Analysis of John Donne's poem A Valediction Forbidding Mourning

In John Donne’s poem “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning,” a man is saying goodbye to his significant other as he prepares to leave. He is attempting to soften the blow of their separation by using metaphysical conceits, comparing their love to the most unlikely examples. Some of the examples used consisted of a noble man’s death, the planets, and a drawing compass. Although this poem is stated to be one of the “great poems of mutual love” (Beliles), it seems really to be an excuse for the narrator to abandon his supposed love. Not only does he leave her, but also, he wants her to wait attentively for his arrival back, like a household pet awaiting her master. To this day, love is about compromise and sacrifice, and if the narrator really does love this woman, he wouldn’t leave her to begin with.

Of course, there comes a time in some relationships when a couple will have to endure a separation from each other. An example of this could be a husband or wife leaving for the army. This is very common today due to the war in Iraq. In this situation, the partner has no choice but to leave his or her love. In cases like these the only thing that the couple could do is stay strong and wait patiently for their love to arrive home. However, there are times when a partner actually has a choice not to leave his or her significant love. In the poem, the narrator also faced the dilemma of going or staying with his wife, but in the end the narrator made the choice to leave his wife.