Poet, Clergyman. Born into an upper-classed family, Herbert was both well educated and well positioned, with the opportunity to spend his life in courtly circles. Instead, he chose to become a country minister in Bemerton, a small village near Salisbury. Even though his ministry lasted for only a few years before he died an early death from consumption, "Holy Mr. Herbert" became widely known for his devotion to his parishioners. What was not known until after his death was that he was also an accomplished poet. His poetry was published posthumously, and today he is considered by some to have been the greatest of the English metaphysical poets, surpassing even John Donne. Unlike Donne, Herbert wrote only religious poetry. But his religious poetry shares the kind of intensity found in the poetry of Donne, Vaughan, and Marvell, and his use of metaphysical conceits was masterful. Among his best-known poems is "The Pulley," using the concept of a physical pulley to describe his relationship with God. Herbert experimented with various types of poetry, including the popular shaped verse, in which the printed poem was shaped to match its subject matter. Herbert's "The Altar" and "Easter Wings" are often used as examples of the best of shaped verse.
Poet, Clergyman. Born into an upper-classed family, Herbert was both well educated and well positioned, with the opportunity to spend his life in courtly circles. Instead, he chose to become a country minister in Bemerton, a small village near Salisbury. Even though his ministry lasted for only a few years before he died an early death from consumption, "Holy Mr. Herbert" became widely known for his devotion to his parishioners. What was not known until after his death was that he was also an accomplished poet. His poetry was published posthumously, and today he is considered by some to have been the greatest of the English metaphysical poets, surpassing even John Donne. Unlike Donne, Herbert wrote only religious poetry. But his religious poetry shares the kind of intensity found in the poetry of Donne, Vaughan, and Marvell, and his use of metaphysical conceits was masterful. Among his best-known poems is "The Pulley," using the concept of a physical pulley to describe his relationship with God. Herbert experimented with various types of poetry, including the popular shaped verse, in which the printed poem was shaped to match its subject matter. Herbert's "The Altar" and "Easter Wings" are often used as examples of the best of shaped verse.
Bio by: NatalieMaynor
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Herbert memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
