Introduction
John Donne's poem, A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, written in the 17th century, explores the theme of parting and the enduring nature of true love. The poem serves as a farewell message from the speaker to his beloved, urging her not to mourn their impending separation.
The Text:
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 our selves know not what it is,
Inter-assured 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.
Summary
The poem begins with the speaker acknowledging the inevitability of their parting. However, he argues that their love is not ordinary or superficial but rather deep and spiritual. The speaker encourages his beloved not to display outward expressions of sorrow or grief because their love transcends the physical realm.
Donne employs a metaphorical conceit to illustrate the strength of their love. He compares their love to a compass, a tool used for drawing circles. In this metaphor, the beloved is likened to the foot of the compass that stays fixed at the center, symbolizing constancy and steadfastness. Meanwhile, the speaker is represented by the moving foot that roams and explores the world but eventually returns to the beloved. This metaphor emphasizes the idea that physical separation does not weaken their love; rather, it strengthens it.
The speaker argues that their love is not dependent on physical proximity or the external world. Instead, it is a bond of the soul, unaffected by the distance between them. He suggests that their love is pure and elevated, akin to the spiritual connection between souls. Thus, their parting should not be mourned but rather celebrated as a testament to the depth and endurance of their love.
Throughout the poem, Donne uses rich imagery, metaphors, and conceits to convey his message. His language is intricate and intellectual, typical of the metaphysical poets of the time. The poem's structure is composed of nine four-line stanzas, known as quatrains, with a regular rhyme scheme, which adds to the poem's formal elegance.
Now, let's analyse the poem thematically.
Theme
The opening lines introduce the idea of virtuous men passing away calmly and whispering to their souls to depart. The contrasting opinions of their sad friends regarding the departure reflect the uncertainty and differing reactions to the event. This sets the stage for the central theme of the poem, which is the steadfastness and spiritual nature of the love shared between the speaker and his beloved.
The speaker urges their parting to be gentle and discreet, encouraging them to melt away without making noise or showing overt displays of sorrow. This restraint is described as a form of respect for the depth and purity of their love, which the speaker believes should not be profaned or revealed to others.
Donne contrasts the transitory nature of earthly events, represented by the "moving of th' earth" and its associated harms and fears, with the eternal and innocent nature of the "trepidation of the spheres." This juxtaposition highlights the superiority of the couple's refined and spiritual love that transcends worldly concerns.
The concept of "dull sublunary lovers' love" is introduced, referring to ordinary and sensory-based affection that cannot bear absence because it depends on physical presence and sensual experiences. In contrast, the speaker asserts that their love is so refined and profound that they themselves cannot fully comprehend its nature. They are inter-assured of each other's minds, and their connection goes beyond mere physical attributes. They care less about missing each other's physical presence, emphasizing the enduring strength of their bond.
The poem culminates with the imagery of the compass, where the two souls of the lovers are likened to the fixed foot and the moving foot. The beloved's soul, represented as the fixed foot, remains constant and centered even when the speaker's soul, the moving foot, must depart. The compass imagery suggests that despite physical separation, their souls remain connected. The beloved's soul leans towards and hearkens after the departing soul, symbolizing their continued unity and shared experiences.
Ultimately, the thematic exploration of the poem centers on the idea that true love transcends physical limitations and remains steadfast even in the face of separation. The poem celebrates the enduring power of love that is spiritual, refined, and interconnected, suggesting that their parting is not a breach but an expansion, and their love brings them full circle.
We've already discussed the poem in detail. However, for the sake of our satisfaction, let's taking a closer look into the individual stanzas of the poem.
Analysis
Stanza 1:
"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:"
In this stanza, the speaker compares the departure of virtuous men to the impending parting between him and his beloved. The virtuous men calmly accept their fate and whisper to their souls to depart, while their friends have conflicting opinions about the moment of passing. This sets the tone for the poem's exploration of parting and the contrasting emotions surrounding it.
Stanza 2:
"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."
The second stanza continues the theme of parting, with the speaker urging his beloved to handle their separation with grace and restraint. They should not display excessive emotions like tearful floods or sighs, as it would be a desecration of their profound and spiritual love to share it with the outside world, referred to here as "the laity."
Stanza 3:
"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."
In this stanza, the speaker contrasts earthly events, such as earthquakes (the "moving of th' earth"), which cause harm and fear, with the movements of celestial spheres ("trepidation of the spheres"). The latter is regarded as innocent despite being on a much grander scale, symbolizing the enduring and innocent nature of their love compared to worldly concerns.
