In "Valediction Forbidding Mourning," the speaker has to leave his loved one for a little while, and he encourages her to not "mourn" him while he's gone. Discuss one way in which the speaker does this.
(AP Class...let's all try not to say the same thing here; there are 9 stanzas, plenty of examples for everyone).
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In the fourth stanza of "A Valediction: Forbidding Morning," the speaker pleads with his lover not to be sad in their separation. He logically argues that if one mourns his absence, then the pair has lost something as one mourns the loss of a person's life. However, if they are peaceful in their separation and do not feel sad, then the couple's relationship will last through the time apart. If his lover dwells only on the time apart rather than the good times spent together, it will feel as if their love has dissipated with time.
Within the sixth stanza of A "Valediciton: Forbidding Mourning", the speaker utilizes the idea of his and his loved one's soul being one even though they might not be together. He compares this idea to the riches of gold being thinned out which then shows their love can still be priceless like gold and remain together even though the two might not be together physically. As a result, the speaker believes the lover must not base her love on being together with her man physically, but she must realize she is soul-mates with the speaker and will be together no matter if they are together or not. This then encourages the speakers love to not "mourn" while he is gone
In the last stanza of the poem, a symbol is used by the speaker to urge his lover not to mourn. The speaker says, "Thy firmness makes my circle just." This circle is a symbol of perfection. To the speaker, his lover makes his life "perfect" in a sense. There is no reason for her to mourn because he will be back for her. Even while he is gone, they are still together because they complete each other. She is his "firmness" and completes his life. These two people are "perfect" together, and that will not change.
One example of how the speaker encourages his loved one not to mourn him is in stanza two. The speaker tells his loved one that it will not help them to cry and make a big scene about it. He tells her that they should just quietly be with each other until he has to leave, because fighting it will not help the situation. The speaker is demonstrating to his loved one that a big tearful goodbye is not needed, he knows that she loves him. The speaker just wants her to stay calm and be there for him when he returns.
In the third paragraph of "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning" the speaker brings the image of earthquakes and the Earth shaking. He is telling his lover to not be like an earthquake causing everyone to take notice but be like the "Trepedation of the Spheres." The Trepedation of the Spheres is an unnoticeable earthquake. It is at such great distance away that is barely felt. The speaker wants his lover to still long and miss for him but not make a scene about it. It is good to miss someone because it lets them know that they care but a person should not make a scene out of it.
The speaker encourages his lover not to mourn his leaving in the opening stanza of the poem. The poem opens up with the image of men dying. The speaker compares their separation to the death of the virtuous men. They should not grieve, but be patient instead, since it is only temporary. They will soon see each other again, so he urges his wife not to mourn.
The speaker encourages his loved one not to "mourn" him while he's gone, and one example of this is in stanza 6. In this stanza, stanze 6, the speaker compares their love to gold. He is saying here that since gold does not tarnish and lasts forever, so will their love. Distance should not separate their love because they do not need that physical part for their love to stay strong. Their love, like the gold, will last forever, so she should not mourn him because he will be back soon and their love will be the same as it was.
The Seventh stanza is a bit more hidden than the rest. The speaker seems to be telling her that since they are already together, they are already togther, for a reason, and not by chance. The speaker says, "As stiff twin compasses are two". He could be alluding to two literal compases or he could mean one compass that has two points, or twins. A compass always points north, and because the needle is always double sided, the second half points due south. These two pieces are set back to back. This shows that even though he will be gone for a while or seperate, when he returns they will always be looking out for each other, standing back to back, and loving each other. Anothr image is the door: "Thy soul the fixed foot, makes no show / To move, but doth, if th' other do" A door has two sides. If closed only one side is visible. But when opened, the other side is right there behind it, always present but maybe not always seen. They cannot move without each other less they would just be a wall. This is used to show that even though he will be gone and even though she cannot see the speaker, he will still be right behind her the whole way, maybe not always seen but always attached, as two lovers should be.
In stanza two, the speaker encourages his loved one not to make a big ordeal over his departure from her. He discusses with her how they need to keep it away from everyone else and not let others know how saddened she is about his absense. He tells her that there is no changing the situation, and therefore make the best of it. He knows she loves him and he wants her to remain calm and unmovable until he arrives back home. He encourages her not to become distraught over him leaving, because he will return soon no matter what.
In the sixth stanza of "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning," the speaker offers legitimate reasoning for why, during their separation, he and his lover should not mourn. He states, "Our two souls therefore, which are one, / Though I must go, endure not yet / A breach, but an expansion." This argument may, in fact, be interpreted in two different ways. One, their love is not being "breached" (or broken), but simply "expanded" as they will be apart for some time. The distance between them will increase, but that does not mean that their love will weaken. As for the second interpretation, their love, as before, will not be undermined, but will grow (expand). Here, we use a different sense of the word expand. Often, when lovers are apart (or when they experience any sort of trail, for that matter) their love is tested and, as a result, grows; it becomes stronger and thus can withstand more than it could before.
The speaker encourages his loved one not to "mourn" him through stanza 6. The speaker compares there love to gold. Gold is in a sence perfect, and when mixed with other thing gold remains pure. You can bend, stretch, burn, break, or even mix gold with other metals and gold remains the same. Even though they will be apart from each other, the speaker is saying there love will not die because it is like gold, perfect.
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