The Image of Perfection

Just as Julian of Norwich, in "Revelations of Divine Love", uses the roundness of the hazelnut to convey the perfection of Creation, so does the poet of "Pearl" utilize the spherical nature of the pearl to illustrate the flawless Divine. The speaker of "Pearl" grieves the loss of his daughter, whom he likens to a pearl, but he is told by the dream-maiden that his child was merely a rose in life. It was only by joining God in Heaven that she became truly precious - a "pearl of great price" (Matthew 13:45-6).

Circles are often a symbol of Divine completeness or balance, such as the concept of celestial spheres or the circle of life. The very structure of the poem reinforces this idea through its circular nature. The 'roundness' of the poem is achieved by stanzas being linked together by a repeated word as well as the final link word echoing the one used in the beginning. This loop elevates the poem so that it is worthy of the divine inspiration from which it sprung.