The Pulley
THE PULLEY
When God at first made man,
Having a glasse of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) poure on him all we can:
Let the worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.
So strength first made a way;
Then beautie flow’d, then wisdome, honour, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
Rest in the bottome lay.
For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewell also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature:
So both should losers be.
Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlesnesse:
Let him be rich and wearie, that at least,
If goodnesse leade him not, yet wearinesse
May tosse him to my breast.
Explication
Katelyn Joughin
In George Herbert’s poem “The Pulley”, there is a direct parallel to Pandora’s Box. Pandora’s Box contains all the evils of the world; opening the box releases evil that cannot be undone. In the poem, “The Pulley,” by George Herbert, he uses a metaphorical pulley on Man so that God can keep a pull on man to come to his salvation and not take part in opening Pandora’s box. The theme of this poem is a relationship between God and his creation of man. God is the father and uses this pulley to pull man back to him and keep him good. “The Pulley” illustrates the life of a man growing up, experiencing life, and developing a pulley relationship with God.
In the beginning of this poem, Herbert states that “When God as first made man, / Having a glass of blessing standing by, / Let us (he said) pour all on him we can.” (1-3) This line tells the reader that when God created man, God gave everything he had to offer to the man. He literally poured his blessings on the man. God blesses the man and gives him all his riches because God feels that this man is worthy of these riches. God does this out of the goodness of his heart and love for the man.
In the next passage of this poem, Herbert says, “So
When God at first made man,
Having a glasse of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) poure on him all we can:
Let the worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.
So strength first made a way;
Then beautie flow’d, then wisdome, honour, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
Rest in the bottome lay.
For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewell also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature:
So both should losers be.
Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlesnesse:
Let him be rich and wearie, that at least,
If goodnesse leade him not, yet wearinesse
May tosse him to my breast.
Explication
Katelyn Joughin
In George Herbert’s poem “The Pulley”, there is a direct parallel to Pandora’s Box. Pandora’s Box contains all the evils of the world; opening the box releases evil that cannot be undone. In the poem, “The Pulley,” by George Herbert, he uses a metaphorical pulley on Man so that God can keep a pull on man to come to his salvation and not take part in opening Pandora’s box. The theme of this poem is a relationship between God and his creation of man. God is the father and uses this pulley to pull man back to him and keep him good. “The Pulley” illustrates the life of a man growing up, experiencing life, and developing a pulley relationship with God.
In the beginning of this poem, Herbert states that “When God as first made man, / Having a glass of blessing standing by, / Let us (he said) pour all on him we can.” (1-3) This line tells the reader that when God created man, God gave everything he had to offer to the man. He literally poured his blessings on the man. God blesses the man and gives him all his riches because God feels that this man is worthy of these riches. God does this out of the goodness of his heart and love for the man.
In the next passage of this poem, Herbert says, “So