Handy revision guide for John Donne's A Valediction of Weeping Poem in his Selected Poems Book, useful for any exam board studying John Donne, with insightful and detailed notes on all of the learning objectives {AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4 and AO5}
A-Level Literature: Revision Guide for A Valediction of Weeping
AO1: BIG IDEA(s) of the poem?
● Donne speaks to the silent listener, supposedly Anne More, through the metaphysical characteristics of conceits
to highlight his and his lover’s grief due to the fact he is going away ,and therefore separating himself from his one
true love. In this poem Donne, embodies the key aspects of a Petrarchan lover, fuelled by the misery of being
divided from his lover, through the use of hyperbolic imagery.
AO2: Top 5 form/structure/language methods used to communicate meaning to the reader?
1. Conceits
Stanza 1 {fruits}“fruits of much grief”- have several various connotations; primary connotation of fertility and pregnancy
which is quite neo-platonic as it suggests that Donne and Anne are bonded together as one {perhaps their souls}, also has
connotations of sadness as the fruit could be a pear shape, which symbolises the shape of a tear, and could further
suggest the death of their relationship with the noun “grief”
Stanza 1 {coins and stamps} “face coins them”- he gives his tear value as it is a reflection of her
“thy stamp they bear”- suggesting that she is the most important person in his world as
stamps usually have important figures on them
2. Nature Imagery
“a globe, yea world”- suggests that they are empty until they are together, like the continents before they all joined
together as one
“teach the sea what it may do too soon”- her tears are making up the sea, and by continuously crying, she is ultimately
filling up the sea which will eventually kill them
“O more than the Moon”- suggesting that she is very controlling, even more so than the Moon
3. The Title, Form, Tone and Structure
“A Valediction of Weeping”- means saying goodbye with anguish
Form- Syllogism {3 stanza form that starts with a primary idea, then a secondary idea, and finally a conclusion}
Tone- quite a conversational tenor to it, with hints of self- indulgence
Structure- 3 stanzas with 10 lines to each, suggesting certainty {quite ironic as he is in anguish at parting his lover}
4. Antithesis
“nothing; all”- the concept of making nothing into something as her tears are empty and the reflection of her in the tears
makes them worth something
AO3: RELEVANT contextual considerations?
Age of Discovery- Donne’s travelling
● The discovery of heliocentric universe by Copernicus.
● Neoplatonism
AO5: Possible interpretations and/or useful critical quotations?
● Feminist Theory- with Donne suggesting that Anne is the most important person in his world, it shows a
progression in views towards women as they are being classed as important
● Ascsah Guibbory- “examining emotional experiences” certainly applicable to this poem as he is speaking about
when they part, what will happen to them
Possible THEMES?
● Neoplatonism
● Love
● Nature
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