Prescribed poetry

A Valediction Forbidding Mourning- John Donne

1. The love of sublunary lovers or better known as the basic people is based on physical
attraction as opposed to the emotional attachment and sense of connection that the
speaker experiences. The sublunary lovers cannot stand separation due to their relationship
been based on physical touch whereas the speakers love can handle separation due to it
been holy and pure.
2. No, he wants to part quietly without making a scene for the public to witness. To the
speaker an overflow of emotion would be degrading to their ‘holy’ love. There pure love will
not be understood by the common people they therefore it should be hidden from them.
3. Even if their souls are not one but two they will be like a compass. Like a compass they have
one central point which is their love and two sides which would represent their bodies which
movie in a circle. No matter where the one foot of the compass goes it will always be linked
to the centre and it will always come back to where it started as their love is. One foot of the
compass my remain fixed at the centre and the other will remain erect at the centre and
then the two feet will get close and stand erect at the central point. They will never be
separated and will always meet at the central point of love. The poets wife will be the the
fixed foot of the compass and he we will be like the revolving foot. His wife will incline
towards him her firmness will only strengthen his love.
4. The philosophy that Donne portrays is that if one does remain faithful their partner they
make the sacrifices worth it and no matter how separated they are it will never destroy their
relationship and they will end up where they started.