Question

What does the phrase "purpled thy nail" refer to in this excerpt from "The Flea" by John Donne?

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

A.) an injury the speaker's beloved incurred as he wooed her
B.) the shared blood of the speaker and his beloved in the flea
C.) the loss of the beloved's innocence symbolized by the flea
D.) the beloved's sudden cruel treatment of the speaker

Answer 1

B) The shared blood of the speaker and his beloved in the flea

Step-by-step explanation:

I got it right on the test

Answer 2

Do the beloved's sudden cruel treatment of the speaker/flea