A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning

In John Donne's Forbidding Mourning, Donne uses the conceit of circles and compasses to illustrate the perfection and the eternal part of the relationship, and the repetition of "two" and "one" or "two becoming one" to express the dependency of the relationship and the eternal factor as well. These two literary techniques come together and create a romantic tone due to the fact that they show how he truly feels about her and how he wants her to become one with him.

Donne uses the conceit of circles and compasses to illustrate the perfection and the eternal factor of their relationship. "Spheres, throught greater far, is innocent" , and "twin compasses are two; thy soul, makes no show to move, but doth, if the other do" are two examples of the conceit which demonstrates the fact that circles complete one and are perfect, and that the compass ( person) moves only if the other does. Basically, Donne is implying that he wants her to complete him , just as a circle. Another example of how Donne wants her to complete him is "Thy firmness makes my circle just,". This shows the interdependency in the relastionship because he wants her to complete and become one with him. This interdependency and perfection them creates a romantic tone because it causes the speaker to express his true love and true passion for his lover.

Lover nonetheless, Donne uses the repetiton of "two becoming one" to illustrate the dependency in the relationship, but also the eternal connection between the two. "Our two souls therefore, which are one", "If they be two, they are two so as stiff twin compasses are two" are two perfect examples which Donne uses to illustrate his passion for two becoming one. The word twin connotes same or identical, which relates to his love because not only does he want to become one with her or same, but he won't do anything without her or won't do anything unless she does. "Two becoming one" connotes that he wants to be with her eternally, not just physically. The effect of this repetiton is that it causes the speaker to reveal that his world revolves around her. She is the center of his universe and that becoming one with him will result in everlasting love. Nevertheless, repetition creates a romantic tone because it shows how deepy he feels about her and her becoming one with him.

Overall, Donne uses the techniques of repetition and conceit to create a romantic tone and to express his feeings towards his over, in which he wants to create a perfect, eternal relationship. And in the end result, will bring him back to where he begun, with her.