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“." Poetry for Students. . Encyclopedia.com. 14 Jul. 2020 .”
Encyclopedia.com,
Encyclopedia.com, 1 Aug. 2020,
www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/valediction-forbidding-mourning#F.

SpokenVerse. “‘A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning’ by John Donne (read by Tom O’Bedlam.”
Youtube, reading by Tom O’ Bedlam, 8 Sep. 2011,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEwAnO1rhK0

Knights, Suzanne. “John Donne House Pryford .” Wikipedia, Jan. 2006,
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Donne_house_Pyrford.jpg.

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Reading of "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Reading of "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne (read by Tom O'Bedlam)

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Original drawing of the John Donne monument in St Paul's Cathedral.

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Original drawing of the John Donne monument in St Paul's Cathedral.

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John Donne Memorial in St Paul's Cathedral Churchyard.

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John Donne Memorial in St Paul's Cathedral Churchyard.

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A memorial to John Donne in St. Paul's Cathedral

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A memorial to John Donne in St. Paul's Cathedral

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Symbolism found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Symbolism found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Donne uses the compass and the spheres of the heavens to represent his and his wife’s relationship and love between them. He also uses this symbol to show how private their relationship is and how secret it was.Donne also uses earthquakes and other natural disasters to symbolize the notice-ability of other  people’s relationships and not his own. “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.” (pg 1426)

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Paradox found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Paradox found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Donne uses the contradiction of the statement that they share one soul yet are two separate people to share with the reader the depth and how stable the relationship he and his wife have. He is saying that they are so connected by their love that their souls have combined and this allows them to part yet still be near even though their bodies are not near to each other. "Our two souls therefore, which are one" (1427)

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Similes from "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Similes from "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Donne also compares the separation of the pair and compares their confidence in each other and their relationship as that of the same way that gold is stretched when it is hammered thin, this is like how their love stretches whenever they are separated. "Like gold to airy thinness beat" (pg 1427)

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Donne emphasizes the considerable separation that he is to endure with his lover. Separation of family was a major theme during this time period with revolt, war, and religion. Even though the reason for the separation was not specified in poem.

Another present theme of the time period is love. Donne compares their love to metaphors explaining how their love may not always be connected physically, but it is limitless and connects each other.

Commitment and loyalty. With the anticipation of separation between lovers, there is always going to be lust, desire, and temptation. Their commitment and connection to each other reflects  the strong values they withstand.

Spirituality. Donne was persistent about the contrast between the physical body and our living spirit. Spirituality connects all of the themes together and displays the values that were present during the time period of this poem.

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Analogies found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Analogies found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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When they separate or one of them leaves for a time, Donne uses the word “expansion” instead of “breach” to demonstrate that they don’t allow this to ruin or create a problem in their relationship, but rather accept it and go with the flow. "Though I must go, endure not yet

A breach, but an expansion" (pg 1427)

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Imagery found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Imagery found in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

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Examples of visual imagery that is used to convey Donne’s belief and idea of “holy love”. “As virtuous men pass mildly away” (pg 1426) ” Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss” (pg 1426) “As stiff twin compasses are two.” (pg 1427)

Imagery used to describe the behavior that he and his wife separated or traveled away from each other as that of “melting” and being calm and fluid because they trust each other and their love is fluid and transcends distance.

“So let us melt” (pg 1426)

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At the beginning of the poem John Donne explains how he is forced to spend significant time apart from his lover and compares their separation to death. He tells her that their separation does not warrant tears or sorrow, as he compared their departure, to melting; silent and unavoidable.

Donne said “Moving of th'earth brings harmes and fears” (Donne, 9), which might seem like he was referring to earthquakes. However, he mentioned “trepidation of the spheares” (Donne, 11), meaning he was referring to something much larger. Donne was referring to the moving of the entirety of the earth's movements. These effects are unlimited; yet, simultaneously seem silent, they are only noticed by experts in the field.

He demonstrates that their love exceeds far beyond their touch or themselves, but is much more significant, as he mentions the whole earth orbit and its innocence and inevitability. Donne believed that their relationship would benefit from their separation by having their love refined. He believes that even though they are not together their love will spread and find each other. Even though their bodies may be separate, their souls stay as one. Referring to their connection as a compass. With her foot in the middle, and Donne rotating around her creating the perfect circle, which symbolizes their connection.

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John Donne lived in 17th Century England during a period of religious conflict between Protestants and Roman Catholics. The persecution of Roman Catholics in England at the time created a difficult life for Donne.

During Donne's adult years, King James I was ruling England.

Under King James I, England and Scotland's crowns were united.

King James I escalated the conflict between Protestants and Catholics by allying with France and waging war against a Catholic nation, Spain.

An uncle was exiled for leading a Christian mission.

His brother, Henry, was arrested for harboring a priest and died in prison because of the plague.

Donne was a member of a minority group. His family was wealthy enough to afford Donne the Grand Tour, but he was hindered by his religious faith

Went to Oxford at age 11 (to avoid graduating at 16 as he would have had to pledge allegiance to the English monarch rather than the pope)

Was unable to earn a law degree because he was Roman Catholic

Appointed as secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton (keeper of the seal).

Illegally married a 17 year old girl named Anne More. Anne’s father, George More, had Donne imprisoned, therefore ruining his career (lost his job as secretary).

Donne began to write anti-Catholic treatisies.

Donne converted to Anglicanism. He was later ordained as a priest and became Dean of Saint Paul’s Cathedral in 1621.

Besides sermons, Donne wrote translations, elegies, satires, and holy sonnets devoted to God.

Donne wrote "A Valediction: Forbidden Mourning" as a love speech and temporary goodbye to his wife. The poem is shaped by the themes of love and faith, both of which were major factors in Donne's life.

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Metaphors found in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” 

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Metaphors found in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” 

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Stanza one is a metaphor for Donne comparing him being separated from his wife to that of the death and the displacement of the soul of a good/worth man when they die or pass away, they do not separate violently and make a big fuss, but rather “melt” or be peaceful and calm when one of them leaves. “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” (pg 1426)

Compassion of tears and sighs that he and his wife will share whenever one of them departs or leaves to a tempest. “No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move.” (pg 1426)

Donne compares the love between him and his wife as a compass, his wife is the steady and grounded part of the compass and that is a fixed point (ie. the center of the compass holding the pin in) and this allows him to rotate around the compass or roam around the world. With her being the pin and the center of the compass allows him to always return back to her due to her being his rock in life. "As stiff twin compasses are two; Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show To move, but doth, if the other do." (pg 1427)

Donne compares the spheres in the sky and earthquakes and natural disasters to his and other people’s relationships. Donne compares the spheres in the sky (ie. constellations) and how slow they shift and change and that not many people notice these changes to that of his and his wife’s relationship. He views their relationship to be very private and not public at all. He also compares the earthquakes and other disasters to that of other people’s relationships, how they are noticeable and that they are not private and people can question the value and importance of their relationships. “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.” (pg 1426)