As virtuous men pass mildly away,

And whisper to their souls to go,

Whilst some of their sad friends do say

The breath goes now, and some say, No:

Explanation

The poem establishes a desired approach to saying goodbye, contrasting it with the usual expressions of grief.

Line 1: “As virtuous men pass mildly away”: This line sets the tone for the poem, describing a peaceful and gentle death. The speaker uses the example of virtuous men, suggesting a calm and dignified passing.

Line 2: “And whisper to their souls to go”: This line emphasizes the quiet and personal nature of the departure. The soul is seen as something distinct from the physical body, and the departure is portrayed as a soft, internal communication.

Line 3: “Whilst some of their sad friends do say”: This line introduces the contrast between the speaker’s desired goodbye and the typical expressions of grief. The “sad friends” represent the usual outward displays of sorrow.

Line 4: “The breath goes now, and some say, No”: This line depicts the different ways people might acknowledge the death. Some may readily accept it, while others may deny it or struggle with the loss.

The speaker suggests that their farewell should be like the gentle passing of a virtuous man, quiet and without outward displays of grief. They contrast this with the typical expressions of sorrow, which they feel wouldn’t capture the true depth and nature of their love.

Poetic devices

Metaphor: Comparing peaceful death to their quiet goodbye suggests solemnity and discretion.

Personification: Assigning emotions to death (“whisper”) adds depth and creates a sense of shared understanding.

So let us melt, and make no noise,

No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;

‘Twere profanation of our joys

To tell the laity our love.

Explanation

Continuing from the first stanza’s desire for a quiet goodbye, the second stanza further reinforces this idea and expands on the reasons behind it.

Line 1: “So let us melt, and make no noise”: The speaker builds on the metaphor of a peaceful passing, suggesting they simply “melt” away without public displays of emotions like crying or sighing.

Line 2: “No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move”: This line emphasizes the avoidance of dramatic expressions of grief. “Tear-floods” and “sigh-tempests” depict exaggerated emotions, which the speaker finds inappropriate for their situation.

Line 3: “‘Twere profanation of our joys”: This line reveals the deeper reason for the quiet farewell. Sharing their love loudly is seen as a “profanation,” suggesting it’s something sacred and special that shouldn’t be exposed to the public.

Line 4: “To tell the laity our love”: The “laity” represents ordinary people who wouldn’t truly understand the depth and uniqueness of their love. The speaker believes a public display wouldn’t capture its essence and might even cheapen it.

The speaker desires a silent and private goodbye because their love is something profound and exclusive. They believe public expressions of grief wouldn’t capture its true nature and might even feel disrespectful to its sacredness. This reinforces the poem’s theme of a unique approach to farewell based on the exceptional nature of their love.

Poetic Device

Metaphor: “Melt” and “move” convey a quiet and gentle farewell, contrasting with dramatic displays of grief.

Hyperbole: “Profane our joys” emphasizes the sacredness of their love, justifying their choice.

Alliteration: The repetition of the “m” sound in “melt” and “make” creates a soft, melodious effect. Repetition of “l” in “laity” and “love” reinforces the distinction between their unique love and ordinary understanding.

Moving of th’ earth brings harms and fears,

Men reckon what it did, and meant

But trepidation of the spheres,

Though greater far, is innocent.

Explanation

Continuing the theme of unique love and private farewell, stanza 3 uses a surprising comparison to further explain the speaker’s perspective.

Line 1: “Moving of th’ earth brings harms and fears”: This line introduces a seemingly unrelated topic – earthquakes.

Line 2: “Men reckon what it did, and meant”: Here, the speaker emphasizes the attention and analysis earthquakes receive. People try to understand the cause and consequences of these events.

Line 3: “But trepidation of the spheres”: This introduces a new term, “trepidation,” indicating a fear or trembling. These “spheres” could be celestial bodies or complex systems.

Line 4: “Though greater far, is innocent”: This line clarifies the previous statement. Despite being “greater far” (more significant), this “trepidation” is considered “innocent” (harmless).

The speaker compares their love to the “trepidation of the spheres.” This suggests that their love is something significant and powerful, like the movement of celestial bodies. However, unlike earthquakes, which cause fear and harm, their love is “innocent” and pure.

