Deconstruction of Binary Oppositions in John Donne's A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
Huiqing, Jiang*
Citation : Huiqing, Jiang, Deconstruction of Binary Oppositions in John Donne's A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature 2019;7(6):34-39.
Deconstructionism, as a philosophical theory, originated in France in the 1960s. One of its ideological cores is to dispel the ideas of binary oppositions, break the traditional hierarchical model, and eliminate the rigidity of metaphysics. As early as the 17th century, the thoughts of deconstruction were reflected in the British poet John Donne's poems. As the pioneer of metaphysical poets, Donne demonstrates his philosophical thoughts in the poetry. Particularly, the deconstruction of the traditional binary oppositions of "male vs. female", "soul vs. flesh" and "sacredness vs. worldliness" in Donne's A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning distinctively embodies the advancement and modernity of his thoughts.