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The Collar’ by George Herbert is a thirty-six line poem about a speaker’s struggle for freedom. It was written by Herbert in 1633 while he struggled with his own religious beliefs. The poem does not conform to one particular rhyme scheme but jumps from half or slant rhymes to full end rhymes. There are a few moments which are more consistent in their patterns, such as the final four lines of the poem which rhyme abab. Herbert chose this pattern, or lack of pattern, to mimic the chaos of his speaker’s own thoughts. Analysis
The Collar written by George Herbert demonstrates the aspects of rebellion against religion and social expectation. The poem shows that the poet is involved in a deep and desperate struggle with his own soul. He seems to doubt whether God exists at all and gives rebellious expression against his religion and the disciplines of his vocation of priesthood. He is portrayed as sighing and pining for his religion and feels that he is missing out on pleasure. He wants to make up for lost time of pleasure by giving up on his religion and social expectations .
Rebellion against religion
In the opening line Herbert writes: “I struck the board, and cry'd, No more.” The opening stanza is a complaint voiced by a person embittered against the constraints that bind him. Impatient with his condition, he therefore wants to break free. The main theme concerns the conflict between submission to God and the desire for personal freedom. the metaphors like ‘cage’ or ‘rope of sands’ through which Herbert explains his restrictions have double meanings. On the surface, as Herbert says that it is his ‘pettie thoughts’ which make the ‘cage’ or ‘rope of sands’ feel like a ‘good cable’ which draws him towards God. But looking from a deeper point of view, it can be said that what Herbert shouts from the beginning is itself the results of ‘pettie thoughts’. The constraints of conscience may also have been a sense of vocation, or a calling being given him by God, which he sees as further restriction on his own career ambitions or desire for pleasure.
Rebellion against social expectation
The poet compares his own restrained life to the free life of other people who enjoy worldly pleasures and rebels against the society for their expectation of him to be committed to his religion and God. He argues that he also has the right to crown himself with the beauty of life and enjoy flowers and garlands. He also focuses specifically on the material things his religious life makes him give up and he wants to rebel against the social expectations of the stereotype of a priest. The vagueness of the image of the thorn draining his blood and not replacing it with "cordial fruit" leads him to think of the wine he could be drinking and from there onto the food he could be eating. In the third stanza Herbert states : ‘Not so, my heart : but there is fruit, And thou hast hands.’ The poet hints at the future and expresses the hope that all is not lost.
Language Techniques
Symbolism
The title word of the poem "Collar" refers to the white band worn by the priest, and it is the role of a priest that the poem alludes to. The word ‘collar’ in the title, therefore, symbolizes the priest's role as servant. Ironically written, ‘The Collar’ is, in fact, about the struggle to maintain faith in God, the poem itself calls the ravings of a person who is rebellious against the restrictive pressures and social expectations that surround him as a priest.
Imagery
One of the main clusters of imagery has to do with fruit and harvest: The idea of fruitfulness is an obvious image of fulfillment in life. But Herbert combines this with images of freedom. The similes of ‘free as the road, Loose as the wind' bring a sense of space as well as plenty waiting out there for him.
Assonance
The use of verbal echoes and assonance is strong. We have noted the long i-vowel sounds. ‘Abroad' is another word that gets echoed around in assonances: ‘board', ‘store', ‘restore', ‘law', ‘draw', and so on. ‘Abroad' particularly symbolises freedom, meaning ‘anywhere I choose to go'.
Comment
George Herbert's poems are lucid and easier to understand than Donne's. Critics have also
talked of,the terrifying lucidity of his poems. His simple diction and the habit of
understatement clearly indicate a deep influence of the Bible and the psalms.
Herbert's fondness for the Book of Proverbs and Parables gives his poetry those many
concrete pictures and keeps the metaphysical abstractions at bay.
Herbert's poetry possesses a complexity dormant within the apparent simplicity,
Similarly his varied range of tones is a direct result of his training as an orator. His poetry stands apart from other poets of his time. His poems are lucid. ?'his overall
impression of simplicity hides a great deal of technical skill. Like Milton, Herbert can
manipulate his verse to reflect the thematic pattern. Like Andrew Marvel.
metaphysical poet of his time Herber's lines suggest much more than the lucid
textured poem seems to state. You exemplified such lines.. Herber's
diction that appears to be simple and limited expands outwards in accordance with poems. metaphysical poetry as passionate in
tones, scholastic in philosophy, rich in wit and arguments and in attitude aggressive
and unconventional. Herbert's poetry is very far from this. His language is courtly and
urbane, he uses varied and musical verse forms, there is a neatness and poise about
his verse suggesting greater influence of Ben Jonson