Stanza 4:
"Dull sublunary lovers' love
(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
Those things which elemented it."
The fourth stanza further contrasts the speaker and his beloved's love with ordinary, earthly love. The speaker refers to ordinary lovers as "dull sublunary lovers" whose love is based on physical senses and cannot endure absence because it relies on physical presence and sensory experiences, unlike their more refined and spiritual love.
Stanza 5:
"But we by a love so much refined,
That our selves know not what it is,
Inter-assured of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss."
The fifth stanza delves deeper into the nature of their love, describing it as refined to the point that they cannot fully comprehend its depth and complexity. Their love is inter-assured of the mind, meaning they have absolute trust in each other's thoughts and emotions. As a result, they care less about missing each other's physical presence, further emphasizing the spiritual aspect of their connection.
Stanza 6:
"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."
In this stanza, the speaker refers to the union of their souls, which are so interconnected that they are like one. Although he must leave physically, their love does not result in a breach but rather an expansion. The comparison to gold being beaten to "airy thinness" suggests that their love becomes more refined and elevated with separation.
Stanza 7:
"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."
Here, the speaker uses the metaphor of a compass to illustrate the connection between their souls. Just like a compass with its two stiff, interlinked arms, one representing the beloved's soul as the fixed foot and the other representing the speaker's soul, their souls remain connected even when physically apart. If one soul moves, the other soul moves in response, symbolizing their unbreakable bond.
Stanza 8:
"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."
In this stanza, the speaker further explores the dynamics of the compass metaphor. The beloved's soul, likened to the center of the compass, remains steady and centered even when the speaker's soul wanders far away. The beloved's soul leans towards and eagerly awaits the return of the other soul, growing erect with anticipation, symbolizing the strength and responsiveness of their connection.
Stanza 9:
"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."
In the final stanza, the speaker addresses the beloved directly, expressing the hope that the beloved will be like the fixed foot of the compass to him. The speaker, represented as the other foot, must travel obliquely or indirectly. The beloved's steadfastness ensures the speaker's journey remains just and complete, allowing him to end where he began, symbolizing the cyclical and unbroken nature of their love.
Through these stanzas, John Donne eloquently explores themes of love, separation, spiritual connection, and the enduring nature of true affection.
Literary Devices
In the poem A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning by John Donne, several literary devices are employed to enhance the meaning and impact of the poem. Few of them are as follows:
1. Metaphysical Conceit: The central metaphor comparing the departing lovers to virtuous men passing away is extended further. The idea of the souls whispering and the contrasting opinions about the departure create a sense of introspection and ambiguity.
2. Alliteration: The repetition of the "s" sound in "sad friends do say" and "sigh-tempests move" adds musicality and emphasis to the lines, drawing attention to the conflicting reactions to the parting.
3. Imagery: The imagery of melting and making no noise creates a sense of gentle and quiet separation, emphasizing the dignified and restrained nature of their love.
4. Paradox: The lines "’Twere profanation of our joys / To tell the laity our love" present a paradoxical idea that sharing their love with others would diminish its sacredness and purity.
5. Personification: The "moving of th' earth" and "trepidation of the spheres" are personified, ascribing human-like qualities to natural phenomena, emphasizing their insignificance compared to the enduring love of the couple.
6. Wordplay: The term "dull sublunary lovers' love" plays on the idea of earthly, ordinary love that lacks the depth and spiritual connection of the speaker and his beloved.
7. Symbolism: The image of the "fixed foot" and the "moving foot" represents the beloved's constancy and the speaker's temporary physical absence. The compass imagery symbolizes the strength and balance of their love.
8. Enjambment: The use of enjambment, where the sentence continues from one line to the next without a pause, creates a flowing and uninterrupted rhythm, reflecting the continuity and fluidity of their love.
9. Rhyme Scheme: The poem, as you know, is of nine stanzas with four lines in each stanza. The rhyme scheme employed by Donne is ABAB, which adds pleasantness to the musicality of the poem.
These are few of the devices that collectively contribute to the complex and layered exploration of love, separation, and the enduring nature of their connection in the poem.
Conclusion
In conclusion, John Donne's A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning is a poignant exploration of parting and the power of enduring love. Through intricate metaphors and poetic devices, Donne conveys the idea that true love is not diminished by physical separation. Instead, it is a spiritual bond that remains strong even in absence. The poem stands as a timeless testament to the strength and endurance of love, encouraging readers to embrace the power of a love that transcends the physical realm.
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