Poetic Device

Metaphor: “Moving of th’ earth brings harms and fears…But trepidation of the spheres…Though greater far, is innocent” – compares their love to the movement of celestial bodies, suggesting its vastness and innocence compared to earthly concerns.

Hyperbole: “Trepidation of the spheres…Though greater far” – exaggerates the scale of their love to emphasize its significance.

Dull sublunary lovers’ love

(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit

Absence, because it doth remove

Those things which elemented it.

Explanation

Continuing the theme of contrasting their unique love with “ordinary” forms, stanza 4 dives deeper into the nature of their connection.

Line 1: “Dull sublunary lovers’ love”: This introduces a new category of love – “dull sublunary lovers.” The term “sublunary” refers to the earthly or physical realm, suggesting these lovers rely on physical aspects.

Line 2: “(Whose soul is sense)”: This line clarifies the limitation of these lovers. Their “soul” is equated with “sense,” indicating a strong reliance on physical senses and experiences.

Line 3: “Cannot admit Absence”: This line states the consequence of their physical dependency. When separated, they cannot handle the “absence” because it removes the physical elements that define their love.

Line 4: “Those things which elemented it”: This explains why absence hurts them. It removes the “things” that were the basic building blocks (“elements”) of their love.

The speaker contrasts their love with those who depend heavily on physical touch, presence, and sensory experiences. For such “dull sublunary lovers,” separation is painful because it removes the core elements of their connection.

Poetic Device

Metaphor: ‘Sublunary’ refers to the region of the universe below the moon, symbolizing things that are earthly or mundane. This is a metaphor for physical, sensual love, which is contrasted with the speaker’s spiritual love.

But we by a love so much refined,

That our selves know not what it is,

Inter-assured of the mind,

Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

Explanation

Stanza 5 of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” delves deeper into the unique nature of the speaker’s love and how it transcends physical limitations.

Line 1: “But we by a love so much refined”: This line establishes a clear contrast between the speaker’s “refined” love and the more ordinary love described in the previous stanza. This love is so sophisticated and nuanced that even they struggle to define it fully.

Line 2: “That our selves know not what it is”: This line emphasizes the complex and indescribable nature of their connection. It suggests a level of understanding that goes beyond words and conventional definitions.

Line 3: “Inter-assured of the mind”: Despite not fully comprehending their love, they have an absolute “assurance” in its strength and depth. This assurance comes from a mental and spiritual connection that transcends physical limitations.

Line 4: “Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss”: This line highlights the consequence of their mental and spiritual connection. While they acknowledge the absence of physical contact (eyes, lips, and hands), it doesn’t significantly impact their love.

The speaker asserts that their love is so refined and deeply connected on a mental and spiritual level that the absence of physical presence becomes less significant. They trust and understand each other on a deeper level, allowing them to navigate separation without compromising their love.

Poetic devices

Metaphor: “But we by a love so much refined…That our selves know not what it is” – compares their love to something refined and complex, even beyond their own understanding.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,

Though I must go, endure not yet

A breach, but an expansion,

Like gold to airy thinness beat.

Explanation

Stanza 6 of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” introduces a beautiful metaphor to illustrate how the lovers’ connection changes during separation.

Line 1: “Our two souls therefore, which are one”: This line reiterates the central idea of the poem – the two souls are fundamentally united as one.

Line 2: “Though I must go”: This acknowledges the impending separation, emphasizing the physical distance that will come between them.

Line 3: “Endure not yet / A breach, but an expansion”: This line introduces the key metaphor. Instead of experiencing a painful “breach” or separation, their souls undergo an “expansion.”

Line 4: “Like gold to airy thinness beat”: This line explains the nature of the expansion. Similar to how gold can be beaten into sheets so thin it becomes almost transparent, their connection stretches and expands despite the physical distance.

The speaker suggests that separation doesn’t break their connection but actually strengthens it. Their love, like gold, becomes even more refined and expansive despite thinning out physically. This expansion signifies a deepening connection on a spiritual or emotional level.

Poetic devices

Simile: This is a simile comparing the expansion of their love to the malleability of gold. The speaker is saying that their love, like gold, can be stretched and expanded without breaking.

