George Herbert – Page 2 – Interesting Literature

A Short Analysis of George Herbert’s ‘Church-Monuments’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘Church-Monuments’ is one of the greatest poems by the Welsh Metaphysical poet George Herbert (1593-1633). The poem is a memento mori – a reminder that we will die – but one with an altogether more stoic and positive outlook on death than many such poems. What follows is a brief summary analysis of Herbert’s ‘Church-Monuments’. What does this poem mean?

Church-Monuments

While that my soul repairs to her devotion,
Here I intomb my flesh, that it betimes
May take acquaintance of this heap of dust;
To which the blast of death’s incessant motion,
Fed with the exhalation of our crimes,
Drives all at last. Therefore I gladly trust

A Short Analysis of George Herbert’s ‘Jordan (I)’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

George Herbert (1593-1633) is one of the greatest devotional poets in English literature; he is also associated with the Metaphysical Poets of the seventeenth century. ‘Jordan (I)’ is one of his most famous poems, and concerns itself with the role of poetry itself. What follows is a very short analysis of ‘Jordan (I)’ (sometimes known as ‘Jordan 1’), in terms of its language, meaning, and themes.

A Short Analysis of George Herbert’s ‘A Wreath’

A summary of a classic short George Herbert poem, by Dr Oliver Tearle

George Herbert (1593-1633) was one of the greatest devotional poets of his age – indeed, of any age. As well as famous poems such as the justly celebrated poem of religious doubt and personal freedom, ‘The Collar’, Herbert wrote many other great poems about God. ‘A Wreath’ is not perhaps among his most famous poems, so some remarks about its meaning might help here.

A Short Analysis of George Herbert’s ‘The Collar’

A summary and analysis of ‘The Collar’, a classic George Herbert poem, by Dr Oliver Tearle

George Herbert (1593-1633) is regarded as one of the greatest devotional poets in all of English literature, and ‘The Collar’ is one of his best-loved poems. Here is the poem, with a short analysis of it.