George Herbert

George Herbert: biography

Read on to learn about George Herbert's life.

George Herbert: early life

George Herbert was born on 3rd April 1593 in Wales. His father was part of a highly influential and wealthy Welsh family, but he passed away when Herbert was very young. Herbert grew extremely close to his mother who moved the family to various parts of England so that her ten children could have access to a good education.

George Herbert: education and career

Herbert attended Westminster School, a prestigious private school, where he received a classical education, learning Latin. He then went to Cambridge, where he found great academic success, gaining a master's and eventually taking a job as a lecturer. He was also the Orator of Cambridge, an admired and influential position in which he could spend time with royalty. This period in Cambridge was also when Herbert began to write poetry. Many of these poems revolved around the themes of religion and love, written both in English and Latin because of Herbert's classical background.

Many close to him had hoped that Herbert would pursue a political career because of his success as Cambridge's orator. He had gained many political connections. However, Herbert felt very drawn by religious life and was ordained as a deacon in 1624.

The late 1620s were a difficult and turbulent time for Herbert. He often found himself in financial difficulty and spent much of 1626 severely ill. He lost his mother the following year and the ensuing grief profoundly impacted Herbert's poetry.

A few years later, in 1629, Herbert married Jane Danvers, a relation of his stepfather, in what is likely to have been an arranged marriage. Regardless, the couple enjoyed a pleasant companionship.¹ They never had any children.

The next year Herbert fulfilled his long-held goal of being ordained as a priest in the Church of England. His best-known work of prose, The Country Parson (1652), was written during his time as a priest, as was his important poetry collection, The Temple (1703). The collection was published posthumously. On his deathbed, Herbert spoke to a close friend and arranged for it to be published.

George Herbert: cause of death

After many years of poor health and various illnesses, Herbert passed away from tuberculosis on 1st March 1633. He was relatively unknown as a poet at this time, but this was to change posthumously.

George Herbert: poems

While Herbert did write extensively, many of his poems were not published in his lifetime. He gave a collection of his works to a publisher shortly before his death, hoping that some would be judged good enough for publication. The Temple, one of his most complete and sophisticated collections, was published in 1703. As the title suggests, The Temple focuses heavily on religious themes. For example, 'Christmas I' and 'The Sacrifice' detail Jesus's birth and death, respectively. Herbert also made a great effort to explore the trials and tribulations of dedicating one's life to God, an issue that caused him great personal struggle. 'The Glimpse' and 'The Collar' both explore such themes.

Some of the first recorded poems by Herbert were found in letters written to his mother when he was in Cambridge. These were mostly sonnets investigating the difficulty of prioritising one's love for God over one's human love for a partner or lover. Some of the sonnets were quite erotic and detailed. While an unusual topic to send in letters to his mother, the poems displayed a deep devotion to God that would be key in the rest of Herbert's work.

Today, Herbert is recognised as one of the era's most important Metaphysical poets.

George Herbert: poem analysis

Below is an analysis of some of Herbert's key poems.

George Herbert: 'Love'

Herbert wrote three poems entitled 'Love'; 'Love I', 'Love II', and 'Love III'. The first two poems explore human love, but the third focuses on the love between God and man.

'Love III' is a conversation between a human narrator and God. The narrator is welcomed by a kind and loving God, but feels unworthy of this love. He lists his flaws as the fact that he is 'unkind' and 'ungrateful', but God accepts him regardless. The figure of God is named 'Love' in Herbert's poem. Doing this suggests that God is love itself and encapsulates the very concept. The poem also has a consistent form, mirroring the consistent and constant nature of God's love.

'Love' explores the doubts felt by many religious people. It soothes these fears by stating that God is ever-loving and ever-forgiving. The poem is likely inspired by many of the religious doubts Herbert often had himself.

George Herbert: 'The Collar'

'The Collar' is another Herbert poem that revolves around religious themes. It is a monologue from the perspective of a priest. He is extremely frustrated with the restrictions of his religious life. He feels trapped by the multitude of moral rules he must follow. Through a series of rhetorical questions, the narrator questions the very validity of these rules.

The tone of 'The Collar' is highly frustrated and angry, showcasing the priest's mood. He swears he will move away from the priesthood and live a new life, full of options and opportunities. However, at the end of the poem, the narrator writes that he can hear the voice of God calling to him and readily responds. Herbert subverts the mood of 'The Collar' to imply that the priest may not abandon his vocation after all. With this ending, he suggests that while religious life may be difficult and complex, it is also worthwhile.

George Herbert quotes

Below is a selection of key quotes from Herbert's poetry.