A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
by John Donne
As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say
The breath goes now, and some say, No:So let us melt, and make no noise,
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;
‘Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.Moving of th’ earth brings harms and fears,
Men reckon what it did, and meant;
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.Dull sublunary lovers’ love
(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
Those things which elemented it.But we by a love so much refined,
That ourselves know not what it is,
Interassured of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.If they be two, they are two so
As stiff twin compasses are two;
Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if the other do.And though it in the center sit,
Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
Like th’ other foot, obliquely run;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end where I begun.
John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” stands as a cornerstone of English literature, celebrated for its profound exploration of love and separation. This remarkable poem, first published in 1633, showcases Donne’s mastery of metaphysical poetry, a style characterized by intellectual complexity, startling comparisons, and a deep engagement with spiritual and philosophical themes. The poem’s enduring appeal lies in its sophisticated argument for a love that transcends physical presence, offering solace and insight into the nature of enduring connection. It remains a powerful and frequently studied work, captivating readers with its unique blend of emotion and intellect.
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning Summary and Central Idea
“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is a deeply moving and intellectually rich poem that addresses the speaker’s beloved as he prepares for a journey, urging her not to mourn their temporary separation. The central idea revolves around the assertion that their love is so refined and spiritual that physical distance cannot diminish it. Instead, their bond is strengthened by absence, transforming what might be a painful parting into an opportunity to demonstrate the true, elevated nature of their affection.
The poem opens by comparing the lovers’ parting to the peaceful death of virtuous men, suggesting that their separation should be quiet and dignified, free from outward displays of grief. The speaker argues that public mourning, with its “tear-floods” and “sigh-tempests,” would be a “profanation of our joys,” revealing their sacred love to those who cannot understand its depth. This sets up a clear distinction between their spiritual love and the “dull sublunary lovers’ love,” which is dependent on physical presence and therefore cannot endure absence.
Donne employs a series of intricate comparisons, known as metaphysical conceits, to illustrate the unique quality of their bond. The most famous of these is the extended metaphor of the compass, which beautifully symbolizes the interconnectedness of their souls. Even when physically apart, their souls remain united, experiencing not a “breach” but an “expansion,” much like gold can be beaten to “airy thinness” without breaking. This profound message of enduring love, resilience in separation, and the spiritual nature of true connection makes “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” a timeless and essential piece of poetry.
In-Depth Analysis of A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is a masterclass in poetic argumentation, employing a rich tapestry of literary and poetic devices to convey its powerful message. The poem’s structure, imagery, and figurative language all contribute to its status as a seminal work in English literature.
The Argument Against Mourning
The poem begins by establishing a calm and dignified tone, immediately setting the stage for the speaker’s plea to his beloved. The opening stanza compares their parting to the peaceful death of virtuous men:
As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say
The breath goes now, and some say, No:
This simile suggests that their separation should be a quiet, internal event, not a dramatic public display. The speaker then explicitly forbids outward signs of grief, such as tears and sighs, equating them to natural disasters:
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;
‘Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.
Here, the speaker argues that such displays would desecrate their private, sacred love by exposing it to those who would misunderstand its spiritual nature. The term “laity” implies that their love is a sacred, almost religious, experience, understood only by the initiated.
Distinguishing True Love from Earthly Affection
Donne further develops his argument by contrasting their elevated love with a more common, physical affection. He uses the imagery of earthquakes versus the movement of celestial spheres to illustrate this difference:
Moving of th’ earth brings harms and fears,
Men reckon what it did, and meant;
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.
Earthquakes, which are visible and disruptive, represent the anxieties and fears of ordinary, physical love. In contrast, the “trepidation of the spheres,” a reference to the Ptolemaic model of the universe where celestial bodies moved silently and harmoniously, symbolizes their spiritual love. This cosmic movement, though vast, is “innocent” and causes no earthly disturbance, much like their refined love is undisturbed by physical separation.
The poem then directly addresses the nature of “dull sublunary lovers’ love”:
Dull sublunary lovers’ love
(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
Those things which elemented it.
“Sublunary” refers to everything beneath the moon, signifying the earthly and transient. This type of love, rooted in the senses and physical presence, cannot endure absence because its very foundation is removed when the lovers are apart. Their love, however, is of a different order:
But we by a love so much refined,
That ourselves know not what it is,
Interassured of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.
Their love is “refined,” existing beyond physical sensation and residing in the “mind” or soul. This spiritual connection means they “Care less” about the absence of physical contact, as their bond is not dependent on it.
The Metaphysical Conceit of the Compass
The most iconic and celebrated aspect of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is its extended metaphysical conceit of the compass. This intricate comparison spans three stanzas and brilliantly illustrates the unity and interdependence of the lovers’ souls.
Initially, the speaker suggests their souls are one, experiencing an “expansion” rather than a “breach” during separation:
Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.
The simile “Like gold to airy thinness beat” emphasizes that their love, like gold, can be stretched and expanded without breaking, becoming more refined and pervasive, rather than diminished. This prepares the reader for the more complex image of the compass:
If they be two, they are two so
As stiff twin compasses are two;
Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if the other do.
The beloved’s soul is the “fixed foot” of the compass, remaining at home, while the speaker’s soul is the moving foot. Even though the fixed foot appears stationary, it is intrinsically linked to the moving foot. Its movement is entirely dependent on the other, demonstrating their profound connection.
The analogy continues, describing the sympathetic leaning of the fixed foot:
And though it in the center sit,
Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.
