'The Collar' by George Herbert
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I struck the board, and cried "No more!
I will abroad.
What, shall I ever sigh and pine?
My lines and life are free; free as the road,
Loose as the wind, as large as store.
Shall I be still in suit?
Have I no harvest but a thorn
To let me blood, and not restore
What I have lost with cordial fruit?
Sure there was wine
Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn
Before my tears did drown it.
Is the year only lost to me?
Have I no bays to crown it?
No flowers, no garlands gay? all blasted?
All wasted?
Not so, my heart: but there is fruit,
And thou hast hands.
Recover all thy sigh-blown age
On double pleasures: leave thy cold dispute
Of what is fit, and not. Forsake thy cage,
Thy rope of sands,
Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee
Good cable, to enforce and draw,
And be thy law,
While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.
Away; take heed:
I will abroad.
Call in thy death's head there: tie up thy fears.
He that forbears
To suit and serve his need,
Deserves his load."
But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild
At every word,
Methoughts I heard one calling "Child!"
And I replied "My Lord".
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Collar: A Critical Analysis
Oh boy, do I have a treat for you! Today, we're going to dive into the intricate layers of George Herbert's masterpiece, "The Collar". This poem is a must-read for anyone who loves poetry and wants to explore the depths of human emotion and spirituality. So, sit back, relax, and let's unravel this gem verse by verse.
Background
George Herbert was a 17th-century English poet and a priest. His poems often reflected his deep religious faith and his struggle with the human condition. "The Collar" was first published in 1633 as part of his collection, "The Temple". It is a dramatic monologue and is considered one of his best-known works.
The Poem
Before we dive into the interpretation, let's take a look at the poem itself.
I struck the board, and cried, "No more!
I will abroad.
What? shall I ever sigh and pine?
My lines and life are free, free as the road,
Loose as the wind, as large as store.
Shall I be still in suit?
Have I no harvest but a thorn
To let me blood, and not restore
What I have lost with cordial fruit?
Sure there was wine
Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn
Before my tears did drown it.
Is the year only lost to me?
Have I no bays to crown it,
No flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted,
All wasted?
Not so, my heart; but there is fruit,
And thou hast hands.
Recover all thy sigh-blown age
On double pleasures: leave thy cold dispute
Of what is fit and not. Forsake thy cage,
Thy rope of sands,
Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee
Good cable, to enforce and draw,
And be thy law,
While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.
Away! take heed;
I will abroad.
Call in thy death’s-head there, tie up thy fears;
He that forbears
To suit and serve his need
Deserves his load.”
Interpretation
The Speaker
The poem is a dramatic monologue, and the speaker is a man who is struggling with his faith and his desire for freedom. He starts the poem by striking the board and declaring that he will no longer be bound by the constraints of religion and duty. He wants to break free and live a life of pleasure and freedom.
The Collar
The title of the poem, "The Collar", refers to the speaker's feeling of being trapped or restrained. The collar is a symbol of the speaker's religious obligations, which he feels are weighing him down and preventing him from living a free life. He wants to remove the collar and be free from the constraints of religion and duty.
The Desire for Freedom
The speaker's desire for freedom is evident throughout the poem. He wants to be free from the constraints of religion and duty and live a life of pleasure and freedom. He sees his life as "free, free as the road, Loose as the wind, as large as store". He wants to leave behind his "cold dispute of what is fit and not" and "forsake his cage".
The Struggle with Faith
The speaker's struggle with faith is also evident in the poem. He questions whether his life has any meaning and whether he has any purpose. He asks, "Is the year only lost to me?" He feels that his religious obligations have prevented him from living a meaningful life and that he has "no bays to crown it, no flowers, no garlands gay".
The Resolution
At the end of the poem, the speaker seems to come to a resolution. He realizes that he still has "fruit" and that he can "recover all thy sigh-blown age on double pleasures". He decides to leave behind his doubts and fears and embrace life. He declares, "I will abroad" and encourages himself to "take heed" and "call in thy death’s-head there, tie up thy fears".
