Introduction: “The Pulley” by George Herbert
“The Pulley” by George Herbert first appeared in 1633 in his posthumous collection The Temple, a volume that established Herbert as one of the most profound devotional poets of the seventeenth century. The poem presents the allegory of creation in which God, while pouring blessings upon humankind, withholds “rest” so that man may never be entirely satisfied with worldly gifts. As Herbert writes, “For if I should… / Bestow this jewel also on my creature, / He would adore my gifts instead of me” (ll. 15–17). The central idea is that divine restlessness keeps humanity in search of God rather than in complacency with material riches such as “strength,” “beauty,” “wisdom,” and “pleasure” (ll. 6–7). Its enduring popularity lies in this theological paradox: human weariness is not a curse but a spiritual pulley, drawing mankind back toward God. By framing discontent as a mechanism for divine intimacy—“If goodness lead him not, yet weariness / May toss him to my breast” (ll. 21–22)—Herbert captures both the tension and the grace at the heart of Christian devotion. This fusion of metaphysical wit, religious depth, and elegant simplicity explains why The Pulley continues to resonate as one of Herbert’s most anthologized and studied poems.
Text: “The Pulley” by George Herbert
When God at first made man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by,
“Let us,” said he, “pour on him all we can.
Let the world’s riches, which dispersèd lie,
Contract into a span.”
So strength first made a way;
Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honour, pleasure.
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure,
Rest in the bottom lay.
“For if I should,” said he,
“Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts instead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;
So both should losers be.
“Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlessness;
Let him be rich and weary, that at least,
If goodness lead him not, yet weariness
May toss him to my breast.”
Annotations: “The Pulley” by George Herbert
| Stanza | Text | Annotation | Literary Devices |
| 1 | When God at first made man, Having a glass of blessings standing by, “Let us,” said he, “pour on him all we can. Let the world’s riches, which dispersèd lie, Contract into a span. | God creates humans and has a container (“glass”) full of blessings like wealth and beauty. He decides to generously give them all to humanity, gathering the world’s scattered riches into a small space (a “span,” like the width of a hand), showing His desire to bless humans abundantly. | – Metaphor: “Glass of blessings” symbolizes God’s abundant gifts. 🌸 – Personification: God speaks and decides like a human. 🌺 – Imagery: Vivid picture of blessings and riches compressed into a span. 🌷 – Alliteration: “World’s riches” and “which” repeat “w” sounds. 🌹 |
| 2 | So strength first made a way; Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honour, pleasure. When almost all was out, God made a stay, Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure, Rest in the bottom lay. | God pours out blessings one by one: strength, beauty, wisdom, honor, and pleasure. When almost all are given, He pauses, noticing that “rest” (peace or contentment) remains at the bottom of the container, hinting He might withhold it. | – Metaphor: Blessings are treasures poured from a glass. 🌼 – Personification: God “perceives” and pauses thoughtfully. 🌻 – Imagery: Blessings flowing and “rest” at the bottom paint a clear image. 🌸 – Enjambment: Lines flow without pause (e.g., “wisdom, honour, pleasure”) to mimic the flow of blessings. 🌺 |
| 3 | “For if I should,” said he, “Bestow this jewel also on my creature, He would adore my gifts instead of me, And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature; So both should losers be. | God explains why He holds back “rest,” calling it a precious “jewel.” He fears humans would love His gifts (like beauty) more than Him, finding peace in the natural world instead of in God, causing both to lose—humans their connection to God, and God their devotion. | – Metaphor: “Rest” is a “jewel,” showing its value. 🌷 – Personification: God reasons and speaks like a human. 🌹 – Antithesis: Contrasts “Nature” with “God of Nature” to show misplaced focus. 🌼 – Alliteration: “Bestow” and “be” repeat “b” sounds for emphasis. 🌻 |
| 4 | “Yet let him keep the rest, But keep them with repining restlessness; Let him be rich and weary, that at least, If goodness lead him not, yet weariness May toss him to my breast.” | God lets humans keep the other blessings but makes them feel restless and unsatisfied. Though rich with gifts, they’ll be weary, and this restlessness acts like a pulley, pulling them toward God’s embrace if goodness alone doesn’t guide them. | – Metaphor: Restlessness as a “pulley” draws humans to God. 🌸 – Personification: God plans and speaks, guiding His “creature.” 🌺 – Oxymoron: “Rich and weary” pairs wealth with dissatisfaction. 🌷 – Alliteration: “Rest,” “repining restlessness,” and “rich” repeat “r” sounds. 🌹 – Imagery: “Toss him to my breast” vividly shows God pulling humans close. 🌼 |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Pulley” by George Herbert
