Conjoined vs. Valediction
In the two poems Valediction and Conjoined, the authors use various techniques such as metaphors and analogies to emphasize their opposite views of relationships. In valediction the author shows how in some relationships true love causes agony due to distance, but in conjoined it becomes clear that closeness brings more pain. In true love even though people are apart physically they are emotionally united. In others even the physical presence fails to bring them together.
Donne’s use of metaphors in valediction describes that their farewell should not be the occasion of mourning and sorrow. The speaker first mentions that their farewell should be as mild as the deaths of virtuous men and for to weep would be “profanation of our joys.” The speaker explains that he is forced to spend time apart from his lover and assures her that even though he is leaving, their souls are still one. Then the speaker goes on to compare the harmful “moving of th’earth’ to the inncovent “trepidation of the sphere,” by equating the first with the “dull sublunary lovers’ love’ and the second with their love, “inter-assured of the mind.” So like the rumbling earth, the dull sublunary lovers are all physical and unable to experience separation without losing the sensation that comprises and sustains their love. But the spiritual lovers “care less, eyes, lips and hands tom miss,” because like the trepidation of the spheres, their love is not wholly physical, and their movement will not have the harmful consequences of an earthquake. So since the lovers’ two souls are one, his departure is only going to unify them more rather than cause a barrier between them. Furthermore, he goes on to say if their souls are “two” instead of “one”, they are as the feet of a drafter’s compass which is the perfect image to encapsulate the value of htier spiritual love, which is balanced, symmetrical, serious and beautiful in its simple way. So if their souls are separate, they are like the feet of a compass. In a way, his lover’s soul is the fixed foot in the center and his is the foot that moves around it.
In conjoined, Minty’s use of analogies gives the reader an insight to a very unhappy union of two people. This poem is clearly an example of a marriage gone wrong and is ony hue analogy of an unhappy marriage. Right from the beginning, the “onion’ is called and “monster” and it is two onions “joined by a transparent skin.” The skin is the joining of marriage of the two onions. The deformity of the two onions “each half round, then flat and deformed where it pressed and grew against the other” puts a tilt on the joining. So where the two onions come into contact with each other is where they are deformed. So this skin is holding the two onions into the monster of one union. Just like the onions the couple are connected under she skin by their marriage. Also, the Chinese Siamese twins exemplify the deformity of marriage. She mentions how “or like those other freaks, Chang and Eng, twins joined at the chest by skin and muscle, doomed.” This clearly describes the agony and pain of being joined physically with someone. Because these twins go through life with each other and are never along with one moment of peace. They are never separated from one another. This goes on to show how the couple feels as if they are being forced to be together all the time. They have to suffer through this pain of being brought together and not being able to leave the other person. Furthermore, the deformed “two headed calf rooted n one body” shows another example of marriage. This shows even more sorrow and anguish between the two. This makes the reader feel remorse and pity and makes one realie that a more perfect case for a bad marriage could not be found. Also, women feels as if the man can sense her moves and mentions how “do you fell the skin that binds us together as we move, heavy in this house?” this further shows how the two are combined into now. They go around the house hiding from one another, but know where the other is at all times. They are unable to be separated.
Both poems use different techniques to get their main point across and bring about two total opposite views of relationships. In valediction, they are forced to be apart but make sure that the other is assured of the love they have for each other. He comforts her as he bids farewell. Their souls remain united even though their bodies are separated. He is trying to soften the pain of their separation and compares their love to the most unlikely examples. He leaves her but wants her to wait for him until he returns so all she can do it wait patiently until her love returns home. This shows how much sacrifice there is in love and relationships. They have so much love for each other that they believe that this distance should not get in the way of one another. On the other hand. in conjoined the couple are forced to be together. They would do anything to be separated. They are unable to escape each other and are forever joined together. And there is nothing they can do about it now. Both sue different techniques to get the reader to understand the meaning of love. Each poem defines love very differently. Donne uses a lot of metaphors where Minty uses analogies to express the feelings of the couples. The messages of the two pomes are very different from one another. They uses different techniques to express the feelings the couples have for one another. In one they are forced to drift apart while in the other they are practically looking for an excuse to leave on another but are unable to do so. Therefore, both poems exemplify the different meanings of love and how in some occasions it is forced upon some people.
April 12, 2010 at 7:03 AM
1. Your thesis was great and congrades you actually followed the prompt, good job identifying the literary devices.
5. In your third paragraph i was surprised by how you interpreted this poem as the poem being about how they want to get away from one another, totally different from my perspective. But you did a good job supporting your argument.
If you were to revised i would edit your 4th paragraph because it seems just like a summary of your essay maybe combine it with your conclusion and take out some stuff. But at the same time I like in your 4th paragraph how you did a comparison of the poems together after you analyzed them.
6.Question
In your 4th and 5th paragraph you mention how these poems are different a lot. How are they different? (go into more detail maybe add support from the text.)
In paragraph 3 i like how you talk about analogies but you don't go on to talk about were they were in the text. Where were they?
In Conjoined how are two people forced together?
*overall i think you did a good job. And wow a 1000 something words, that’s a lot. You also did a really good job following the prompt, there was just something in your paragraphs that sounded like summaries or you were just stating it out of no where. Oh, and I would defiantly do a spell check.
April 12, 2010 at 12:23 PM
I really enjoyed reading your essay, just make sure you don't over gernarlize in your introduction. It was only about a sentence though. I like the way you analyzed the poems in chronological order. Make sure to use new transition words each time though. Your idea of how they where different and alike was great, just go into more detail about it. Maybe you can mention on why their relationship went well or not so well or what contributed to this. One last thing, your fourth paragraph sounded more like a conclusion, but it was great. Overall you did a great job in answering your thesis and not going off topic. Good job.
April 12, 2010 at 4:21 PM
1. Great introduction. I liked it a lot. I also liked your thesis. You also did a great job sticking to your thesis throughout your essay.
2. I thought you did a good job of close reading from your analysis.
3. You also did a great job on explaining how the quotes create the effect of the poem.
4.Again, you did a great job stating how the literary devices achieve the effect.
6. I'm not sure if I have any questions for you. You analyzed both pieces beyond what I have analyzed. Great job! :)
April 13, 2010 at 6:47 PM
I was actually surprised by the comments that I received from my group members. I did not expect to receive such positive feedback. I did not think that I answered the prompt correctly but it was nice to know that I did follow the instructions. Melissa mentioned that my 3rd body paragraph, in which i compare the two poems needed to be longer and provide more support to how they are similar. I totally agree with her feedback. While I was writing this essay I noticed how I used a lot of the quotes from the two poems in my other two body paragraphs so that did not leave me with much option to use in my 3rd body paragraph. I do agree with her that I did not provide more support and make it stronger. Alejandra mentioned how I over generalized in my introductions a little bit, and I plan on working on that also. I also think that I need to work on making my analysis more stronger and argumentative. Their feedback has helped my so much in the whole revision process and their comments help me improve my essay so much.