The Meaning
"The Collar" is a poem about the struggle between duty and desire, faith and doubt, and the desire for freedom. The speaker represents the human condition, where we all struggle to find meaning and purpose in our lives. The collar represents the constraints that we all face, whether they be religious, social, or personal. The poem encourages us to embrace life and leave behind our fears and doubts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Collar" is a powerful poem that explores the depths of human emotion and spirituality. George Herbert's use of language and imagery is masterful, and the poem's themes are still relevant today. It's a must-read for anyone who loves poetry and wants to explore the human condition. So, go ahead, read it again and again, and discover the hidden gems that lie within.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Collar: A Masterpiece of George Herbert
George Herbert, a renowned poet of the seventeenth century, is known for his religious poetry that reflects his deep faith in God. One of his most famous works is "The Collar," a poem that explores the inner turmoil of a man who questions his faith and his purpose in life. The poem is a masterpiece of Herbert's poetic genius, and its themes and imagery continue to resonate with readers today.
The poem is structured in three stanzas, each with a different tone and message. The first stanza is a lamentation of the speaker's frustration with his life. He feels trapped and constrained by his religious beliefs and longs to break free from them. The second stanza is a dialogue between the speaker and God, in which the speaker expresses his anger and frustration with God for not giving him the freedom he desires. The third stanza is a resolution of the speaker's inner conflict, as he realizes that his faith is not a burden but a source of comfort and guidance.
The poem begins with the speaker's lamentation, "I struck the board, and cried, 'No more; / I will abroad!'" The board represents the speaker's religious beliefs, which he feels are holding him back from living his life to the fullest. He longs to break free from these constraints and explore the world beyond. The use of the exclamation mark emphasizes the speaker's frustration and desperation to escape.
The speaker then goes on to describe the pleasures he desires, "What? shall I ever sigh and pine? / My lines and life are free; free as the road, / Loose as the wind, as large as store." The use of the rhetorical question emphasizes the speaker's desire for freedom and his frustration with his current situation. He longs for a life that is free and unrestricted, where he can pursue his desires without any constraints.
In the second stanza, the speaker engages in a dialogue with God, expressing his anger and frustration with Him. He accuses God of being a tyrant who has enslaved him with his religious beliefs. "But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild / At every word, / Methought I heard one calling, Child!" The use of the metaphor "child" emphasizes the speaker's relationship with God as a father and son. It also suggests that God is trying to calm the speaker down and remind him of his love and care for him.
The third stanza is a resolution of the speaker's inner conflict. He realizes that his faith is not a burden but a source of comfort and guidance. "Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, / Guilty of dust and sin." The use of the metaphor "dust and sin" emphasizes the speaker's awareness of his own imperfections and his unworthiness to receive God's love. However, he also realizes that God's love is unconditional and that he is always welcome in His presence.
The poem ends with the speaker's acceptance of his faith and his willingness to submit to God's will. "My dear, dear Lord, / I cannot look on thee. / Love took my hand, and smiling did reply, / Who made the eyes but I?" The use of the rhetorical question emphasizes the speaker's realization that God is the creator of all things, including his own eyes. He acknowledges that his faith is not a burden but a gift from God, and he is willing to submit to His will.
In conclusion, "The Collar" is a masterpiece of George Herbert's poetic genius. It explores the inner turmoil of a man who questions his faith and his purpose in life. The poem is structured in three stanzas, each with a different tone and message. The first stanza is a lamentation of the speaker's frustration with his life. The second stanza is a dialogue between the speaker and God, in which the speaker expresses his anger and frustration with God for not giving him the freedom he desires. The third stanza is a resolution of the speaker's inner conflict, as he realizes that his faith is not a burden but a source of comfort and guidance. The poem's themes and imagery continue to resonate with readers today, making it a timeless masterpiece of English literature.
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