To understand John Donnes ideas on love and salvation the responder must understand the context in which Donne writes. As a 16th century poet Donne lived in a time where everyone believed in god. He lived in a society where there was a constant battle between the protestant and Catholic branches of Christianity. There was no division between church and state and the monarchy were believed to be appointed by god. Donne lived in a time of discovery and exploration. In this context his poetry both religious and secular contains ancient and medieval philosophy ideas about alchemy, astronomy and physical science. One theme Donne repeatedly explored was that of love. He identified two types of love the poem A Valediction Forbidding Mourning explores both of these representations.
The first type of love is that of true love. This is the type of love that the persona of the poem believes he shares with his female partner Donne represents this love with an array of metaphors that emphasis the unearthly nature of there love.
The poem begins with the idea that the body and soul are separate entities that break apart at death. This was a controversial statement in the time of writing as some religious leaders that the body and soul were one. Donne makes the difference in beliefs clear in the line "whilst some of there sad friends do say, the breath goes now and some say nay." .
After establishing this idea Donne begins a liquid metaphor "so let us melt and make no noise" This brings images to the responder of mixing of two substances that cannot be taken apart. This demonstrates the depth if this love, the true love. .
The metaphors pf earthquakes and celestial spheres add to the responders understanding of the personas love. The "trepidation of spheres " and "Moving of the earth" show that Donne believes this love has great force. In the context of John Donne's time the spheres around the earth were the largest structures imaginable.