Apr 21 2009
Written in In 1611 for his wife Anne More Donne, “A Valediction Forbidden Mourning” is one of Donne’s most famous and eloquent pronouncements on the idea of spiritual love. It is also very likely to appear on the GRE in Literature. The poem is written in 4-line stanzas of iambic tetrameter, with eight syllables (four feet) per line. For more information on this poem, you can check out the following sites:
- Read the full text on poets.org.
- Read the Sparknotes for “A Valediction Forbidden Mourning.”
- Visit the online study guide
[...] A brief comparison of these authors will give you a pretty good idea of their divergent styles. While Johnson’s poetry is generally light or humorous in style, secular in subject, and often deals with love or sexuality, Donne’s is characterized by subtle argumentations and “metaphysical conceits,” often dealing with the soul or religion. Several metaphysical poets, especially John Donne, were influenced by NeoPlatonism. One of the primary Platonic concepts found in metaphysical poetry is the idea that the perfection of beauty in the beloved acted as a remembrance of perfect beauty in the eternal realm. (See John Donne – A Valediction Forbidden Mourning). [...]