John Donne's Metaphysical Conceits in "Bait" and "Valediction"

Introduction: Donne and the Metaphysical Conceit

John Donne, writing poetry during the early modern period, often combined imagery and subject matter to focus on devotion in terms of both eroticism and divine love. This is indicative of the way in which he considered the metaphysical connection between the spiritual and the physical. Although some of his poetry focuses more upon erotic, romantic love affairs, the ideal of the divine and the perfect is often also prevalent. These connections are frequently established by means of the symbolism known as the metaphysical conceit.

The metaphysical conceit is an element of poetry that uses unusual symbolism to demonstrate the depth of the poet's or speaker's feeling within the context of the poem. Strong examples of the metaphysical conceit occur in many of Donne's poems, including "Bait" and "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning."

The Conceit of Courtship in 'Bait'

"Bait" is a poem written in response to "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe, and also Sir Walter Raleigh's work based upon it, "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd." The latter is far less idealistic than the romanticism posed by Marlowe. In his version of the poem, Donne takes matters a step further by means of the metaphysical conceit.

Donne compares the speaker of the poem to fish, with the lady being addressed represented as a fisherwoman. This entirely removes both any references to pastoral imagery and any pretense at romanticism. The images are sharp and clear, including the "silken lines and silver hooks" mentioned in line 4. This is unmistakably fishing imagery, and hardly aesthetic, although Donne does manage to sketch some sense of aesthetics into the work.

The poem's opening lines place the reader into the context of the poem immediately. The images of fish and catchers then function unmistakably as a metaphysical conceit to demonstrate the hunting and snaring relationships inspired by courtship. For the speaker, however, the hunt is over; he has been caught, and willingly so. The image of the woman herself as "bait" is a very strong metaphysical conceit. Through this highly unusual metaphor, Donne makes it clear that the lady who caught the speaker's attention need only be herself to catch whichever fish she pleases. She does not need to play any games of deceit or cruelty to win men's hearts, but does so with ease.

While "Bait" addresses the theme of romantic love from the vantage point of its beginning, "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning" does so from the perspective of an established relationship. The characters within that poem are so strong in their bond that they are not deterred by a temporary parting.

Love and Separation in 'A Valediction Forbidding Mourning'

Like "Bait," "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning" also makes use of strong and unusual metaphysical conceits. The poet begins, for example, by comparing the parting to death. In this comparison, the speaker encourages his love to quietly accept his departure, as the dying accept death. She is to remain calm and trusting of the necessity and inevitability of the speaker's leaving.

The second and third strong images in the poem concern the love connection between the couple. The poet uses gold as a metaphor for the pliability and expansive properties of the couple's love. When gold is beaten, it bends and expands; it does not break. In the same way, the love between the man and the woman will only grow stronger and more expansive through the trial of their separation.

Conclusion: Shock Value and Poetic Intensification

John Donne's use of metaphysical conceit in the poems discussed serves to intensify the intended meaning in "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning" and to establish a dialogue with previous works in the case of "Bait." This intensification is itself emphasized by the shock value of the images employed. Death, for example, positioned right at the beginning of "Valediction," both shocks the reader and emphasizes the depth of the love behind the words. In "Bait," the title is itself a conceit that brings the reader to a temporary halt. The word does not in the least suggest courtship or romantic love, and thus forms a very strong contrast with the poem's opening lines.

In conclusion, Donne was a master of the metaphysical conceit. Both poems, while considering love from two very different stages, connect with each other through the shock value of the conceits used. While death is openly mentioned in "Valediction," "Bait" only hints at it through the activity of fishing. These conceits bring death and love into close proximity with each other, providing both poems with an added dimension of emotional and poetic intensity.