Posts
B.A English Literature
British Literature
1st Year 1st Semester
The Pulley - George Herbert
Poet:
George Herbert was born in
Montgomery, Wales, on April 3, 1593. Herbert was educated at Westminster school
and Trinity College, Cambridge. His first
verses to be published, in 1612, were two memorial poems in Latin on the death
of Prince Henry, the heir apparent.
At Bemerton,
George Herbert preached and wrote poetry; helped rebuild the church out of his
own funds; he cared deeply for his parishioners. He came to be known as “Holy
Mr. Herbert” around the countryside.
Herbert’s poems
are characterized by a precision of language, a metrical versatility, and an
ingenious use of imagery or conceits that was favored by the metaphysical
school of poets.
About Poem:
The Pulley was also published in Herbert's 1633 collection The
Temple. The piece takes place in the moment God is creating mankind, and
features dialogue by God Himself. The poem is formatted into 4 stanzas, divided
into quintains (groups of five lines). The rhyme scheme used in the first three
stanzas of the poem is ‘ababa’ while that of the fourth stanza
is ‘abcba’.
Poem:
When
God at first made man,
Having
a glass of blessings standing by;
Let
us (said he) poure on him all we can:
Let
the worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract
into a span.
So
strength first made a way;
Then
beautie flow’d, then wisdome, honour, pleasure:
When
almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving
that alone of all his treasure
Rest
in the bottome lay.
For
if I should (said he)
Bestow
this jewell also on my creature,
He
would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And
rest in Nature, not the God of Nature.
So
both should losers be.
Yet
let him keep the rest,
But
keep them with repining restlessnesse:
Let
him be rich and wearie, that at last,
If
goodnesse leade him not, yet wearinesse
May
tosse him to my breast.
Summary:
In
the opening verse of ‘The Pulley’, George Herbert discusses the origin of
humanity (first made man). The poem is built around the conceit of imagining
God in the process of making human beings. It has echoes of the story of
creation in the opening of the Bible, the first chapter of the Book of Genesis.
(Herbert uses the word “man” in the sense of “humankind” as was typical of all
writers in his era.)
The
poem imagines God adding different qualities to this new creation, pouring them
in as a cook might pour ingredients in a cake. He is a generous Creator. All
His blessings, all the world’s riches, are given to humankind, except for one.
“Rest”
in the Christian tradition is one of God’s gifts. Jesus said “Come to me all
that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew
11.28) “Rest” is also used as a picture of the destiny God promises to those
who walk in His way, a picture of heaven. It is a precious “jewel”.
God
pauses before He adds this final gift. If He gives this, people may “adore my
gifts instead of me”. Some commentators have seen this as God being
manipulative, not giving human beings the gift of rest so as to make them turn
to Him. Herbert’s response is in the final line of that verse. If someone finds
satisfaction in God’s gifts and does not come to know God Himself, then both
God and the person are impoverished, “both should losers be”.
He
starts the final verse with a pun playing on another meaning of the word “rest”
- “remainder, what is left”. Human beings are both richly endowed, but also
“wearie” – dissatisfied, tired of what they have. And this weariness tosses –
flings – them into God’s embrace, like a restless, unhappy child wanting to be
hugged and flinging itself into its father’s arms.
*****************************************************************************************************
Follow our YouTube Channel to get more English Literature topics Summaries with explanation and Communicative English lesson and Task answers videos. Click this link and Subscribe: Saipedia
0 comments:
Post a Comment
If you need summary for any topic. Just send it in comment.
Don't Forgot to follow me in Our Youtube Channel : Saipedia