John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”
John Donne was born in London in 1572. His family was of Roman Catholic faith, and he grew up experiencing the religious discrimination of the Anglican majority in England against Catholics (John Donne (1572-1631)). Donne attended Oxford, and after that studied law in London and received his degree in 1596. Seeking adventure, Donne sailed with the English expeditions against the Spanish. The following year, Donne returned to London and became secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton. In December 1601, he clandestinely married Egerton's seventeen-year-old niece, Ann More (John Donne (1572-1631)). From 1611 to 1612 Donne accompanied Sir Robert Drury to France on a long diplomatic mission, during which he composed some of his most acclaimed poems (Poetry for Students 201).
One of his most famous poems is “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” in which he many comparisons to express the depth of the love his wife and each other share for each other. Donne uses similes to describe to his wife reasons not to mourn at his parting with her as he goes on a voyage. The poem shows many features associated with seventeenth-century metaphysical poetry (Poetry for Students 200). John Donne wrote the poem for his wife before leaving on a trip to Germany and France. He expresses that their love is strengthened in absence, and compares it to twin compasses. The poem celebrates reticence, restraint, and withholding of shows of emotion at a temporary separation of the lovers. It tenderly comforts the speaker's lover at their temporary parting, asking that they separate calmly and quietly, without tears or protests (Poetry for Students 200).
The poem begins with the image of virtuous men mildly accepting death. The separation of body and soul is so gentle that those friends surrounding the dying cannot tell whether the men are alive or not (Poetry for Students 202). Donne says this is the way that he and his lover should part, because they do not want to reveal the quality of their love to the uninitiated. This is the first reason to forbid mourning (Rosenblum 4095). He sees the joys they share as holy, and to complain loudly with tears or sighs would be to broadcast their love to those he calls the “laity” (Poetry for Students 202). Donne implies that the two lovers are like priests and for her to make loud protests about his departure would be to profane the joy of their holy union by revealing it to the unworthy (Poetry for Students 202).
Donne also compares their separation to earthquakes and astronomical events. He states that when an earthquake occurs, causing only small cracks in the ground, everyone is disturbed and regard the even as ominous, but when planets move apart, though the distances are great, no harm is done (Rosenblum 4095). Here Donne uses the contrast between heavenly and earthly vibrations comparing them to earthly lovers directed by sex and loves who, like them, depend on their spiritual union (Poetry for Students 202). Earthly lovers, Donne continues, cannot accept separation; they fear it as people do earthquakes, because sensory and sensual stimuli make up the entirety of their affection. Donne and his beloved, however, who love spiritually as well as physically, are less troubled by being apart (Rosenblum 4095).
The speaker begins to drawing conclusions between his soul and his love's. He suggests that their two souls actually have combined to form one soul. Their two souls, being one, remain united even when their bodies are apart (Rosenblum 4095). When he leaves on his journey, that one soul will not tear into two pieces (Poetry for Students 203). Instead, it is flexible enough that it will actually expand. He uses gold as a simile to clarify this expansion. Although the preciousness of gold suggests the preciousness of their love, the key property of gold here is its malleability (Poetry for Students 203). Gold can be made to expand greatly because it can be stretched very thinly without breaking (Rosenblum 4095). Donne therefore uses a simile that works emotionally, since gold is valuable, but also scientifically, since the malleability of gold corresponds to the flexibility and expansiveness of their love. The love will not snap but expand, keeping them bound together during their separation (Poetry for Students 203).
He states that even if the loves retain their individual souls, they are divided only like the feet of a drifting compass. He compares her soul to the compass' fixed foot and his to the other (Poetry for Students 203). When the compass draws a circle, one point remains stationary in the center but leans toward the other, and by remaining firmly in one place, the fixed point guarantees that its partner will complete its circuit. So the beloved will, by remaining at home, ensure Donne's return. Since he will certainly come back, mourning is inappropriate (Rosenblum 4095).
In the poem's opening lines, Donne likens his faith in his wife's connection to that of virtuous mens' confidence in their relationship with God. While others may fear death, the truly pious will journey to the hereafter with quiet resignation and even a bit of optimism. Likening religious devotion and faith to love, especially romantic or sexual love, is a theme that is often seen in other works of the era (Poetry for Students 207).Their love goes beyond the physical; it is a spiritual love that transcends the material world and the limitations of their own bodies. Donne goes on to say that his love for his wife can only expand over distance, and that it is her love that will hearken his return to her (Rosenblum 4096).
Works Cited
"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning." Poetry for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Poetry. Ed. Elizabeth Thomas. Farming Hills: Gale Group, 2001. 200-204.
"John Donne (1572-1631)." The Life of John Donne (1572-1631). 30 Oct 2004 <http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/donnebie.htm>.
Rosenblum, Joseph. "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning." Masterplots II: Poetry Series. Ed. Philip K. Jason. Pasadena: Salem Press, Inc., 2002. 4095-4097.
Shahan, Rebekah. "Bold and Daring." Bold and Daring. 1 Nov 2004 <www.daltonstate.
edu/faculty/bmurray/ exemplar2002/exempf02bold_and_daring.htm>.