The Pulley by George Herbert

Context

• George Herbert's poem The Pulley was written during the early 17th century, a period marked by significant religious upheaval and personal introspection.
• The poem reflects the metaphysical poets' preoccupation with the relationship between humanity and the divine, exploring complex theological themes through elaborate conceits and imagery.
• Herbert was deeply influenced by his role as a clergyman and his devotion to the Church of England, often writing poetry that blends personal piety with broader theological reflections.

Structure and Form

Form, Meter, and Rhyme

• The poem consists of four five-line stanzas, known as quintains.
• The rhyme scheme is ABABA, which creates a cyclical pattern that mirrors the poem's theme of returning to God.
• The meter alternates between iambic trimeter and iambic pentameter. The first and last lines of each stanza are in iambic trimeter, while the three middle lines are in iambic pentameter.
• This structure emphasizes the push and pull dynamic, akin to the mechanical action of a pulley, underscoring the poem's central conceit.

Speaker and Setting

• The speaker of the poem is an omniscient narrator who recounts God's actions and thoughts during the creation of humanity.
• The setting is a cosmic, timeless space where God is seen bestowing various gifts upon humanity. It provides a backdrop for exploring divine intentions and human nature.

Poetic Devices

• Conceit**:** The central conceit of the poem is the comparison of human restlessness to a pulley, drawing people back to God through their inherent longing for peace.
• Metaphor**:** The blessings God pours out are metaphorically described as a liquid in a glass, emphasizing their abundance and fluidity.
• Alliteration**:** The poem employs alliteration to enhance its musical quality, as seen in phrases like "rich and weary."
• Assonance**:** Assonance is used to create internal rhymes and a harmonious sound, as in the repeated vowel sounds in "rest in the bottom lay."
• Pun**:** The word "rest" is used both as a noun (peace) and a verb (to remain), playing on its double meaning to emphasize humanity's longing.
• Parallelism**:** The repeated use of phrases like "Let him" and "made a" adds rhythm and underscores the poem's thematic structure.

Key Themes

Humanity's Restlessness and God's Goodness

"Yet let him keep the rest, / But keep them with repining restlessness; / Let him be rich and weary, that at least, / If goodness lead him not, yet weariness / May toss him to my breast."

• The poem suggests that human beings are inherently restless because God withheld the final blessing of rest. This restlessness is part of God's benevolent plan, designed to draw humanity back to Him. Without this divine longing, people might be too content with earthly life and forget their creator.

Similar Poems

• "The Collar" by George Herbert**:** Another poem that explores the tension between earthly desires and spiritual fulfilment.

Line by Line Analysis

Lines 1-5

When God at first made man,

Having a glass of blessings standing by,

"Let us," said he, "pour on him all we can:

Let the world's riches, which dispersèd lie,

Contract into a span."

"When God at first made man,"

• The speaker introduces the creation of humanity, setting the stage for the divine bestowal of gifts.
• The phrase "at first" implies the initial moment of creation, emphasizing the beginning of human existence.

"Having a glass of blessings standing by,"

• God is depicted as having an abundance of blessings ready to pour out on humanity.
• The "glass of blessings" symbolizes the totality of divine gifts, highlighting God's generosity.

"Let us," said he, "pour on him all we can:"

• The use of "Let us" echoes the biblical creation story, suggesting a collaborative divine effort.
• The intention to "pour on him all we can" shows God's willingness to bestow all possible blessings on humanity.

_"_Let the world's riches, which dispersèd lie,"

• The blessings are described as "the world's riches", suggesting their value and abundance.
• The term "dispersèd" implies that these blessings are scattered and need to be gathered together for humanity.

"Contract into a span."

• God plans to condense all the scattered blessings into a single, compact form for humanity.
• The word "span" can refer to both a short period and a small space, indicating the finite nature of human life.

Lines 6-7

So strength first made a way;

Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honour, pleasure.

"So strength first made a way;"

• The first blessing poured out is strength, which paves the way for other virtues.
• This suggests that physical vitality is foundational for experiencing other blessings.

"Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honour, pleasure.__"

• Following strength, other blessings such as beauty, wisdom, honour, and pleasure are bestowed.
• The use of "flowed" indicates a smooth and generous distribution of these gifts.

Lines 8-10

When almost all was out, God made a stay,

Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure,

Rest in the bottom lay.

"When almost all was out, God made a stay,"

• God pauses after nearly emptying the glass of blessings.
• The phrase "made a stay" suggests deliberate restraint and consideration.

"Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure,"

• God notices that among all the treasures, one remains.
• The word "alone" emphasizes the uniqueness of the remaining blessing.

"Rest in the bottom lay."

• The final blessing, rest, lies at the bottom of the glass.
• This sets up the poem's central theme of withheld rest and its implications for humanity.

Lines 11-15

"For if I should," said he,

"Bestow this jewel also on my creature,

He would adore my gifts instead of me,

And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;

So both should losers be.

"For if I should," said he,

• God begins to explain His reasoning for withholding rest.
• This introduces the rationale behind God's decision.

"Bestow this jewel also on my creature,"

• God refers to rest as a "jewel", highlighting its preciousness.
• The term "creature" underscores humanity's created nature and dependence on God.

"He would adore my gifts instead of me,"

• God fears that if humans were given rest, they would value the gifts more than the giver.
• This line underscores the potential for misplaced devotion.

"And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;"

• Humans would become content with the natural world, neglecting their spiritual relationship with God.
• The contrast between "Nature" and "the God of Nature" emphasizes the distinction between creation and creator.

"So both should losers be."

• Both God and humanity would suffer from this misplaced contentment.
• The line highlights the mutual loss that would result from giving humanity rest.

Lines 16-20

"Yet let him keep the rest,

But keep them with repining restlessness;

Let him be rich and weary, that at least,

If goodness lead him not, yet weariness

May toss him to my breast."

"Yet let him keep the rest,"

• God decides to allow humanity to keep the other blessings.
• The word "rest" here plays on its dual meaning, indicating both remaining blessings and the concept of peace.

"But keep them with repining restlessness;"

• Humans are allowed to retain their blessings but will experience constant longing and dissatisfaction.
• The phrase "repining restlessness" suggests a sorrowful, unfulfilled state.

"Let him be rich and weary, that at least,"

• God acknowledges that humanity will be both blessed and burdened.
• The juxtaposition of "rich and weary" highlights the paradox of human existence.

"If goodness lead him not, yet weariness"

• If moral virtue does not draw humans to God, their weariness will.
• This line emphasizes the dual pathways to divine connection: goodness and exhaustion.

"May toss him to my breast."

• Ultimately, human weariness will lead them back to God.
• The image of being "tossed to my breast" suggests a loving, maternal embrace, highlighting God's ultimate desire for reconciliation and rest.