LoveGeorge Herbert

George Herbert (1593 – 1633)

• Welsh-born poet and Anglican priest• Born into an artistic & wealthy family• Admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge, with

the intention of becoming a priest• He became his university’s ‘Public Orator’• Attracted the attention of King James 1, and

served in Parliament briefly (1624 – 1625)• After the death of King James, his interest in

becoming a priest was renewed.

• In his mid-thirties he took holy order in the Church of England

• Spent the rest of his life as the rector of the little parish of Fugglestone St Peter

• He served his parishioners extremely well, reaching out to them when they were ill, providing food and clothing

• Always a sickly man, he died of consumption (tuberculosis) aged 39.

Style & Influences• Throughout his life he wrote religious poems• Precision of language and ingenious use of imagery• He is regarded as a ‘metaphysical’ poet – a style characterised by

far-fetched concepts and the use of unusual similes and metaphors. Metaphysical poets often speculated about love and religion.

• He was enormously popular and influential in his time• All of his poems were published together in 1633• When he sent his poems to Nicholas Ferrar, he said that "he shall

find in it a picture of the many spiritual conflicts that have passed between God and my soul, before I could subject mine to the will of Jesus, my Master".

• The poems imitate the architectural style of churches through both the meaning of the words and their visual layout.

Summary

• This poem reads like a conversation.• The dialogue is between the host of a feast and a guest. • Herbert imagines God has invited him to a feast.

The feast stands for a communion service in a church.• Herbert, in the role of the guest, feels guilty of sin. He

feels he cannot go in to the feast or communion.Herbert argues that he doesn’t deserve to attend the feast.

• God tries to persuade the shy guest to enter the feast.

Love

Love bade me welcome. Yet my soul drew back Guilty of dust and sin.But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in,Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning, If I lacked any thing.

A guest, I answered, worthy to be here: Love said, You shall be he.I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear, I cannot look on thee.Love took my hand, and smiling did reply, Who made the eyes but I?

Truth Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame Go where it doth deserve.And know you not, says Love, who bore the

blame? My dear, then I will serve.You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat: So I did sit and eat.

Wrap-up

• Herbert explores the complex relationship between a remorseful sinner and a forgiving God

• Shows Herbert, despite being a very religious man, was not confident about entering Heaven when he died

• Poem shows his deep reverence for God• He is describing the most pure form of love possible

for humans – the love of God• He is showing the GOD = LOVE (absolute,

unconditional love)

Essay Question

• Examine the ways in which Herbert vividly portrays the love between God and Man in his poem ‘Love’