Enjambment: Running lines together emphasizes the continuity and connection between their souls.

Imagery: The visual image of gold being beaten adds depth and concreteness to the metaphor.

If they be two, they are two so

As stiff twin compasses are two;

Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show

To move, but doth, if the other do.

Explanation

Stanza 7 of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” continues the expansion metaphor and introduces a new image – twin compasses – to further illustrate the nature of their connection during separation.

Line 1: “If they be two, they are two so”: This line acknowledges the potential duality of their souls while suggesting a unique way of being “two.”

Line 2: “As stiff twin compasses are two”: This introduces the central metaphor. Like the two feet of a compass, though distinct, they are fundamentally connected.

Line 3: “Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show”: This line assigns roles to the souls. The speaker’s soul is the “fixed foot,” remaining seemingly stationary.

Line 4: “To move, but doth, if the other do”: This line reveals the hidden movement of the “fixed foot.” Despite appearing still, it moves subtly in response to the movement of the other foot.

The stanza suggests that although they exist as separate entities, their souls are connected like the two feet of a compass. Even when the speaker (moving foot) travels far, their lover’s soul (fixed foot) remains “fixed” in location but subtly adjusts and “moves” in response. This signifies a strong emotional and spiritual connection despite physical separation.

Poetic devices

Metaphor: The “twin compasses” metaphor continues, further illustrating the interdependence of their souls.

Personification: The compasses are given human actions (“lean,” “hearken”) to portray emotional connection.

And though it in the center sit,

Yet when the other far doth roam,

It leans and hearkens after it,

And grows erect, as that comes home.

Explanation

Building upon the metaphor of twin compasses in stanza 7, this stanza further explores the dynamic connection between the two souls during separation.

Line 1: “And though it in the center sit”: This line reiterates the “fixed foot” position, signifying stability and centrality.

Line 2: “Yet when the other far doth roam”: This emphasizes the physical distance and movement of the “moving foot.”

Line 3: “It leans and hearkens after it”: This introduces a new action. Despite being still, the “fixed foot” leans and actively listens (harkens) towards the moving one.

Line 4: “And grows erect, as that comes home”: This depicts a response to the movement. As the “moving foot” returns, the “fixed foot” stands tall and straight, indicating a sense of completion and reunion.

The stanza emphasizes the active awareness and engagement of the “fixed foot” despite its seeming stillness. It leans and listens, demonstrating a deep emotional connection and desire for the other’s return. The final line signifies a sense of fulfillment and unity as the moving foot comes home, completing the circular journey.

Poetic devices

Personification: “It leans and hearkens after it…And grows erect, as that comes home” – further personifies the “fixed foot” to emphasize its emotional connection and anticipation of reunion.

Imagery: “Leans and hearkens…Grows erect” – creates vivid visual images to depict the dynamic connection between the souls.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,

Like th’ other foot, obliquely run;

Thy firmness makes my circle just,

And makes me end where I begun.

Explanation

The final stanza of “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” utilizes the compass metaphor one last time to conclude the poem with a message of reunion and the cyclical nature of their love.

Line 1: “Such wilt thou be to me, who must”: This establishes a direct address to the speaker’s love, promising their role in the journey.

Line 2: “Like th’ other foot, obliquely run”: This acknowledges the speaker’s role as the moving foot, traveling on a non-linear path (“obliquely”).

Line 3: “Thy firmness makes my circle just”: This emphasizes the significance of the fixed foot’s stability. Their unwavering love ensures the journey has a complete “circle.”

Line 4: “And makes me end where I begun”: This concludes the poem with a powerful image of reunion. The journey, despite its detours, ultimately leads back to their starting point, signifying unity and the cyclical nature of their love.

This stanza concludes the poem by assuring the love that even though the speaker must travel far, their connection remains grounded and stable through the journey. They acknowledge their temporary separation but emphasize the inevitable reunion, completing the circle of their love.

Poetic devices

Metaphor: Comparing the speaker to the “other foot” reinforces their active role in the journey.

Imagery: “Circle…End where I begun” – creates a circular image to symbolize the cyclical nature of their love and inevitable reunion.