Christian Art | George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Vanitie (1)
George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Vanitie (1)
The fleet Astronomer can bore,
And thred the spheres with his quick-piercing minde:
He views their stations, walks from doore to doore,
Surveys, as if he had design’d
To make a purchase there: he sees their dances,
And knoweth long before,
Both their full-ey’d aspects, and secret glances.
The nimble Diver with his side
Cuts through the working waves, that he may fetch
His dearely-earned pearl, which God did hide
On purpose from the ventrous wretch;
That he might save his life, and also hers,
Who with excessive pride
Her own destruction and his danger wears.
The subtil Chymick can devest
And strip the creature naked, till he finde
The callow principles within their nest:
There he imparts to them his minde,
Admitted to their bed-chamber, before
They appeare trim and drest
To ordinarie suitours at the doore.
What hath not man sought out and found,
But his deare God? who yet his glorious law
Embosomes in us, mellowing the ground
With showres and frosts, with love and aw,
So that we need not say, Where’s this command?
Poore man, thou searchest round
To finde out death, but missest life at hand.
George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Vanitie (1)
George Herbert’s poem explores humanity’s relentless pursuit of knowledge and mastery over the natural world, juxtaposing these achievements with the failure to recognize and embrace God’s immediate presence. The poem is structured around vivid images of human ingenuity, drawing on the astronomer, diver, and chemist (or ‘chymick’) as archetypes of humanity’s intellectual and physical endeavors. Yet, beneath these triumphs lies a critique: the neglect of the divine, who resides ‘at hand’ rather than in the distant realms humanity seeks to conquer.
Herbert begins by depicting the astronomer, whose ‘quick-piercing minde’ enables him to traverse the heavens. The astronomer ‘thred[s] the spheres,’ mapping their ‘stations’ and ‘dances’. This mastery of celestial movements suggests both awe and futility. While the astronomer appears to possess dominion over the stars, his efforts are framed as acquisitive, likened to a surveyor seeking to ‘make a purchase there’. The implication is clear: this pursuit of knowledge, though impressive, remains fundamentally material and incomplete, lacking the transformative insight found in divine truth.
The second stanza turns to the diver, whose daring pursuit of pearls reflects human determination and ingenuity. The diver’s ability to ‘cut through the working waves’ speaks to the strength and skill required to unearth treasures ‘God did hide’. Yet Herbert introduces a moral caution: the pearls are hidden deliberately, both to preserve the diver’s life and to temper the destructive pride of the one who wears them. The diver’s quest, like the astronomer’s, is fraught with spiritual peril. It highlights humanity’s tendency to risk all for fleeting rewards, neglecting the eternal.
The third stanza shifts focus to the ‘chymick’, whose precision and analytical prowess enable him to ‘devest and strip’ creation to its essence. Herbert portrays this figure as penetrating the inner sanctum of nature, uncovering the ‘principles’ hidden within. Yet, even as the chemist unravels the mysteries of the material world, Herbert implies a spiritual blindness. The ‘callow principles’ laid bare are insufficient without divine illumination, and the chemist’s successes, while remarkable, cannot substitute for the transformative power of God’s presence.
In the final stanza, Herbert reflects on the irony of human endeavour. ‘What hath not man sought out and found,’ he asks, ‘but his deare God?’ This rhetorical question underscores humanity’s misplaced priorities. Despite possessing the ‘glorious law’ within, ‘embosom’d’ by God, man searches outwardly, missing the life-giving presence of the divine. Herbert’s imagery of the earth ‘mellowing…with love and aw’ reminds the reader that God’s commandments are not distant or inaccessible but are embedded in the fabric of creation.
The poem concludes with a stark juxtaposition: humanity’s relentless search for knowledge leads not to life but to death. The repeated image of ‘searching round’ reinforces the futility of this pursuit. Herbert’s critique is not of knowledge itself but of the neglect of God, who offers a life ‘at hand’ that is continually overlooked. The final admonition, though unspoken, is clear: to seek God within, embracing immediacy of God’s presence rather than chasing after the transient and the distant.
By interweaving imagery of human achievement with divine proximity, Herbert challenges the reader to reconsider what it means truly to ‘find’. The poem’s tensions – seeking and presence, knowledge and wisdom – express a central theme of Herbert’s work: the eternal is not discovered in farthest reaches but within the heart attuned to God.
