Theme: Love of God
The concept of the “Love of God” is very significant in this literary piece. First, the poem tackles the best behavior of the theme of obedience to the will of God. Its form intimately reflects one of the arguments of the poem. This literary piece starts with a description of an infuriated burst of upheaval by George Herbert:
“I struck the board, and cry'd, No more. I will abroad” (Herbert np)
Then, a contention of liberty and a grievance towards living with commitment which is one of the major objectives of the poet followed this upheaval. An arrogant dispute to the so-called gruesome sincerity and paralyzing apprehensiveness which is common in the life of the poet is abandoning. But as the author talks wildly, he hears the calling of God, right away, he acknowledges God's power.
Second, the poet experienced an instant submission the moment that God speaks in. This shows the power and love of God. The ridiculous boldness spoken to boost the guts of the individual cannot persuasively be reiterated in the company of God. This shows that God does not need to explain His statements: God’s presence alone reveals their emptiness.
The literary piece is smooth, expressive, and calm. In the last part of the poem, following the Lord’s path was evidently shown.
“Methought I heard one calling, Child!” (Herbert np)
And I replied, My Lord.’
With the conclusion of the literary piece, it is ended to look ludicrous. In mitigating his revolt against the God’s arguments, the author discussed spiritual instructions as a “cage” or “rope of sands” that created to look “good cable” by the poet's “pettie opinion” (Herbert np). Nevertheless, as he acknowledges God as the Divine Creator, the author made it apparent which it is the endeavor to rise up which is like “sand” and the right “thoughts” are those he has just declared so pompously.
Love of Pleasurable Life
Another kind of love is the love of pleasurable life. It is very important for several reasons. First, The Collar” gives complete expression to the poet’s bitterness of the pain and severity of living a life that is ethical and righteous. The poet aimlessly protests and complaints regarding the inconstancy of life and the pointlessness of thoughts. A person tends to complain to the lord and wants to abandon a righteous life when it is not pleasurable.
Second, pleasurable life is important because it is not only shown by the absence of pain or hardship; life is also pleasurable when God loves us. In the poem, the protests was ended with calm resolution, the poet’s anger was interrupted by the God’s voice calling him back to himself, and telling him that he is a child of God, dearly loved of Him. The poet replies with a calmness and with affection dissimilar to kind from the grumpiness that has gone before it. After protesting, he knows that God is there and with Him he can discover the peace that he is seeking.
‘Have I no harvest but a thorn
What I have lost with cordial fruit?
Sure there was wine
Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn’
The lines showed the hardship experienced by the poet. But God ultimately gives more than the poet asks. The course of telling his past disappointments to grab the obtainable pleasures of life makes him more resolute to transform his ways instantaneously and swap his tears for the chase of pleasures.
Work cited
Herbert, George. "The Collar." Poetry Foundation. 2016.