| Device ✺ | Definition ✺ | Example ✺ | Explanation ✺ |
| Alliteration ✺ | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. | “But keep them with repining restlessness” | The repeated r sound creates emphasis on man’s restless state, highlighting God’s deliberate withholding of “rest.” |
| Allusion ✺ | Reference to something outside the poem. | “God at first made man” | Alludes to the Biblical account of creation in Genesis, grounding the poem in Christian theology. |
| Ambiguity ✺ | Use of language with multiple meanings. | “Rest in the bottom lay” | “Rest” means both physical repose and spiritual peace, enriching the poem’s meaning. |
| Antithesis ✺ | Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas. | “Rest in Nature, not the God of Nature” | Contrasts worship of creation with worship of the Creator, reinforcing the spiritual message. |
| Apostrophe ✺ | Addressing an absent figure or abstract idea. | “Let us…pour on him all we can” | God speaks as though in dialogue, heightening the dramatic effect of divine intention. |
| Assonance ✺ | Repetition of vowel sounds. | “Made a stay, / Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure” | The repetition of the “a” sound creates internal harmony and flow. |
| Conceit ✺ | An extended metaphor with a complex logic. | The pulley itself as a symbol. | The “pulley” symbolizes weariness drawing man upward to God, like a machine lifting a weight. |
| Contrast ✺ | Sharp differences between ideas or conditions. | “Rich and weary” | Man may have wealth but will still experience restlessness, showing the futility of materialism. |
| Couplet ✺ | Two successive rhyming lines. | “If goodness lead him not, yet weariness / May toss him to my breast” | Ends the poem with a rhyming couplet that delivers the theological resolution. |
| Enjambment ✺ | Continuation of a sentence without a pause at the end of a line. | “When almost all was out, God made a stay, / Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure” | Creates a flowing rhythm that mirrors the pouring of blessings. |
| Imagery ✺ | Descriptive language appealing to the senses. | “Having a glass of blessings standing by” | Visual imagery of a cup full of divine gifts helps readers imagine God’s generosity. |
| Irony ✺ | A contrast between expectation and reality. | “Let him be rich and weary” | Irony lies in blessings leading not to satisfaction but to weariness, a divine strategy. |
| Metaphor ✺ | Comparison without using “like” or “as.” | “A glass of blessings” | The “glass” is a metaphor for God’s storehouse of virtues and gifts. |
| Paradox ✺ | A statement that seems contradictory but reveals truth. | “Weariness may toss him to my breast” | Restlessness, which seems negative, becomes a path to spiritual fulfillment. |
| Personification ✺ | Giving human qualities to nonhuman things. | “Strength first made a way; / Then beauty flowed” | Abstract qualities like strength and beauty are given life-like actions. |
| Religious Symbolism ✺ | Use of images representing spiritual truths. | “The God of Nature” | Symbolizes divine sovereignty and contrasts with human reliance on material things. |
| Rhyme ✺ | Repetition of similar sounding words at the end of lines. | “Treasure / pleasure” | Creates musicality and order, reflecting divine harmony. |
| Rhythm ✺ | The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. | Regular iambic lines across the poem. | The steady rhythm reflects the measured unfolding of God’s plan. |
| Symbolism ✺ | Use of an object to signify deeper meaning. | The “pulley” as title and image. | Symbolizes how man’s weariness pulls him closer to God, like a weight being lifted. |
| Tone ✺ | The attitude or mood expressed by the poet. | Reverent and instructive throughout. | The tone balances divine authority with pastoral care, leading readers to see human limitation as divine design. |
Themes: “The Pulley” by George Herbert
✺ Theme 1: Divine Creation and Generosity: “The Pulley” by George Herbert opens with the image of God creating man and generously pouring blessings upon him. Herbert writes, “Having a glass of blessings standing by, / ‘Let us,’ said he, ‘pour on him all we can’” (ll. 2–3). This imagery highlights God’s overflowing kindness in bestowing strength, beauty, wisdom, honor, and pleasure upon humanity. The theme underscores that creation itself is an act of divine generosity, where human life is endowed with countless gifts meant to enrich both body and spirit. However, this generosity is purposeful and measured, setting the stage for God’s final decision to withhold “rest,” which becomes central to the poem’s deeper meaning.
