A_Valediction

A Valediction John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” portrays true and deep love as strong enough to withstand distance and separation through his use of literary techniques and metaphysical conceits. The poet uses a variety of literary techniques to show the parallel between approaching death and parting from a lover in a not so negative perspective. The author uses numerous paradoxes to illustrate the separation of the two lovers. Beginning in the first quatrain, the author explains that when “virtuous” men die, they “whisper to their souls to go,” while others await their parting, insinuating that such men should set an example to lovers, for the separation of the soul from the body and the separation of two lovers from each other is not an ending, but the beginning of a new cycle (i-iv). Continuing into the next quatrain, the poet says, “let us melt...make no noise...no tear-floods...sigh-tempests,” implying that the bond of the lovers will disperse quietly like the soul of a dying man leaving his body, and his lover is to remain poised and resist any show of emotion upon his departure (v-vi). Likewise, the author uses metaphors comparing his love to divergent objects in love, lovers, separation, poet, soul, metaphysical, each, author, show, quatrain, others, explains, while, using, two, true, thinness, therefore, techniques, strength, souls, should, parting, men, lover, literary, john, first, experience, ending, donne, conceits, circle, body, beginning