George Herbert (The Oxford Poetry Library)

By George Herbert and George Herbert Palmer

Book Overview

An entirely new selection of George Herbert's verse, this beautiful volume illustrates Herbert's preeminence as one of the masters of metaphysical verse. Herbert began his career as Fellow and Public Orator at Cambridge, and, after making his way toward ordination as a priest of the Church of England, became rector of the parish of Fuggleston-cum-Bemerton, near Sailsbury, in 1630. His first book of poems, The Temple, was published in 1633, some months after his death, and his prose treatise, The Country Parson, did not appear until 1652. His poems, however, met with immediate favor upon publication, and have remained enduringly popular. These poems of great subtlety and wit continue to enlighten as they have since the seventeenth century.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192822659
• ISBN13: 9780192822659
• Release Date: October 1994
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.7" x 0.7" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

A most intense dialogue with God

Herbert is ordinarily classified along with Donne, as a Metaphysical poet i.e. one who use extreme metaphor and makes connections between completely diverse matters to forward a rough and energetic argument in verse. Herbert is , as I sense it, gentler than Donne. He is a more quiet devotional poet, one with deep religious faith. There is a certain sense of his humility and great power of concentration in his devotion.His love of music plays a central role in the metaphoric structure of his work. Among his often anthologized poems are " The Collar" " The Pulley" "To the Jews" "The Altar"

You don't need to be religious to love his poems

I'm a solid atheist. I also love Herbert's intimate dialogue and often battle with his God. Stylistically, he dominates better known poets of the Metaphysical era, such as Donne. His backround as a musician comes through in all his work. He inherits the Metaphysicals' use of vivid metaphor. He looks ahead to Gerard Manley Hopkins in his fusion of music,image and conversation. "Love bade me welcome" and "Prayer" are among the jewels of poetry. If you are religious, Herbert will be of great comfort in his deep and moving spirituality. If you are not, that spirituality is still so compelling and resonant that you will feel with and for him. He in many ways reminds me of Emily Dickinson: the poet of the quirky, gentle, wry and elegaic short poem. Do read Prayer with its lovely last line "something understood" and Love with its last line "And I replied, my Lord." Herbert os a treasure. In my sixties, I respond to him with the same respect and warmth as in my twenties when I first discovered him.

Is there in truth no beautie?

Other poets can write about the beauty of the woman that they love, but Hebert writes of the true source of beauty, the source that most deserves praise in poetry: God. Hebert's poetry is a tribute to God, for whom he gave up everything to go into ministry. A musician, Herbert writes much of his poetry in a way that is almost musical, and may have at one time been set to music. A collection of his poetry can be an incredible devotional tool for personal reflection and praise. It can also be wonderful to study in the classroom because of his brilliant use of literary devices. My favorite poem of his is The Holy Scriptures. For a taste of Hebert's beautiful tributes... "Oh book! Infinite sweetnesse! Let my heart suck ev'ry letter...."Your heart will suck every letter from Hebert's beautiful poetry.