YouTube: Ash Wednesday | T.S. Eliot | Audio Christian Poetry | Word Aloud Ash Wednesday, one of T.S. Eliot’s most profound and enigmatic poems, marks a significant transition in his life and work. Written in 1930, it is the first long poem Eliot composed after his conversion to Anglicanism in 1927. The poem, often considered one of Eliot’s masterpieces, delves into themes of faith, redemption, and spiritual struggle. It reflects the poet’s personal journey towards spiritual enlightenment and serves as a testament to his newfound religious beliefs. A reading of Ash Wednesday is an exploration of the poem’s religious, literary, and personal contexts, as of the poem’s complex structure and themes. Religious Context And Symbolism Ash Wednesday is deeply embedded in Christian symbolism and tradition. The title refers to the first day of Lent in the Christian liturgical calendar, a day marked by penance, fasting, and prayer. Ash Wednesday is a time for reflection on mortality and repentance, themes that are intricately woven throughout the poem. Eliot’s conversion to Anglicanism profoundly influenced his writing; ‘Ash Wednesday’ is an expression of spiritual awakening and quest for redemption. The poem is replete with religious imagery and references, drawing on Christian doctrine and scripture. The use of liturgical language, biblical allusions, and references to saints and spiritual figures creates a tapestry of faith that invites readers to contemplate deep spiritual truths with which Eliot is grappling. The repetitive and prayer-like quality of the verses echoes meditative practices of the faithful, in part enabling the contemplative nature of the poem. Literary Influences And Techniques T.S. Eliot was a master of literary allusion and technique, and Ash Wednesday expresses Eliot’s ability to blend various influences into a cohesive whole. The poem reflects the influence of Dante, particularly The Divine Comedy, which Eliot admired for its exploration of spiritual ascent and redemption. Dante’s journey through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven parallels Eliot’s own spiritual journey, and the structure of Ash Wednesday can be seen as a reflection of this pilgrimage. Eliot’s use of fragmented narrative, a hallmark of his earlier work such as The Waste Land, is also present in Ash Wednesday. However, in this poem, the fragmentation serves a different purpose. Instead of depicting the disintegration of modern society, it mirrors the fragmented and often painful process of spiritual rebirth. The disjointed structure reflects the internal struggle of the speaker, who is torn between the pull of worldly desires and the aspiration for divine grace. The poem’s language is rich and varied, combining the lyrical and the obscure, the personal and the universal. Eliot employs a range of poetic forms and devices, including free verse, rhyme and meter, to convey the tumultuous journey of faith. The shifting tone and style reflect the complexities and contradictions inherent in the spiritual quest, capturing moments of doubt, despair, hope, and transcendence. Personal Significance Ash Wednesday is a deeply personal work. Eliot’s conversion to Anglicanism marked a profound shift in his life, providing a sense of purpose and direction that had been missing. The poem can be read as a reflection of Eliot’s own struggles with faith and his efforts to reconcile his intellectual skepticism with his desire for spiritual certainty. Eliot’s personal experiences, including his troubled marriage and professional pressures, also inform the poem. Themes of renunciation and acceptance, sin and redemption, are not merely abstract concepts but lived realities for the poet. This personal dimension adds a layer of intimacy and urgency to the poem, which thereby resonates with readers who have faced their own spiritual crises. Thematic Exploration At its core, Ash Wednesday is a meditation on the possibility of spiritual renewal in a world that often seems devoid of meaning. The poem grapples with the tension between faith and doubt, reflecting the existential struggles of modernity. The poem acknowledges the difficulties of maintaining belief in an age of skepticism but ultimately affirms the possibility of redemption and grace. The central theme of renunciation is explored through imagery of ascension and purification. The speaker’s journey is marked by a series of renunciations, symbolizing the shedding of earthly attachments in pursuit of spiritual truth. This process is neither straightforward nor easy; it involves moments of intense struggle and introspection. Yet, through this arduous journey, the speaker moves closer to a state of spiritual clarity and acceptance. Ash Wednesday | T. S. Eliot Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope Because I do not hope to turn Desiring this man’s gift and that man’s scope I no longer strive to strive towards such things (Why should the agèd eagle stretch its wings?) Why should I mourn The vanished power of the usual reign? Because I do not hope to know The infirm glory of the positive hour Because I do not think Because I know I shall not know The one veritable transitory power Because I cannot drink There, where trees flower, and springs flow, for there is nothing again Because I know that time is always time And place is always and only place And what is actual is actual only for one time And only for one place I rejoice that things are as they are and I renounce the blessèd face And renounce the voice Because I cannot hope to turn again Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something Upon which to rejoice And pray to God to have mercy upon us And pray that I may forget These matters that with myself I too much discuss Too much explain Because I do not hope to turn again Let these words answer For what is done, not to be done again May the judgement not be too heavy upon us Because these wings are no longer wings to fly But merely vans to beat the air The air which is now thoroughly small and dry Smaller and dryer than the will Teach us to care and not to care Teach us to sit still. Pray for us sinners now […]
Matthew Arnold’s ‘Dover Beach’, written in the mid-19th century, reflects religious uncertainty of the Victorian era. The poem captures the emotional and spiritual turmoil of a time when traditional Christian beliefs were being questioned by the rise of scientific discoveries and changing social attitudes. Arnold’s work has been read as a lament for the loss of faith; it is a valuable text for exploring Christian response to modernity [ … ]
The rich young man has recognized what Jesus has to offer him. Moved with great enthusiasm, he runs to Jesus to ask him what he must do. To this, Jesus reminds the young man of the Ten Commandments [ … ]
