Virtue

Introduction

George Herbert’s poem ‘Virtue’ is a compact poem on the abstract concept of virtue. Herbert chiefly talks about “a sweet and virtuous soul” that remains forever even if the sweet things of nature are prone to decay and loss. According to the speaker of this piece, virtue is the thing that keeps the good side of the spirit alive. To make this point clear, Herbert uses a few contrasts. Apart from that, this poem is musical and highly structured just like any other poem from the Jacobean era.

About Author

George Herbert was an English poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England. His poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognized as "one of the foremost British devotional lyricists." He was born in Wales into an artistic and wealthy family and largely raised in England. He received a good education that led to his admission to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1609. He went there with the intention of becoming a priest, but he became the University's Public Orator and attracted the attention of King James I. He sat in the Parliament of England in 1624 and briefly in 1625.

After the death of King James, Herbert renewed his interest in ordination. He gave up his secular ambitions in his mid-thirties and took holy orders in the Church of England, spending the rest of his life as the rector of the rural parish of Fugglestone St Peter, just outside Salisbury. He was noted for unfailing care for his parishioners, bringing the sacraments to them when they were ill and providing food and clothing for those in need. Henry Vaughan called him "a most glorious saint and seer". He was never a healthy man and died of consumption at age 39.

Summary

This poem begins with a reference to the “sweet day”. Though it is so cool, calm, and bright, in the eve its beauty fades away. A rose which bids a rash gazer wipe his eye, its root is embedded in one’s grave. It means that the flower will also die in the future. Likewise, spring is also transient. The season comes for a short period of time each year. Then it bids goodbye to all. At the end of the poem, Herbert says the virtue of one’s soul is everlasting. It chiefly lives even though the whole world turns to coal.

Detailed Analysis

Stanza One

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright,

The bridal of the earth and sky;

The dew shall weep thy fall to-night,

For thou must die.

George Herbert’s poem ‘Virtue’ is a poem related to the spirit. It talks about how to nurture the soul in order to gain immortality. To begin with, Herbert first refers to the “Sweet day”. Readers can see that the poet begins each stanza with the word “sweet”. So, he is also accepting that the beautiful things of nature are sweet to look at with worldly eyes.

He paints a beautiful picture of a morning (or day) that is cool, calm, and bright. So, it can be a reference to a spring morning. In the following line, Herbert uses a metaphysical conceit in “The bridal of the earth and sky.” In this way, the “day” is compared to a priest. The marriage between the earth and sky takes place in its presence.

In the third line, the poet uses a symbol of transience, a “dew”. He personifies it and invests it with the idea of weeping. According to him, the dew will weep the day’s fall at night. The last line emphasizes that the day must die. It is a cycle that none can change.

Stanza Two

Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave

Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye;

Thy root is ever in its grave,

And thou must die.

In the second stanza, Herbert talks about the “sweet rose” that is the symbol of both beauty and change. To depict its bright red color, he uses a symbol. The phrase “angry hue” depicts its color symbolically. Moreover, the red color of the rose symbolizes bravery.

In the following line, the poet says that the color of the rose is very contrasting. It makes a “rash gazer” wipe his eye. This line means that the brightness of the flower blinds the onlooker’s eyes. So, he wipes his eyes to look clearly.

The third line of this stanza creates a stark contrast with the previous lines. It says that the root of the plant is its grave. Herbert uses synecdoche to refer to the earth where a person’s grave lies. Through this line, he clarifies that the flower is prone to death no matter how beautiful it is. The following line stresses this idea.

Stanza Three

Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,

A box where sweets compacted lie;

My music shows ye have your closes,

And all must die.

The third stanza describes how the spring season is “full of sweet days and roses”. This stanza makes it clear that the overall poem is set on the theme of spring. For example, readers can find references to the cold and calm day, a sweet rose, and the spring. So, Herbert mostly uses the stock images of spring to talk about the importance of virtue.

According to him, the spring is full of sweetness. It is like a box (another metaphysical conceit) that is filled with sweets. However, this poem shows how this season has to die. Spring comes for a short period with its sweet and aromatic days. Its transience is portrayed in this stanza.

The tone of this section is authoritative as here the speaker utters “My music shows ye have your closes/ And all must die.” So, it sounds like the speaker is proclaiming a universal death and it is absolutely true. All must die. It sounds harsh. But, it’s a fact. The reference to the poet’s “music” refers to another important idea. It portrays the everlastingness of art, especially poetry.

Stanza Four

Only a sweet and virtuous soul,

Like season’d timber, never gives;

But though the whole world turn to coal,

Then chiefly lives.

The last stanza of ‘Virtue’ contains the main idea. In this section, Herbert focuses on the “sweet and virtuous soul.” This line points at two qualities: kindness and virtue. So, one has to nurture those qualities in the soul in order to get immortality.

In the following line, Herbert presents a simile. Here, the comparison is made between a virtuous soul and “season's timber”. So, virtue makes one’s spirit strong and durable like a seasoned timber. Even if the whole world turns into coal, a virtuous soul lives forever.

Herbert establishes a connection between timber and coal beautifully in this section. Besides, the last line emphasizes the idea of immortality that can be only gained if the soul remains virtuous throughout its earthly journey.

Themes

Herbert uses the following themes in this poem: virtue, transience vs eternity, and nature. The theme of virtue is portrayed by the last four lines of the poem. These lines point to the fact that if one keeps a virtuous soul, nothing can stop it from attaining immortality. Besides, Herbert makes use of the theme, transience vs eternity, throughout the piece. In the first three stanzas, he describes how natural objects are prone to change. Those things don’t remain constant. In contrast, a virtuous soul exists even if the whole creation burns out. The fire of worldliness can touch the concrete, not the abstract. Virtue creates a durable layer of protection around the soul.