A Valediction:

John Donne
Module A Comparative Study with
W;t

By: Ridwan Usamah and Adam El Mohamad

 The main ideas of the poem
1) The poem explores the Cartesian duality in relation to love, whereby
Donne focuses on the physical and the metaphysical-that of which
cannot be seen
2) Donne utilises a conceit, which is a technique in which two
incomparable things, are compared. In this poem, a compass is
compared to Donnes love of Ann, which is his wife. Also, because their
love is true, Donnes separation from his wife does not affect their
relationship as their souls are still one. Therefore, they are merely
experiencing an expansion of this love.

3) Donne explores how since his love is metaphysical, it is superior to any

other form of love.
Links to Donnes personal context
-Donne had written this poem for his wife before he went to France in 1611,
reassuring her of their love.

-A Valediction conveys Donnes value of true love, metaphysical love. In his

younger years, Donne was promiscuous and blind to the love he discusses in his
poem. He was merely lustful as a young man, unlike the love he demonstrates
towards his wife in A Valediction, which is beyond the physical.
Links to Donnes religious context
- The compass within A Valediction is also symbolic of religion as God created
the world with a compass - Catholic belief.
- This link to religious context is furthered in Donnes poem as he describes the
heavenly bodies, which are divine creations of God, rotating in celestial
spheres.
 Links to Science, The Age of voyages/discovery,
Invention/Technology, Cosmology, Geography
- Invention: The compass was invented by Galileo and it represents widespread knowledge and
technology being brought into the known world. Donne utilises the compass conceit within The
Valediction to represent the metaphysical nature of his love for his wife. The conceit is also used
to show that there is a need for a physical connection to the body even while searching for the
metaphysical.
- Links to Science/Philosophy: Cartesian duality is a notion about how man consists of physical
and a metaphysical components, such as the soul and the body. Ren Descartes, a French
mathematician and philosopher, gave rise to the idea. In A Valediction, Donne utilises Cartesian
duality as the basis for his argument that his love for his wife is the strongest. This is due to the
fact that this love is beyond the physical, it includes the metaphysical.

- Links to cosmology and geography: Within A Valediction, Donne makes reference to trepidation
of the spheres. The spheres Donne is referring to are the ways in which entities moved above
the Earth. Basically, the heavenly bodies which includes the moon, planets, stars and the sun,
moved in concentric spheres. Each sphere moved with unique motions, vibrations, and
alignments. Overall, this created "celestial music, which ultimately controlled everything in the
universe. In relation to this, Donne refers to the Moving of thearth as bringing harmes ad
feares. Here, he is describing the chaos in which Earthquakes bring and how they are much more
noticeable. However, irregularities in the movements of these heavenly bodies is far more
naturally disrupting, yet it is unobserved and harmless when compared with earthquakes. This is
evidenced by Donnes saying of Though greater farre, is innocent, in relation to the spheres.
Therefore, the author is encouraging his wife to be like the heavenly bodies calm yet of great
significance, unlike the earthquakes.
 3 Techniques.
Pick strong ones that link to context/personal/ religious context
Technique
Metaphor of the earthquakes and celestial spheres:
Moving of thearth brings harmes and feares.., But
trepidation of the spheares, Though greater farre, is
innocent
Paradox of the conceit:
If they be two, they are two so
As stiff twin compasses are two
The conceit within the line Though I must goe, endure
not yet a breach, but an expansion
Effect/ Link to context
-Geographical context, the earthquakes
-Cosmological context, the celestial spheres
The metaphor generates a deeper meaning for what
Donne is trying to communicate to both the readers
and his wife-the metaphysical is more powerful than
the physical.
-Donne utilises the paradox to convey how although he
will be physically separated from his wife, they will still
be connected through the metaphysical, like a compass.
-Links to the personal context of Donne, his love for his
wife
-Links to the context of invention (the compass) and
philosophy (Cartesian duality, the physical and the
metaphysical)
The conceit is utilised by Donne to reinforce the fact
that his love for his wife is beyond that of which is
physical, hence it will merely experience an
expansion, and not a breach.
-Links to personal context of Donne, his love for his wife
-Links to the context of invention (the compass) and
philosophy (Cartesian duality, the physical and the
metaphysical)
If you can think of any links to W;t? Its
okay, we will study W;t next year

-Both W;t and A Valediction share the same message that transcendence,
which is rising up to heaven, is achieved through a combination of the
physical and the intellectual.
-Both texts represent the idea that the intellect and the metaphysical is
much more powerful than the physical.