donne's poem, 'The Flea'. In the poem, the speaker wants to have premarital relations with his lover, but she denies him. The speaker uses the flea as a metaphor for their shared blood, arguing that it doesn't matter if he kills the insect because he doesn't need to love before marriage. The phrase "purple thy nail" refers to the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved, symbolising the loss of innocence of the loved one.
Ridges in Fingernails and Toenails: What Do They Mean?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The speaker uses the flea as a metaphor for their shared blood
In John Donne's poem 'The Flea', the speaker uses the flea as a metaphor for their shared blood. The phrase "purple your nail" refers to the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved. The speaker wants to have premarital relations with his lover, but is denied. He uses the flea as a reference to their blood together as one, inside the insect. When he gets a negative answer, he tries to kill the insect, and his lover says it would be suicide and murder because he has their blood on him. The speaker argues that it doesn't matter if he kills the insect because he doesn't need to love before marriage.
Understanding the Free Edge of Your Nails: What Does It Mean?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The poem explores the futility of the lover killing the flea
In John Donne's poem 'The Flea', the phrase 'purpled thy nail' refers to the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved in the flea. The poem explores the futility of the lover killing the flea, which symbolises the loss of innocence of the loved one. The speaker wants to have premarital relations with his lover, but is denied. He uses the flea as a reference to their blood being mixed together, but when he gets a negative answer, he tries to kill the insect. His lover says that it would be suicide and murder because the flea contains their shared blood. The speaker argues that it doesn't matter if he kills the insect, because he doesn't need to love before marriage.
Tough as Nails: What Does It Really Mean?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
'Purpled thy nail' refers to the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved in the chip.
The phrase is from the poem 'The Flea' by John Donne.
The poem is about a lover who wants to have premarital relations with his lover but is denied.
The flea represents the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved.











































