The Pulley (George Herbert)

The Pulley (George Herbert)

The Pulley is a devotional poem written by George Herbert. Herbert was one of the foremost poets of metaphysical school. In the present poem he refers to the gifts of God. The Pulley is a mechanical contrivance used to lift heavy weights with comparative effortness. Here in the poem, man’s restlessness is a pulley intended to draw him up to God.
God created man as the masterpiece of his workmanship. He was so much delighted with creating man that he showered all his gifts on man save and except one. At first God gave man strength. Then he was given wisdom, honour, pleasure and beauty. Only one gift was withheld by God and that was rest. When the turn of rest came, God made a diplomatic stay with a purpose. If man got rest and peace of mind, he would be completely indifferent to God. God, then would not get the adoration due to Him on man, and man would not feel like coming close to God. Thus, God and man would be losers on both counts. God knew that His diplomatic stay would be profitable to Him. Man, endowed with all the gifts, would be self sufficient & did not need the worship of God. But human life minus rest & inner peace will be a poor thing. It was cinching restlessness which would be a constant thorn in his lash. This longing for rest would serve as a pulley and draw him up to God. Man might not think of God out of his sheer goodness. But he must look up to God when he would be sick of life due to his restlessness and loss of peace of his mind.
This poem is typical of Herbert. The title of the poem is ingenious and apt. The poem is clever and witty, but at the same time sincere and appealing. The images used in this poem are homely and familiar.
A suitable title gives us an idea of the whole poem. It also indicates the purpose behind its composition. A close examination of the title of the poem, The Pulley, shows that it is perfectly apt, appropriate and intelligent. This title gives focus to the main theme of the poem. The Pulley is a mechanical contrivance used to lift heavy weights with comparative effortlessness. Here, in this poem man’s restlessness is a pulley intended to draw him up to God. Hence, the title of the poem is justified.
When God was engaged in making his masterly creation, He showered on man all His gifts. He withheld only one gift ‘rest’ or peace of mind from man. He felt that if man got the gem of this gift, he would never care for his creator. He would then take all his gifts as merely natural and ignore God altogether. And God could not afford to cut off all his connection with his best creation Man. Hence, God withheld rest with a purpose. In the absence of mental peace, man would be sick of his life. In his inability to find peace anywhere man would think of God and ultimately throw himself on the God’s bosom to seek solace and consolation. It is with this purpose that God withheld ‘rest’ from man.

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