✺ Theme 2: Restlessness as a Path to God: “The Pulley” by George Herbert presents the paradox that God withholds rest so that man will not be content with the world alone. Herbert explains, “But keep them with repining restlessness; / Let him be rich and weary” (ll. 19–20). This deliberate restlessness ensures that humanity, despite enjoying worldly gifts, will feel a spiritual lack that drives them back toward God. The theme emphasizes divine strategy: weariness is not a punishment but a “pulley” pulling mankind upward. By framing dissatisfaction as a blessing in disguise, Herbert reflects the metaphysical tradition of turning paradox into spiritual truth.
✺ Theme 3: The Tension Between Material and Spiritual Fulfillment: In “The Pulley” by George Herbert, the blessings bestowed by God—strength, beauty, wisdom, and pleasure—represent material and worldly satisfactions. Yet Herbert warns, “He would adore my gifts instead of me, / And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature” (ll. 16–17). This expresses the tension between material fulfillment and spiritual devotion: humanity is at risk of loving the gifts more than the Giver. The theme reveals the danger of idolatry, where created things distract from divine truth. By holding back “rest,” God ensures that material blessings never fully satisfy, keeping man’s longing oriented toward the eternal.
✺ Theme 4: Divine Love and Human Dependency: Finally, “The Pulley” by George Herbert reflects on the loving nature of God’s design. Though man is left weary and restless, it is ultimately an act of mercy: “If goodness lead him not, yet weariness / May toss him to my breast” (ll. 21–22). This theme portrays God’s desire for humanity’s dependence on Him, not as an authoritarian demand but as a tender call back to divine embrace. Weariness becomes the instrument of salvation, pushing mankind away from self-sufficiency and toward reliance on God. Thus, Herbert illustrates divine love as both corrective and redemptive, ensuring that humanity’s ultimate rest lies only in God.
Literary Theories and “The Pulley” by George Herbert
| Literary Theory | Description | Application to “The Pulley” | Poem References |
| Formalism | Focuses on the poem’s structure, language, and literary devices, ignoring external context. It examines how form and content work together to create meaning. | “The Pulley” uses a structured four-stanza form with consistent rhyme (ABABA) and meter to mirror the orderly process of God’s creation and decision-making. The metaphor of the “pulley” (implied in the title and stanza 4) unifies the poem, showing how restlessness pulls humans to God. Literary devices like alliteration (“world’s riches,” stanza 1) and imagery (“glass of blessings,” stanza 1) emphasize God’s generosity and the vividness of His gifts. The oxymoron “rich and weary” (stanza 4) highlights the paradox of human dissatisfaction despite abundance, reinforcing the poem’s theme. | – Stanza 1: “glass of blessings” (metaphor), “world’s riches” (alliteration). – Stanza 4: “rich and weary” (oxymoron), “toss him to my breast” (imagery). |
| Reader-Response | Emphasizes the reader’s personal interpretation and emotional response to the poem, shaped by their experiences and beliefs. | A reader with a religious background might see God’s withholding of “rest” (stanza 2) as a loving act to draw humans closer, finding the poem comforting. A secular reader might interpret the “repining restlessness” (stanza 4) as a critique of human discontent, feeling the poem reflects universal longing. The image of God pausing to withhold “rest” (stanza 2) could evoke empathy for God’s dilemma or frustration at divine control, depending on the reader’s perspective. | – Stanza 2: “Rest in the bottom lay” (prompts reflection on peace). – Stanza 4: “repining restlessness” (evokes personal feelings of dissatisfaction). |
