A Valediction: of Weeping by John Donne (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions)

 

A Valediction: of Weeping

by John Donne

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase, Analysis & Questions) 

A Valediction: of Weeping

As due by many titles I resign

One half to tears, to weakness, and sorrows;

But the well-sealed sense holds up and counts it all

One of the titles to this heart of mine.

Thou, by thy cunning proofs,

Justly hast scored

In this, one greater than the sum of both my eyes,

My soul's tear-mistress, that art made of my tears;

These tears of mine, that do themselves decree

How much thy beauty moves them;

But thou hast laid too great a stress

Upon my weakness, my tears' wantonness,

Making my sorrow but a counterfeit,

And my repentance but an over-reach

To bring my soul to thee.

 

O my love's eyes!

If my heart did not love, thy eyes would make it die.

But my heart loves, and therefore fears to die,

For what it loves it fears to lose.

Though tears in heart may burn,

Yet tears, when in the eye, do serve to make it shine;

If thy tears be my gold, and my tears be thy mine,

Let us both exchange these riches for better gain.

If thou in tears dost drown,

I in tears do drown the deeper;

O teach me how to make my tears but sport,

To show my love, and not my sorrow,

And with my tears my love's name to adorn,

That in my heart may shine eternal morn.

 

Summary

The poem opens with the speaker acknowledging that he owes many things to his emotions, especially to tears, weakness, and sorrow. He gives half of his emotional self—his tears and sorrow—freely, as a kind of offering or resignation.

Despite this, the speaker's true feelings remain controlled and guarded (“well-sealed sense”). His heart, though touched by grief, maintains a strong sense of love that is not overwhelmed by sadness.

The speaker addresses his beloved’s eyes, suggesting that they have power over him. His heart loves deeply and fears losing what it loves, which is why it is afraid of dying in a metaphorical sense.

The speaker reflects on tears as both a sign of sorrow and as a beautifying element, like a mist that can make eyes shine. He imagines that if the beloved’s tears are like gold and his tears are like a mine of precious metals, then exchanging tears would be a way to increase their emotional wealth.

The poem concludes with the speaker wishing to learn how to shed tears that are not purely expressions of sorrow but can serve as a joyful display of love. He wants his tears to honor and glorify the beloved’s name and to bring a lasting, bright morning of love in his heart.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

As due by many titles I resign

I willingly give up, as is right, many things,

 

One half to tears, to weakness, and sorrows;

Especially half of my feelings to tears, weakness, and sadness;

 

But the well-sealed sense holds up and counts it all

But my careful, strong sense keeps everything together and considers all of it

 

One of the titles to this heart of mine.

As one of the reasons or claims on my heart.

 

Thou, by thy cunning proofs,

You, by your clever signs and actions,

 

Justly hast scored

Have rightly made a mark

 

In this, one greater than the sum of both my eyes,

On this heart, which is greater than the power of my two eyes combined,

 

My soul's tear-mistress, that art made of my tears;

You are the mistress of my soul’s tears, formed out of my tears themselves;

 

These tears of mine, that do themselves decree

These tears of mine that prove by their own nature

 

How much thy beauty moves them;

How deeply your beauty affects and moves them;

 

But thou hast laid too great a stress

But you have put too much emphasis

 

Upon my weakness, my tears' wantonness,

On my weakness and the excessive flow of my tears,

 

Making my sorrow but a counterfeit,

Making my grief seem false or exaggerated,

 

And my repentance but an over-reach

And my regret seem like an attempt to go too far

 

To bring my soul to thee.

To bring my soul closer to you.

 

O my love's eyes!

Oh, the eyes of my beloved!

 

If my heart did not love, thy eyes would make it die.

If my heart did not already love you, your eyes alone would kill it.

 

But my heart loves, and therefore fears to die,

But since my heart loves you, it is afraid of dying (losing you).

 

For what it loves it fears to lose.

Because what it loves, it also fears losing.

 

Though tears in heart may burn,

Although tears may cause inner pain and burning in the heart,

 

Yet tears, when in the eye, do serve to make it shine;

Tears in the eyes can actually make them shine more beautifully;

 

If thy tears be my gold, and my tears be thy mine,

If your tears are like gold to me, and my tears are like a mine to you,

 

Let us both exchange these riches for better gain.

Then let us exchange these valuable tears and gain even more from them.

