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His lover evidently does not look like the states at all. His aim to compare his lover with all states is to describe how precious his lover is. He assumes that she
is worthier than the wealth of all states. The second metaphor occurs when he claims himself as equal as all princes. The whole poem does not show that the
speaker is a prince or a descent of princes, but he confidently compares himself to all princes. His reason to employ this comparison is to emphasize that he is the
most powerful person because he possesses such a precious wealth, which is his lover.
In short, metaphor is one of the leading types of figurative language that construct the whole meaning in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” and “The
Sun Rising”. This figurative language not only presents comparison between two objects but also provokes the readers’ awareness toward the quality of the
compared objects. It invites the readers to participate in each comparison so that they understand why the speaker makes such comparison and what quality the
speaker transfers from the second object to the first one. Therefore, metaphor is assumed to be an effective way to construct the meaning of the poems as well as
to allow the readers to grasp the understanding of that meaning.
2. Simile
Simile is the other type of figurative language that is identified in this research. The researcher finds out four occurrences of simile, all of which are in
“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” only. This figurative language compares two objects in direct way to highlight the existence of a comparison. It explicitly
gives a signal that a comparison is being made in the poem through the words
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“such”, “like” “as” and “than” so that the readers give more attention to the quality of the compared objects. Therefore, when the speaker of “A Valediction:
Forbidding Mourning” presents simile, the readers become aware of the comparison and assume that the compared objects are noteworthy for constructing
the meaning in the poem. The first occurrence of simile lies in line 24 of “A Valediction: Forbidding
Mourning”, which says, “Like gold to airy thinness beat.” John Donne, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”: line 24. In this quotation, the speaker uses
the word “like” to compare the temporary separation to gold-making process. Separation and gold-making process, absolutely, do not resemble each other.
However, the speaker realizes the same value that both of them share. To obtain the best quality, the gold must undergo a harsh process of beating. If the process is
getting tougher, the quality obtained is getting better. Here, the speaker assumes that separation is also a harsh process that the speaker and his lover have to
endure to expand their love. By being separated and missing each other, they are taught to patiently wait and realize the deep love they have for each other. Thus,
the speaker believes that their love is getting bigger when they finally meet again. The way the speaker of this poem uses simile in this example is unique. In
common sense, the comparison between separation and gold-making process never crosses the readers’ mind since these two objects are, obviously,
incomparable. However, to make the abstractness of separation become vivid and imaginable, the speaker takes the gold-making process as an illustration.
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Therefore, this expression promptly attracts the readers’ attention and leaves deep impression in their mind.
The example above is not the only inimitable simile that the speaker employs to give an understanding to his lover about the separation that they have to endure.
To ensure his lover that the separation means nothing to them, he presents another example of simile that is identified in line
26: “If they be two, they are two so As twin compasses are tw
o” John Donne, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”: line 26. In this example, the speaker compares a couple of lover to a pair of
compasses, which the speaker assumes to have a resemblance with them. As same as a couple of lover, the twin compasses consist of two legs. When drawing a
circle, the legs of the compasses are taken apart since the first leg has to draw the circle while another one has to stay still in the center of the circle to make it firm.
However, this condition does not make them completely separated. The two legs are still attached at the top of the compasses and are able to meet again after
finishing the drawing. The same case goes to a couple of lover. Though the current condition separates them, they are not really separated because they are
still attached to each other. Moreover, this separation does not take a long time since they are going to meet again soon.
As the conclusion, the speaker of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” presents three examples of simile, all of which are used to illustrate separation.
Separation itself is an abstract idea that has no exact form so that people may have their own concept to define it. For this reason, the speaker expresses his
perception toward separation by employing this figurative language. The
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explicitness and uniqueness of simile in this poem considerably help the speaker to make his lover, as well the readers, understand how separation means to him.
Its less frequent use and the way the speaker uses it are significant to appeal the lover and the readers’ imagination about separation. They, then, are called to
participate in each illustration so that they recognize the importance of separation to expand the love as suggested by the speaker.
3. Personification
