A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING
by John Donne
As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
"Now his breath goes," and some say, "No."
So let us melt, and make no noise, [5]
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move ;
'Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.
Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears ;
Men reckon what it did, and meant ; [10]
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.
Dull sublunary lovers' love
-Whose soul is sense-cannot admit
Of absence, 'cause it doth remove [15]
The thing which elemented it.
But we by a love so much refined,
That ourselves know not what it is,
Inter-assurèd of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips and hands to miss. [20]
Glossary
Valediction - a farewell, but a stronger meaning than that: Valedictions for people are read at funerals, etc,
Profanation - sacreligious; destorying the sacred quality of something
Laity - common people - not of the clergy
Trepidation - movement. Also implies cautious, silent movement. Also implies an irregularity of movement.
Moving of the earth - earthquakes
Spheres - According to the beleif of the time, the sun, moon, and stars moved in "spheres," or invisible shells in the sky
Elemented - instigated, started, constructed. Also ties in with the other "element" imagery in the poem;
1. The first two stanzas form an elaborate example of
Simile
Metaphor
Metonymy
Personification
Hyperbole
2 points
QUESTION 10
The primary metaphor in the second stanza suggests what?
Their parting has an element of obscenity in it.
Their joys are profane and common.
Their love should be explained to the common people.
Their joys are such that they bring on floods of tears and storms of sighs.
The sacred nature of their love should be hidden from those who do not have the priest-like ability to understand it.
2 points
QUESTION 11
In regard to the speaker's argument, which of the following best describes the purpose of stanza three?
It provides a theological reason for his parting.
It uses an analogy to provide a rationale for his request for silence.
It uses a metaphor to imply a great significance to their parting.
It suggests that men are unaware of great events and pay close attention to lesser events.
It continues the metaphor of sacred love established earlier.
2 points
QUESTION 12
In context, "sublunary" (line 13) probably means
related to the moon
lacking the ability to shine, as does the moon
Beneath contempt
not intelligent
earthly
2 points
QUESTION 13
In the fourth stanza, the persona suggest which of the following?
Common lovers will not understand the sacred nature of their love.
The love of common lovers is limited to their physical beings.
Common lovers cannot admit to themselves when they feel an absence of the other.
The souls of common lovers are limited to that which makes sense to them, and they cannot admit the presence of the true, unexplained nature of higher love.
Common lovers part with too much ease, because they lack the sense to understand the importance of parting.
2 points
QUESTION 14
Which best describes the theme of stanza five?
The high spirituality of their love
The great degree they will miss their physical contact
The mental certainty of their status
The uncertainty of the true nature of their relationship
The loss of care caused by the missing eyes, lips, and hands of the lover.
2 points
QUESTION 15
This is the second half of "A Valedication Forbidding Mourning."
Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.
If they be two, they are two so [25]
As stiff twin compasses are two ;
Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if th' other do.
And though it in the centre sit,
Yet, when the other far doth roam, [30]
It leans, and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.
Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
Like th' other foot, obliquely run ;
Thy firmness makes my circle just, [35]
And makes me end where I begun.
Glossary:
Twin Compasses: the legs of a mathematical compass used to draw circles.
15. The central figure in lines 21-24 is
Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Hyperbole
Metonymy
2 points
QUESTION 16
The poet was the dean of St. Paul's cathedral in London at the time of this writing. This means that he was one of the most powerful voices for the Church of England. Which best describes a debatable and controversial theological concept suggested in this section of the poem?
True love elevates lovers to the level of priests.
Marriage can be sustained without the presence of both parties.
The progress of the soul can be mapped using mathematical terms and tools.
The concept of the soul is analogous to a circle, implying that it can and will return to its origin.
The human soul is not individual and unique.
2 points
QUESTION 17
The word "they" (line 25) refers to
selves (line 18)
eyes, lips, and hands (line 20)
souls (line 21)
Gold to airy thinness beat (line 24)
stiff twin compasses (line 26)
2 points
QUESTION 18
Lines 25-the end propose
a direct contradiction to the previous thought
an extension of the previous thought
a counterargument to the previous thought
an acceptable alternative to the previous thought
a qualification of the previous thought.
2 points
QUESTION 19
The last three stanzas combine to form a complex figure of speech, ending with a double meaning. Which of the following best describes this?
Her steadfastness permits a perfection in his journey, and it guarantees his return.
He can never move away from her too far, and he has no choice but to come back to where he began.
Her unyielding attitude makes him travel in circles, and he can never get anywhere.
Their love makes them circle each other, and each must lean to where the the other is.
They must always have the somewhat paradoxical relationship in that they must be straight (as the legs of the compass) when far apart, but in doing so they form a perfect circle, a ring of love.
2 points
QUESTION 20
The majority of the figurative language used in this poem, especially in the last stanzas, can be best described as
Metaphors
Metaphysical Conceits
Analogies
Similes
Personifications
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1. The first two stanzas form an elaborate example of a Simile. The speaker compares the passing of virtuous men to the parting of lovers by saying that the virtuous men pass away gently and quietly, just as lovers should part without making a fuss.
10. The primary metaphor in the second stanza suggests that their joys are such that they bring on floods of tears and storms of sighs. The speaker suggests that making a lot of noise and showing excessive emotion would be a profanation of their love and joy.
11. The purpose of stanza three is to use an analogy to provide a rationale for the speaker's request for silence. The speaker compares the moving of the earth, which brings harm and fears, to the trepidation of spheres, which is innocent. This suggests that their love, though greater, should also be silent and innocent.
12. In context, "sublunary" (line 13) probably means earthly. The speaker contrasts their love, which is so refined and pure, to the love of sublunary lovers, whose love is limited to the physical and cannot understand the absence of the other.
13. In the fourth stanza, the persona suggests that the souls of common lovers are limited to that which makes sense to them, and they cannot admit the presence of the true, unexplained nature of higher love. Common lovers cannot understand the sacred nature of their love.
14. The theme of stanza five is the high spirituality of their love. The persona suggests that their love is so refined and pure that they care less about physical presence, such as eyes, lips, and hands, and are more focused on the inter-assuredness of their minds.
15. The central figure in lines 21-24 is a Metaphor. The poem compares the souls of the lovers to a pair of twin compasses. Just as the fixed foot of the compass stays in place while the other moves, the lover's soul remains connected even when physically apart.
16. The debatable and controversial theological concept suggested in this section of the poem is that the concept of the soul is analogous to a circle, implying that it can and will return to its origin. This challenges the traditional idea of the soul as individual and unique.
17. The word "they" (line 25) refers to the souls mentioned earlier in line 21. The comparison is being made between the two souls, which are described as one, and the stiff twin compasses.
18. Lines 25-the end propose an extension of the previous thought. The speaker continues to explore the analogy of the twin compasses and how their souls are like the compasses, always connected and moving together.
19. The last three stanzas combine to form a complex figure of speech, ending with a double meaning. They suggest that the lovers must always have the somewhat paradoxical relationship in that they must be straight (as the legs of the compass) when far apart, but in doing so they form a perfect circle, a ring of love.
20. The majority of the figurative language used in this poem, especially in the last stanzas, can be best described as Metaphysical Conceits. Metaphysical conceits are extended metaphors that draw comparisons between very dissimilar things. In this poem, the comparison between the souls of the lovers and twin compasses is an example of a metaphysical conceit.