Brief Synopsis of Collar
Brief Synopsis of Collar
Herbert
The Collar is a poem that was written by George Herbert in 1633. If you've read this
poem, you may have found the beginning of the poem a bit off-putting. It begins abruptly,
with a display of seemingly unfounded aggression. For no reason the reader's aware of,
the poetic narrator starts by throwing a bit of a tantrum, flailing limbs as he 'struck the
board' and yelling, 'No more; / I will abroad!' He asks whether he'll always be in the
apparently miserable state he's in, but he finally concludes that 'my lines and life are free'
for him to do as he pleases.
With that conclusion drawn, the narrator asks if he should stay in his current situation
then and deal with all his resources, 'wine' and 'corn', being spent. The narrative voice
also doesn't seem to have anything to show for all those misspent resources.
Accordingly, he comes to his next question - if he still possibly has time to recover what
he's already lost. The poetic narrator decides that there is indeed enough time; that is,
provided he fills what time he has remaining with double pleasures to make up for those
he missed out on while he still worried about right and wrong.
The narrator comes to the realization that he's been trapped in his present situation,
allowing his own petty thoughts of goodness and duty to distract him from reality. To
make things worse, he also realizes that he's simply refused to acknowledge the issue for
a long time. At this point, the narrative voice decides it's time for action, and comments
on how people who refuse to change their fortunes deserve them. However, as the poem
draws to a close and it seems the narrator would just keep ranting and raving, there's a
surprising twist: the agitated and plaintive narrative voice is instantly calmed by faithfully
responding to that of God.
he Collar’ is one of the finest poems written by George Herbert in the history of
metaphysical lyrics. It can be said that all the leading metaphysical characteristics like
dramatic opening, argumentative approach, colloquial tone or concrete imagery -
epitomize in this single poem.
The title word of the poem "Collar" refers to the white band worn by the clergy, 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, although the thirty-two of its thirty-
six lines describe what the poem itself calls the ravings of a person who is rebellious
against the restrictive pressures that surround him as a priest.
The poem shows that the poet is involved in a deep-rooted and desperate struggle
with his own soul. He almost seems to doubt whether God exists at all and gives
rebellious expression against the disciplines of his vocation of priesthood.
Thus the opening goes abrupt and dramatic, evoking violent action, and is delivered
in a personal and colloquial manner. Technically written in iambic meter with varied
line lengths, the poem takes the form of arguments, using logic to make the
reasoning convincing and persuasive. Herbert writes:
The opening stanza, thus, is a complaint voiced by a person embittered against the
constraints that bind him. Impatient with his condition, he therefore, resolves to
break free.
The second stanza takes on more personal notes and the poet questions whether he
being a priest does not deserve any reward. Using the image of ‘harvest’, the poet
laments that as a clergy, his only harvest has been a thorn that has made him bleed.
His "sighs" and "tears" have made him ruin the fruits of his labors.
The lamentation continues in the third stanza as well. This time, the poet compares
his won restrained life to the free life of other people who enjoy worldly pleasures.
He argues that he also has the right to crown him with the beauty of life and enjoy
flowers and garlands. Growing a little more furious, the poet hints at the future and
expresses the hope that all is not lost:
In the fourth stanza, the poet becomes almost aggressive and wishes to recover all
that has been lost indulging himself in double pleasures. In fact, this is the most
paradoxical stanza which offers the core meaning of the poem. Herbert cries-
In the above lines, 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 boastfully from the beginning is itself the results of
‘pettie thoughts’. Thus, the phrase ‘pettie thoughts’ has a double edged function. If
Herbert all out denies the existence of God, then the chain of restrictions he is
challenging is a non-existent. But so far he admits that God exists, all his bombastic
words signify nothing but ‘pettie thoughts’.
In stanza fifth, the poet crucially loses hold on his own arguments. Herbert now
declares to quit his profession and thus overcome his fears altogether. Ironically he
discloses his shortcomings by showing his own inability to shoulder the responsibility
of his vocation:
“ He that forbears
To suit and serve his need,
Deserves his load.”
Declaring so, Herbert loses all grounds and proves that the problem is not with the
profession of a priest, rather with the personality he is carrying inside.
Finally, the last stanza is a resultant anticlimax. This time, the poet is able to come out
all of his ‘pettie thoughts’ and hears the voice of God calling- ‘Childe’ and to which
he responds-‘My Lord’. Instantly, the distressed note in the poet is silenced and the
discontent is passed. God does not need to answer the arguments raised by the poet.
His mere presence exposes their hollowness. Therefore, hearing the voice of God, the
poet recognizes his place and position and immediately surrenders himself to the
authority of God. Thus, the final stanza very beautifully leads to a graceful conclusion
making the readers realize the affectionate relationship between the Creator and the
Creation.