Unit III - Poetry
3.3.1 - PULLEY OR THE GIFT OF GOD - GEORGE HERBERT
SUMMARY
Book Back Questions
1. How far is the title of the poem “The Pulley” justified?
The title “The Pulley” is fully justified because the pulley is the central metaphor of the poem. George Herbert compares God’s relationship with man to the working of a pulley. God sends many blessings like strength, beauty, wisdom, honor, and pleasure down to man, just as a pulley moves downward with weight. However, God withholds one important gift called “rest” and keeps it with Him. This remaining weight pulls man back towards God, just like a pulley moves upward. Through this image, Herbert explains why man is restless and unsatisfied. The pulley helps man rise spiritually towards God. Thus, the title clearly reflects the main idea and meaning of the poem.
2. Consider “The Pulley” as a religious poem.
“The Pulley” is a religious poem because it deals with the relationship between God and man. The poem explains God’s love, wisdom, and purpose in creating man. God blesses man with many worldly gifts but withholds perfect rest so that man will not forget Him. The poem shows that worldly pleasures cannot give true peace. Only God can give real rest and spiritual satisfaction. Herbert presents God as a caring Father who wants man to remain connected with Him. When man becomes proud or forgets God, weariness and restlessness bring him back to God. Thus, the poem teaches a spiritual lesson and clearly reflects religious beliefs.
3. What is the jewel of God’s blessings? Why does God decide not to bestow it on man?
The jewel of God’s blessings is “rest” or perfect peace. God decides not to bestow this gift on man because He does not want man to become self-sufficient and forget Him. If man had perfect rest along with worldly pleasures, he would admire only God’s gifts and not God Himself. Man would rest in nature instead of the God of nature. This would break the bond between God and man, and both would lose. Therefore, God wisely keeps the jewel of rest with Him. By doing so, God ensures that man remains restless and continues to seek Him for true peace and spiritual fulfillment.
4. Assess George Herbert’s The Pulley as a metaphysical poem.
The Pulley is a metaphysical poem because it uses a clever and unusual conceit. Herbert compares God’s blessings and man’s restlessness to a pulley, a simple scientific machine. This unexpected comparison helps explain a deep spiritual truth. The poem combines religion, philosophy, and intellect in a simple manner. It explains why man is restless despite having many pleasures. The poem also reflects wit, imagination, and deep thinking, which are qualities of metaphysical poetry. Abstract ideas like rest, happiness, and divine love are explained using a concrete object. Thus, The Pulley is a fine example of metaphysical poetry.
5. How does God decide to make man seek Him?
God decides to make man seek Him by withholding the gift of perfect rest. Though God gives man many blessings like strength, beauty, pleasure, and honor, these do not last forever. As time passes, these pleasures fade and man becomes weary and restless. This weariness makes man feel empty and dissatisfied. When gratitude does not bring man closer to God, weariness does. God uses this restlessness to pull man back towards Him, just like the upward movement of a pulley. Thus, God lovingly designs restlessness as a way to lead man back to Him for true peace.
3.3.2 - LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI - John Keats
SUMMARY
Book Back Questions
1. What are the literary devices used in “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” by John Keats?
John Keats uses several literary devices in “La Belle Dame Sans Merci”. The poem is written in the ballad form, which uses simple language, regular stanzas, and a slow rhythm created by the shortened fourth line in each stanza. Imagery is used effectively to describe nature, such as the withered sedge, silent birds, and barren landscape. Symbolism is seen in autumn and winter, which suggest death, decay, and sadness. The repetition of lines like “no birds sing” emphasizes loneliness. Contrast is used between the real world and the fairy world. Keats also uses metaphor and dream imagery to show illusion and suffering. These devices help convey the knight’s sorrow and emotional pain.
2. In the poem “La Belle Dame Sans Merci,” what is the lady like that the knight meets?
The lady whom the knight meets is mysterious and otherworldly. She is described as “full beautiful” and a “faery’s child.” Her hair is long, her foot is light, and her eyes are wild, which shows her supernatural nature. She speaks in a “language strange,” further proving that she does not belong to the human world. She feeds the knight with roots, wild honey, and manna-dew. Though she appears loving and affectionate, she is also sorrowful, as she weeps in the Elfin grot. The lady is enchanting and attractive, but her love brings suffering. She represents beauty mixed with danger and illusion.
3. Which features make calling “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” a ballad a problematic categorization?
Though “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” is called a ballad, it differs from traditional ballads in some ways. Ballads usually tell a clear story with a definite ending, but this poem ends ambiguously. The fate of the knight is not clearly explained. Traditional ballads are often meant for entertainment, while this poem deals with deep emotions like love, sorrow, illness, and death. The poem also has symbolic and psychological depth, unlike simple folk ballads. Though it uses ballad form, repetition, and simple language, the complex meaning and mysterious tone make its classification as a ballad somewhat problematic.
4. Comment on reality vs. imagination in “La Belle Dame Sans Merci.”
The poem presents two contrasting worlds—reality and imagination. The real world is bleak, cold, and lifeless, where the knight is found alone, pale, and wandering. Nature reflects his sadness, with withered sedge and silent birds. In contrast, the imagined world of the fairy lady is beautiful and magical, filled with sweet food and affection. However, this imaginary world turns into a nightmare when the knight dreams of pale kings and warriors warning him. When he wakes up, he is back in the harsh reality. The poem shows how imagination can be beautiful but also dangerous, leaving the knight broken and lonely.
5. Write a critical essay on “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” by John Keats.
“La Belle Dame Sans Merci” is a powerful poem that explores love, illusion, and suffering. Written in ballad form, the poem tells the story of a knight who falls in love with a mysterious fairy lady and suffers emotional ruin. The contrast between the beautiful fairy world and the bleak real world highlights the pain of lost love. Keats uses simple language, vivid imagery, and symbolism to create a haunting mood. The lady’s beauty and other-worldliness represent temptation and illusion. The knight’s condition reflects emotional exhaustion and heartbreak. The poem leaves the knight’s fate uncertain, adding to its mystery. Overall, it is a deeply emotional and symbolic poem.