 

If thou in tears dost drown,

If you are overwhelmed and drowned by tears,

 

I in tears do drown the deeper;

Then I drown even more deeply in my own tears;

 

O teach me how to make my tears but sport,

Oh, teach me how to make my tears just a playful expression,

 

To show my love, and not my sorrow,

So that my tears reveal love and not sadness,

 

And with my tears my love's name to adorn,

And with my tears, honor the name of my beloved,

 

That in my heart may shine eternal morn.

So that in my heart, the light of love may shine like an everlasting morning.

 

Analysis in Detail

John Donne’s poem “A Valediction: of Weeping” explores the complex emotions involved in parting from a loved one, focusing on the interplay of sorrow, love, and tears. The poem is a meditation on how outward expressions of grief, such as tears, relate to the deeper spiritual bond shared between lovers.

 

Theme of Parting and Emotional Expression:

At its core, the poem deals with the pain of separation. Donne acknowledges the natural human response to parting—weakness, sorrow, and tears—and he willingly gives these emotions their due. However, he also suggests that true love is not defined or diminished by these visible signs of grief. While tears are a natural and justified reaction, they do not fully capture the strength and depth of the love that connects the speaker and his beloved.

 

Balance Between Emotion and Reason:

Donne contrasts “tears, weakness, and sorrow” with the “well-sealed sense,” which represents the speaker’s controlled and reasoned self. This tension reflects the idea that while love can cause deep emotional responses, it is also supported by reason, faithfulness, and spiritual connection that transcend physical expressions. The “well-sealed sense” maintains the love’s integrity, preventing the speaker from being overwhelmed by grief.

 

Symbolism of Tears:

Tears in the poem symbolize both sorrow and love. Donne presents them not just as signs of sadness but also as precious tokens exchanged between the lovers. He uses the metaphor of gold and mines to convey the value of tears, implying that tears are treasures that enrich the bond rather than weaken it. This dual nature highlights that tears can be both an expression of pain and a meaningful sign of love’s presence.

 

Eyes and the Heart:

The speaker addresses the beloved’s eyes as powerful and potentially lethal, indicating that their beauty has the power to overwhelm him. Yet, because his heart truly loves, it fears losing that beauty, and thus fears metaphorical death. This illustrates the vulnerability inherent in love—the joy of loving is always accompanied by the fear of loss.

 

Love’s Transcendence Over Sorrow:

Though the poem begins with a focus on sorrow and weeping, it ends on a hopeful and spiritual note. The speaker desires to transform his tears from symbols of grief into symbols of joyful love that glorify the beloved. He wishes his tears to be not signs of despair but ornaments that “adorn” the beloved’s name and cause an “eternal morn” to shine in his heart. This shift reflects the Renaissance ideal of love as something that elevates the soul beyond earthly suffering.

 

Tone and Style:

Donne’s tone is intimate and contemplative. The poem’s structure is simple yet profound, allowing the depth of feeling to come through without excessive ornamentation. The use of paradoxes—tears that both mourn and beautify, sorrow that strengthens love—adds to the poem’s complexity and richness.

 

Spiritual Undertone:

The poem can also be read as a reflection on spiritual love or the soul’s connection to the divine. The idea that true love and connection transcend physical separation aligns with Donne’s metaphysical style, where physical and spiritual realms often intertwine.

 

In summary, “A Valediction: of Weeping” is a delicate meditation on the nature of love, sorrow, and separation. Donne elevates tears from mere signs of grief to precious tokens that deepen love’s bond, while affirming that true love endures beyond physical absence and emotional pain.

 

Possible Exam Questions

What emotions does the speaker associate with tears in the poem?

 

How does the speaker describe the relationship between tears and love?

 

What is meant by the phrase “well-sealed sense” in the poem?

 

How does the speaker address the eyes of his beloved? What significance do they hold?

 

What transformation does the speaker wish to achieve with his tears?

 

Explain the symbolism of tears in “A Valediction: of Weeping.”

 

How does John Donne explore the theme of separation and love in the poem?

 

Discuss the contrast between emotion and reason in the poem.

 

Analyze the use of metaphors related to wealth (gold, mine) in the poem. What do they signify?

 

How does the tone of the poem change from the beginning to the end? What does this signify?

 

Discuss how John Donne’s “A Valediction: of Weeping” presents the relationship between physical sorrow and spiritual love.

 

Examine the role of vulnerability and strength in the poem. How does Donne balance these opposing ideas?

 

How does the poem reflect the characteristics of metaphysical poetry?

 

Explore the ways in which the poem deals with the theme of emotional expression in the context of love and separation.

 

Compare and contrast the treatment of tears in “A Valediction: of Weeping” with another poem by John Donne or a metaphysical poet.