A Valediction:
Forbidding Mourning
Verse By Verse
First three stanzas
*focused more on individual than couple
*tells more from person that is traveling
*1st stanza: illustrates men’s stubborn
attitude on not to give up
*2nd stanza: connects the opening
stanzas to rest of poem
*3rd stanza: contemplates human behavior
of analyzing what we do not know or
can’t see
Last six stanzas
*expanded on the idea of love
and soul connection
Rhyme Scheme
ABAB
*stanza 6, rhymes “yet” with “beat”
*stanza 2, rhymes “move” with “love”
This break in the pattern shows:
*resolute emotion of narrator
*if poem is divided into two parts,
both these stanzas are in the middle
section connection and how the
other person completes you and
becomes your center
Symbolism
Compass
*connection of 2 people
*emphasizes the center point
that keeps the two bound together
*no matter how far they move
apart from each other, they are
always connected
*instrument used to draw circles,
which is referred to in the
last stanza
*CIRCLE eternity, life,
completeness, whole
Techniques
*Alliteration: makes it flow,
brings up the idea of
connection
*Simile: compares love to
mathematical instrument
always find an answer to solve
the problems that arise
*Imagery: illustrates how their
love expands beyond the physical
aspect to the spiritual and emotional
aspect
Techniques Pt 2
*Diction: Laity the body of
religious worshippers, so declaration
of love in an official way (marriage)
*Point-of-View: poem was written
for Donne’s wife when he was
embarking on a trip to France
from Germany
*Repetition: portrayed how others
overuse the term love in a way that
shows that they fully do not
understand the concept
Other Perspectives
*This poem generally had the same
perspective from the two other sources
that I read from, just stated or focused on
a different aspect of love.
Ex: I focused more on the connection love
brings, whereas another source focused on
the spiritual aspect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Valediction:_Forbidding_Mourning
http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/donne/sections5.rhtml
John Donne
“Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved
in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls thee.”
Cites Used:
http://yinkahdinay.files.wordpress.com/2010/
11/john-donne.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donne
books.google.com/books?id=5mKYfGPAtgC&pg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Valediction:_F
orbidding_Mourning
http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/donne/se
ctions5.rhtml
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HOCuXB2IC34/Se
BcM4TIfHI/AAAAAAAABhA/WzMUyFj4Zeo/
s400/teddy+heart+(www.cutepictures.blogspot.com).jpg