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Analyzing and Interpreting Literature / Unit 9   AIL 0834 short lesson, about 20 seconds

Donne's Valediction as Structure

Captions available

The idea

Donne's poem moves through three images in order: dying men, beaten gold, then twin compasses. Each is more elaborate than the last and the order cannot be reversed, because the compasses depend on the expansion the gold established. That dependency is the structure.

In practice

Each image needs the one before.

Where people slip

The order cannot be reversed.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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