This imagery beautifully portrays the beloved’s emotional connection and loyalty. The fixed foot “leans and hearkens” after the roaming foot, symbolizing her concern and longing. When the speaker returns, her soul “grows erect,” signifying joy and the restoration of their perfect union.
The final stanza of the poem brings the compass conceit to its conclusion, emphasizing the beloved’s role in guiding the speaker:
Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
Like th’ other foot, obliquely run;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end where I begun.
The beloved’s steadfastness, her “firmness,” ensures that the speaker’s journey, his “obliquely run,” will ultimately form a perfect circle, bringing him back to her. This powerful image encapsulates the poem’s central message: that true love provides a stable center, guiding and completing the individual, even across distances.
Literary Devices in A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
John Donne masterfully employs a range of literary devices to enrich “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” adding layers of meaning and enhancing its emotional and intellectual impact.
- Metaphysical Conceit: This is a defining feature of the poem. A metaphysical conceit is an extended, complex, and often startling comparison between two vastly different things, typically linking a physical object or idea to a spiritual or abstract concept. The most prominent example is the comparison of the lovers’ souls to a drawing compass, which runs through stanzas seven, eight, and nine. This elaborate analogy illustrates the profound and unbreakable bond between the speaker and his beloved, even in separation.
- Simile: A direct comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as.” Donne uses simile to clarify complex ideas. For instance, the opening stanza presents a simile comparing the lovers’ quiet parting to the peaceful death of virtuous men: “As virtuous men pass mildly away, / And whisper to their souls to go, / Whilst some of their sad friends do say / The breath goes now, and some say, No: / So let us melt, and make no noise.” Another powerful simile appears when describing the expansion of their souls: “Like gold to airy thinness beat.”
- Metaphor: An implied comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.” Donne frequently uses metaphor to create vivid imagery. For example, he refers to tears as “tear-floods” and sighs as “sigh-tempests,” implying that these emotional displays are as destructive and overwhelming as natural disasters.
- Imagery: Language that appeals to the five senses, creating vivid mental pictures for the reader. Donne uses imagery to convey both the physical and spiritual aspects of love. Examples include the gentle passing of “virtuous men,” the destructive “tear-floods” and “sigh-tempests,” the silent “trepidation of the spheres,” and the delicate transformation of “gold to airy thinness beat.”
- Paradox: A statement that appears self-contradictory but contains a deeper truth. The poem presents a paradox regarding the lovers’ souls: “Our two souls therefore, which are one, / Though I must go, endure not yet / A breach, but an expansion.” This suggests that while they are physically separating, their spiritual unity is not broken but rather grows stronger and more expansive. Another paradox is found in the compass analogy, where the two feet are distinct yet inseparable, functioning as a single unit.
- Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in words that are close together. This device adds musicality and emphasis. Examples include “sad friends do say” and “soul is sense.” The phrase “fixed foot” also demonstrates alliteration, drawing attention to the steadfastness of the beloved.
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words or at the end of words in close proximity. This creates a sense of cohesion and rhythm. An example is found in “Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss,” where the repeated ‘s’ sound subtly reinforces the idea of indifference to physical absence.
- Symbolism: The use of objects or ideas to represent something else. The compass is the primary symbol in the poem, representing the unwavering, interconnected, and guiding nature of the lovers’ spiritual bond. The “trepidation of the spheres” symbolizes a higher, purer form of movement and connection, contrasting with the disruptive “moving of th’ earth” which symbolizes earthly, physical concerns.
- Apostrophe: A figure of speech in which the speaker directly addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing. The entire poem can be seen as an extended apostrophe, as the speaker directly addresses his beloved, who is either physically absent or about to be.
Poetic Devices in A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
Beyond its rich literary content, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is structured with specific poetic devices that contribute to its rhythm, flow, and overall aesthetic.
- Stanza: A grouping of lines in a poem, similar to a paragraph in prose. This poem is composed of nine distinct stanzas, each contributing to the development of the speaker’s argument.
- Quatrain: A four-line stanza. Every stanza in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is a quatrain, providing a consistent and balanced structure throughout the poem.
- Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem. The poem consistently follows an ABAB rhyme scheme in each quatrain. For example, in the first stanza: “away” (A), “go” (B), “say” (A), “No” (B). This regular rhyme scheme contributes to the poem’s musicality and sense of order.
- End Rhyme: Rhyme that occurs at the end of lines. The ABAB rhyme scheme is created through end rhymes, such as “move” and “love” in the second stanza, and “admit” and “it” in the fourth stanza.
- Iambic Tetrameter: A metrical pattern in poetry consisting of four iambs per line. An iamb is a metrical foot composed of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM). Most lines in the poem adhere to this meter, giving it a steady, conversational, yet elevated rhythm. For example, the line “So let us melt, and make no noise” clearly demonstrates the four iambs. Another example is “The breath goes now, and some say, No.”
Conclusion
“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is a testament to John Donne’s genius, offering a profound meditation on the nature of love, absence, and spiritual connection. Through its intricate metaphysical conceits, vivid imagery, and masterful use of literary and poetic devices, the poem constructs a powerful argument for a love that transcends the physical realm. It teaches that true affection is not diminished by distance but rather refined and strengthened, providing a steadfast center that guides and completes the individual. This enduring work continues to resonate, reminding us that the deepest bonds are those forged in the mind and soul, capable of enduring any separation.