George Herbert: A Study of Poems
Unit-15 George Herbert: A Study of Poems
Block-3
The Metaphysical Poets: Donne, Herbert
GEORGE HERBERT (1593 - 1633)
- George
Herbert was born in an aristocratic family
- He
could have gone on to hold a political
- office
but he chose to be a parson and a poet. Unlike Donne he was not self-
centred. it is marked by grace, artlessness and simplicity. Herbert shows
a planer diction, simpler phrasing and more subdued tone
- Herbert
owes much to Donne with whom he had early contact: Herbert's mother being
one of Donne's friends and patroness.
- T.S.
Eliot's praise that Herbert "may justly be called a major
poet"
- Critics
have also talked of the terrifying lucidity of his poems. His simple
diction and the habit of understatement clearly indicate a deep influence
of the Bible and the psalms.
Distinguishing features:
- stands
apart from other poets of his time. His poems are lucid.
- Herbert
can manipulate his verse to reflect the thematic pattern.
- His
language is courtly and urbane, he uses varied and musical verse forms,
there is a neatness and poise about his verse suggesting greater influence
of Ben Jonson than Donne.
- His
poems are about man's rebellion against God. But they end in
reconciliation.
- Herbert's
poems were like his very private meditations which he showed to a few
friends and were published by his friends only after his death, as they
may help others in facing similar spiritual problems.
- Works:
The temple, The porch, The widow, The Collar, The Sacrifice, The pearl,
the Pulley, Love, Easter wings(shape of wings)
- Herbert's
poetry focuses on the love of God or Grace.
- He
is concerned with how god's grace operates on earth. He is more earth
directed.
- The
variety of form in Herbert's poems is striking : he seldom uses the same
pattern twice.
The Pulley:
4 stanza 5 lines each
Rhyme scheme - ABABA
Iambic pentameter and
trimeter
Alliteration, imagery,
metaphor, personification conceit
Genesis - When God
created man & come to me for rest
Redemption:
Sonnet - ABAB CDCD EFF EGG
2
quatrains and 2 tercets
Petrarchan
and Shakespearean
Iambic
Pentameter
Love
III
three
stanzas with six lines each
ABABCC
religious
tone and a guilty mood.
You can check out my
YouTube videos on the same topic where I have explained everything in Hindi in
detail. Links are below-
Block-3 The Metaphysical
Poets: Donne, Herbert
Life
of George Herbert
More
related and helpful links in the description box of my YouTube channel.
More
Poems of George Herbert -
Very nice explanation
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
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