“A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” is a poem written by John Donne that demonstrates many metaphysical conceits. The role of metaphysical conceits in “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” is to give his wife a reason to put her worries to rest and it also acts as a reassurance to her showing that their love will last forever. Donne uses the intellectual terms of astronomy, alchemy and geology to get his point over to his wife. The first metaphysical conceit that Donne uses in this poem is in his third stanza where he uses geology and astronomy to explain how his love for his wife is outstanding unlike the love of other couples. He first compares an earthquake to the relationships of others by stating that “moving of th’earth brings harm and
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The poet uses gold as a connection of love that cannot be broken and it is also used to give his wife an image of how precious she is to him. Donne uses the simile that states “like gold to aery thinness beat” (24). By comparing his wife’s connection to him with gold Donne demonstrates two elaborate metaphysical conceits. The first, being the study of alchemy and how gold at the time was a very valuable element. Donne calms his wife’s worries by telling her that their love is as valuable to him as gold is to others. Secondly, the idea of the gold’s thinness is to reassure Donne’s wife that no matter how far they are apart there will be a link between them that can stretch and is strong. So in conclusion, in this line Donne manages to connect gold to two strong reasons of why his wife should rest her worries about …show more content…
Using a simple instrument for mapping like a compass, Donne shows the reader and his wife the connections he can make with love and a compass. In the first of these stanzas he introduces the ideas by talking about how their souls are two that are always together like which compass has two feet and are always together as well. Donne writes about the compass and says “the fix’s foot… To move, but doth, if th’other do” (27-28). Donne compares the compass that has two needles to his love with his wife by telling her that the compass must move together because if one needle turns in a big circle the other needle fixed on the paper must spin with the other needle, much like how they will always be moving with each other no matter the distance between them. In the next stanza, Donne continues using the compass metaphysical conceit to reassure his wife by telling her how they will be connected through the distance. Donne tells his wife “though it [the compass] in the centre sit… It leans, and hearkens after it/ And grows erect as that comes home” (29, 31-32). Donne here explains to his wife that he is never actually far from her because like the compass there is something that connects them like a compass every time one side moves further away the opposite side will lean towards it. Also, as the needles lean towards each other the compass feels closer to its original
The poet uses gold as a connection of love that cannot be broken and it is also used to give his wife an image of how precious she is to him. Donne uses the simile that states “like gold to aery thinness beat” (24). By comparing his wife’s connection to him with gold Donne demonstrates two elaborate metaphysical conceits. The first, being the study of alchemy and how gold at the time was a very valuable element. Donne calms his wife’s worries by telling her that their love is as valuable to him as gold is to others. Secondly, the idea of the gold’s thinness is to reassure Donne’s wife that no matter how far they are apart there will be a link between them that can stretch and is strong. So in conclusion, in this line Donne manages to connect gold to two strong reasons of why his wife should rest her worries about …show more content…
Using a simple instrument for mapping like a compass, Donne shows the reader and his wife the connections he can make with love and a compass. In the first of these stanzas he introduces the ideas by talking about how their souls are two that are always together like which compass has two feet and are always together as well. Donne writes about the compass and says “the fix’s foot… To move, but doth, if th’other do” (27-28). Donne compares the compass that has two needles to his love with his wife by telling her that the compass must move together because if one needle turns in a big circle the other needle fixed on the paper must spin with the other needle, much like how they will always be moving with each other no matter the distance between them. In the next stanza, Donne continues using the compass metaphysical conceit to reassure his wife by telling her how they will be connected through the distance. Donne tells his wife “though it [the compass] in the centre sit… It leans, and hearkens after it/ And grows erect as that comes home” (29, 31-32). Donne here explains to his wife that he is never actually far from her because like the compass there is something that connects them like a compass every time one side moves further away the opposite side will lean towards it. Also, as the needles lean towards each other the compass feels closer to its original