Love III by George Herbert

Context

• "Love (III)" by George Herbert was written during the 17th century, a time of significant religious upheaval and personal reflection.
• The poem reflects Herbert's deep religious convictions and his struggles with faith, characteristic of the metaphysical poets, who often explored spiritual themes through complex imagery and wit.
• Herbert served as a parish priest, and his experiences are often mirrored in his poetry, reflecting both his personal and theological concerns.

Structure and Form

Form, Meter, and Rhyme

• The poem is composed of three six-line stanzas (sestets).
• The meter alternates between iambic pentameter and iambic trimeter, with the longer lines having five iambs and the shorter lines having three.
• The rhyme scheme is ABABCC, creating a rhythm of setup and payoff that reflects the speaker's grappling with his faith.

Speaker and Setting

• The speaker is a remorseful soul feeling too ashamed of his sins to enter God's house.
• The setting is metaphorical, representing a humble tavern where God, personified as Love, invites the speaker to feast, symbolizing divine acceptance and communion.

Poetic Devices

• Conceit**:** The central conceit of the poem is the comparison of God to an innkeeper who invites the speaker to a feast, symbolizing divine acceptance and love.
• Rhetorical Question**:** Used to gently remind the speaker of Christian tenets, particularly the concept of atonement.
• Allusion**:** The poem alludes to Christian rituals and biblical passages, such as the Last Supper and the idea of atonement.
• Alliteration**:** Enhances the musical quality of the poem and reflects the speaker's emotional state.

Key Themes

God's Love and Forgiveness

"Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, / Guilty of dust and sin."

• The poem explores the theme of God's unconditional love and forgiveness.
• The speaker, feeling unworthy, hesitates to accept God's invitation, but God reassures him that his sins have been atoned for, emphasizing the boundless nature of divine love.

Similar Poems

• "The Pulley" by George Herbert: Another poem that explores God's relationship with humanity, focusing on the theme of restlessness leading to a spiritual connection with God.

Line by Line Analysis

Lines 1-6

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 anything.

"Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,"

• The speaker begins by describing how Love (God) welcomed him, but his soul hesitated due to feelings of guilt and unworthiness.
• The personification of Love and the use of direct address create an intimate and confrontational tone.

"Guilty of dust and sin."

• The speaker feels burdened by his sins, symbolized by "dust", emphasizing human mortality and imperfection.
• This line sets up the conflict between the speaker's sense of unworthiness and God's invitation.

"But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack"

• Love (God) is attentive and notices the speaker's hesitation, indicating divine awareness and concern.
• The term "quick-eyed" suggests God's omniscience and readiness to address the speaker's doubts.

"From my first entrance in,"

• The speaker's reluctance is apparent from the moment he enters, highlighting his internal struggle with guilt and shame.
• This line reinforces the setting of the encounter as a threshold or boundary between the speaker and divine acceptance.

"Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,"

• Love approaches the speaker with gentle inquiries, demonstrating God's compassion and desire for comfort.
• The adverb "sweetly" emphasizes the tenderness of God's approach.

"If I lacked anything."

• God asks if the speaker needs anything, metaphorically offering spiritual sustenance and reassurance.
• This question also implies that God is ready to provide whatever the speaker needs to overcome his feelings of unworthiness.

Lines 7-12

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?

"A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:"

• The speaker responds that he needs a guest worthy of God's presence, implying that he feels unworthy.
• This reflects the speaker's internalized guilt and sense of inadequacy.

"Love said, You shall be he."

• Love (God) reassures the speaker that he is a worthy guest, emphasizing divine acceptance.
• The simplicity and directness of this response highlight the unconditional nature of God's love.

"I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,"

• The speaker questions his worthiness, acknowledging his unkindness and ingratitude.
• The use of "Ah my dear" conveys a sense of intimacy and vulnerability in his self-reflection.

"I cannot look on thee."

• The speaker feels so ashamed that he cannot bear to look at God, indicating the depth of his guilt.
• This line underscores the internal conflict between his love for God and his sense of unworthiness.

"Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,"

• God responds with a physical gesture of comfort, taking the speaker's hand and smiling.
• This action symbolizes God's willingness to bridge the gap created by the speaker's shame.

"Who made the eyes but I?"

• God reminds the speaker that He created him, including his eyes, emphasizing that the speaker is a part of God's creation.
• This rhetorical question underscores the inherent value and worth of the speaker as God's creation.

Lines 13-18

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.

"Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame"

• The speaker admits that he has damaged the eyes God made, acknowledging his sins.
• The phrase "let my shame" suggests he feels deserving of punishment for his wrongdoings.

"Go where it doth deserve."

• The speaker believes his shame should lead to his rightful punishment, indicating his sense of justice and guilt.
• This line reinforces the speaker's internalized belief in his unworthiness.

"And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?"

• God reminds the speaker that Christ has already borne the blame for his sins, referencing the Christian concept of atonement.
• This rhetorical question emphasizes the completeness of Christ's sacrifice and the speaker's forgiveness.

"My dear, then I will serve."

• The speaker finally accepts God's forgiveness and expresses his willingness to serve God in return.
• This line marks a turning point in the poem, where the speaker begins to accept divine love and forgiveness.

"You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat."

• God insists that the speaker join Him and partake in His bounty, symbolizing communion and acceptance.
• The phrase "taste my meat" can be interpreted as a metaphor for experiencing God's grace and love.

"So I did sit and eat."

• The poem concludes with the speaker accepting God's invitation, indicating his acceptance of divine love and forgiveness.
• This final line signifies the resolution of the speaker's internal conflict and his reconciliation with God.