Valediction

This stanza also introduces the themes of astronomy and circles. At the time of the poem people believed the stars were held in place by crystal spheres in the heavens. The works of astronomers such as Galileo were most likely being discussed in the courts this poem was written for, so this reference would have held especial importance at the time. Circle imagery is used throughout the poem, most heavily in the last three stanzas. Circles are used to symbolize wholeness, and the completion of events. .
             The third comparison in the fourth stanza explains why their love will not be affected by this parting as other loves are. He compares their love to that of normal lovers pointing out that dull love is based on sense alone, and would therefor be destroyed by a parting like this. The speaker refers to normal love as "dull sublunary lovers" love" (L. 13) carrying on the theme of astronomy. This comparison to the love of those beneath the moon introduces the thought that the speakers love transcends the tangible world. This is a love "inter-assured of the mind" (L. 19) that is not based on sense alone. This love is of a higher level than that of dull, simple lovers" love. It is because theirs is a love of souls and minds, rather than of bodies, that there is no reason to mourn. This is the central idea of the poem, and the latter half is composed of two metaphors used to illustrate their love and justify the forbiddance of mourning. .
             In the first of these metaphors their love is compared to gold, bringing up an image of perfection, wealth and beauty. This metaphor refers to the souls of the two lovers as one inseparable object. This one soul is only made larger and more beautiful by their separation. This also stresses the idea that it is the souls of humans that matter, not the bodies. This relates to the expression of death in the first stanza as the departure of the soul, not the withering the body.