He was a courtier at the court of James I from 1620 to 1625 and a member of parliament for Montgomery, Wales, from 1624 to 1625. At this time, Herbert was also involved in politics. Four years later, Herbert requested through the archbishop of Canterbury that the probationary period for his ordainment as a deacon be waived. Elected university orator in 1620, he assumed responsibility for speaking on occasions of state and composing official correspondence. In 1616, after earning bachelor's and master's degrees, Herbert was elected a fellow of Trinity College, a post that required him to take holy orders within seven years.Īt Cambridge, Herbert held several positions, including lecturer in rhetoric and deputy orator. Included in this letter were two poems, “My God, Where Is That Ancient Heat toward Thee” and “Sure, Lord, There Is Enough in Thee to Dry.” Throughout his years at Cambridge, Herbert wrote verse in both Latin and English, much of it remaining unpublished during his lifetime. By this time, England was ruled by Elizabeth's successor, James I of England, who had taken the throne in 1603 and established the Stuart line.ĭecided on Career as a Poet In 1610, Herbert wrote a letter to his mother in which he declared he would be a poet dedicated to celebrating God's glory. An excellent student in Greek and Latin, Herbert received one of three Westminster nominations to Trinity College at Cambridge University in 1609. In 1604, Herbert began attending the Westminster School in London. While at Oxford, Herbert's mother befriended John Donne, a writer whose metaphysical poetry would considerably influence Herbert's career as a poet. At the time, England was ruled by Queen Elizabeth I, who was overseeing both the beginnings of the British colonial empire as well as a golden age of drama, literature, and music. After the death of his father in 1596, Herbert's mother moved theįamily to Oxford so that she could supervise the education of her oldest son, Edward, who later became known for his philosophical writings.
Works in Biographical and Historical ContextĮducated in England The fifth of ten children, George Herbert was born on April 3, 1593, into a family of political prominence in Montgomery, Wales. His best-known work, The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations (1633), is admired as a profound exploration of humanity's relationship with God. Although considered a metaphysical poet, alongside John Donne and Andrew Marvell, Herbert avoided secular love lyrics in favor of sincere, holy worship. George Herbert was a seventeenth-century English poet best known for writing intensely devotional verse using simple, direct speech. The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations (1633) Overview A Priest to the Temple or, The Country Parson His Character, and Rule of Holy Life (1632)
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