John Donnes’ “A Valediction: Forbidden Mourning” Essay

In the poem A Valediction Forbidding Mourning, by John Donne, the utterer is satisfying his farer who is mournful of the vocalizers imminent departure. The speaker is locution that since they have wholeer than public bed for one another, their dearest pull up stakes blend in the breakup. Donne uses meta natural conceits and comparative imagery to illustrate the crux of the poem. The speaker is tranquillise his fill inr by reminding her of how great their love is it transcends the somatic and therefore give overcome whatever obstacle is set on their path. He is minacious his lover to mourn his departure.In the first half of the poem the speaker contrasts their love amidst that of spiritual and material objects the inferior actions of the earth compared to those of the ethereal spheres (11). He is trying to prove to his lover how their love is not of the ordinary kind it is more than simple affection. He compares their love to that of pure flamboyant look let us me lt, and make no noise (5). tenuous gold, when melted, does not spatter, it melts down smoothly. Therefore he is saying that if there love was gold it would make no noise for their love is that of the purest kind. The speaker thus says that earthly things bring harm and fears (9) further since their love is above earthly matters, they should accordinglyce not be afraid of parting. The speaker feels that there should be no grieving and exaggerates his lovers anguish, telling her there should be no tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests (6).The narrator talks of dull sublunary loverswhose souls are sense (13/14) these lesser couples love is based upon the five senses. He is saying that love preemptnot be simply based upon these senses, which are strictly physical. Love has to transcend the physical to be pure and their love does. The speakers refinement then turns comforting by saying that they both know that their love is more than physical therefore they should be at ease. A physic al separation is ensuing but not an emotional one their love lead endure. He describes their deuce soulswhich are one (21).He says that their separation go out not be a breach but an involution (24) of their love their souls are united and cannot be separated by whatever forces shall come in their way. He continues to develop the image between their love and pure gold by saying that through this separation their souls will simply spreadapart to aery thinness (24) but never separate (as does pure gold when flattened).Donne compares the couple to a geometrical quail at, a metaphor which carries two significant meanings. The first being the idea of a compass being two separate entities, two feet, which are addicted but not forever and a day together. He says that the compass is them, separate beings but still united as one, by their soul. One peck of the compass will stay as the other moves around and away, and the stationary foot hearkens after it (31) but is unable join the ot her. The speaker is making the request that not matter how far one of them may move they will always complete the circle and eventually return to the beginning. The compass in like manner portrays their love as a circle. A circle is an image of flawlessness never ending and continuing for eternity as is their love. The speaker is saying that no matter how far apart they may travel they will always come back to one another. He may travel far but he will draw his circle just, and end, where he began (36).The speaker exposit before how their love transcends the physical, it is deeper than sex and arousal of the senses. In the final stanzas though, the speaker addresses all the factors of any healthy relationship. The speaker says that his compass foot, as it draws nearer home, grows erect (32), an allusion to the sexual component of their relationship. Despite the awesome force out of an emotionally based relationship there is still a strong a physical aspect. He misses her with his soul but also physically yearns for her.This poem is written to comfort a lover. Donne opens with comparative images of the physical and earthly, saying that the sentiment between the two lovers is more than earthly love. He then uses metaphysical conceits, comparisons of unrelated objectsthe physical and the spiritualto further emphasize his point. The two compasses, no matter how far apart they travel will always return to the other. If one is truly in love then physical separation does not matter if anything it will only strengthen the union. The feelings between the speaker and his lover are greater than common love, therefore they can endure the separation the speakers departure should notbe mourned.