Valediction v. Conjoined!

(super horrible, sorry huge thing popped up!)

In “Conjoined” by Judith Minty and Valediction: Forbidding Mourning by John Donne the authors contrast one another in idealism of marriage and love but, use devices of literature similarly to an extent. Conjoined by Judith Minty describes the pain of being stuck within a relationship, in this case marriage. In contrast Valediction the author describes the relationship as a beautiful thing but something that must deteriorate with no mourning. Judith Minty uses metaphors and selection of detail to convey the horrible thing the marriage has made them become. Similarly John Donne uses similes and metaphors to show a different perspective of the beautiful connection that must wither away.
The differences between the poems are obvious however there are many similarities between the two authors in use of metaphor to convey their point. In Conjoined Judith Minty used metaphors in her comparison of the morphed Onion to her and her companion. The skin of the onion being their marriage holding the two pieces of the onion as an example within the text she states “do you feel the skin that binds us”. The two pieces of the onion are metaphors for their splitting personalities. Judith Minty in Conjoined uses selection of detail to show the horrible morphed thing her marriage has become, she compares her marriage to “two headed calf rooted in one body, fighting to suck at its mother’s teats” she goes further to compare her marriage to “those other freaks, Chang and Eng.” Judith uses these to compare them to her “conjoined” marriage something that can’ be split for it “might kill the other”. This comparison shows the freakish nature of the relationship and the pain that it must incur as the “calf rooted in one body fight to suck”. In addition in the beginning of the stanza she asks him if “Do you feel the skin that binds us… as we move heavy in this house?” Comparing her one husband to a hated transcendental man that pays no attention to their marriage she attacks men with “men don’t slice onions in the kitchen” showing the authors possible feminist roots.
Similarly In Valediction John Donne uses metaphors however in his piece he uses them to strengthen the ideal of beauty and the cosmic nature of his relationship. An example of a Metaphor he uses would be “trepidation of the spheres though greater far, is innocent” showing the strength of his relationship something celestial not mere “dull sublunary lovers’ love” to which “moving of th’earth brings harm and fears”. In addition to this John Donne uses metaphors to describe the spiritual connection he keeps with his lover. In the sixth stanza he explains the separation of the two lovers that they must “endure not yet a breach, but expansion.” He describes here the stretching of their two souls when the two lovers are apart rather than the breaking.
In contrast to the similarities of the figurative language, both authors use different devices that further separate the pieces showing the differences in author. Judith Minty uses tone to add a distorted dimension to the piece. The tone of the piece is shown as a horrible, painful situation that is completely unnatural and alien to anything that is the norm. She shows this through the diction of the piece stating their connection as “bind”, and to split it would be to “sever”. She utilizes death to further emphasize the tone of the piece “might kill the other” this emphasizes her disgust of the other. She uses symbolism in the Onion describing the “each half round, then flat and deformed where it pressed and gew against the other”. This quote shows that if this skin was not there forcing together the pieces of the Onion they would easily split apart. However the skin being the marriage holding them together forcing them to be in this unnatural relationship.
In contrast to Judith Minty’s perception of marriage and relationship, John Donne uses similes and symbolism to portray his delusional state of love with another. The author uses similes to compare his relationship to a compass that “as stiff twin compasses are two thy soul the fixt foot makes no show to move but doth if th’other do” further strengthening the connection between him and his lover. John Donne uses symbolism throughout the piece that has already been mentioned. Throughout the piece he compares his love to many things both celestial and lunar. The comparison of his relationship expands from virtuous men, to planets, souls, gold, and a compass all to further strengthen the inseparable nature of his relationship.
Each author holds their own view of one of the most discussed topics within literature that being, Love. In the poems Conjoined by Judith Minty and the A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning these two topics are shown as complete polar opposites. However each author utilizes similar and contrasting techniques of figurative language to convey their point.