| Psychoanalytic | Explores unconscious desires, conflicts, and motivations in the text, often using Freudian or Jungian concepts like the id, ego, or archetypes. | The poem reflects a psychological tension between human desire for satisfaction (id) and the divine imposition of restlessness (superego). God’s decision to withhold “rest” (stanza 3) can be seen as a superego-like control to prevent humans from indulging in earthly pleasures (“adore my gifts instead of me”). The “pulley” symbolizes an unconscious drive pulling humans toward spiritual fulfillment, with “toss him to my breast” (stanza 4) evoking a Jungian archetype of returning to a divine, maternal source for wholeness. | – Stanza 3: “adore my gifts instead of me” (id vs. superego conflict). – Stanza 4: “toss him to my breast” (archetype of divine return). |
| New Historicism | Examines the poem in its historical and cultural context, considering how it reflects or challenges the values of its time (17th-century England). | Written in the 1630s, “The Pulley” reflects the religious context of post-Reformation England, where Puritan and Anglican debates emphasized human dependence on God. The poem’s portrayal of God withholding “rest” (stanza 3) aligns with Calvinist ideas of human imperfection and divine providence. The “glass of blessings” (stanza 1) may critique material wealth valued in early modern England, suggesting spiritual reliance over worldly gain, a common theme in Herbert’s metaphysical poetry. | – Stanza 1: “glass of blessings” (critique of materialism). – Stanza 3: “God of Nature” (reflects religious emphasis on divine authority). |
Critical Questions about “The Pulley” by George Herbert
✦ Question 1: Why does God withhold “rest” from humanity in “The Pulley” by George Herbert?
“The Pulley” by George Herbert presents God’s choice to withhold “rest” as a deliberate act to prevent humanity from adoring the gifts rather than the Giver. As the poem states, “For if I should… / Bestow this jewel also on my creature, / He would adore my gifts instead of me” (ll. 15–17). Here, “rest” symbolizes ultimate peace, but if granted, it might lead man into self-sufficiency and idolatry. God, therefore, ensures humanity remains incomplete in the world, keeping them dependent on Him. This theological idea emphasizes Herbert’s metaphysical vision, where divine strategy appears paradoxical yet ultimately redemptive.
❖ Question 2: How does Herbert use paradox to convey theological truth in “The Pulley”?
“The Pulley” by George Herbert employs paradox to transform human limitation into spiritual opportunity. Herbert writes, “Yet let him keep the rest, / But keep them with repining restlessness” (ll. 19–20). The paradox lies in the fact that restlessness, often regarded as negative, becomes the very means by which man is drawn back to God. Instead of satisfaction leading to spiritual growth, it is weariness that fulfills the divine plan. Herbert’s use of paradox aligns with the metaphysical tradition, revealing that contradictions are not obstacles but pathways to deeper truth about divine-human relations.
✺ Question 3: What role does material wealth play in the spiritual journey described in “The Pulley”?
“The Pulley” by George Herbert portrays material wealth as a double-edged gift. God grants humanity strength, beauty, wisdom, honor, and pleasure: “Let the world’s riches, which dispersèd lie, / Contract into a span” (ll. 4–5). These blessings enrich life but also risk diverting attention from God. The warning comes in the line: “And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature” (l. 17). This suggests that wealth and gifts can foster idolatry if they are mistaken for ends rather than means. Herbert’s message is that material prosperity must coexist with spiritual dependency, ensuring wealth does not replace divine worship.
❇ Question 4: How does the central metaphor of the pulley shape the poem’s meaning in “The Pulley”?
“The Pulley” by George Herbert is governed by the conceit of the pulley, which symbolizes God’s mechanism for lifting humanity toward Himself. Herbert concludes, “If goodness lead him not, yet weariness / May toss him to my breast” (ll. 21–22). Just as a pulley draws up a weight, restlessness draws man closer to God when worldly gifts fail to satisfy. The metaphor provides a vivid physical image of spiritual truth, blending divine intention with mechanical inevitability. Through this conceit, Herbert transforms a simple object into a theological symbol, exemplifying the metaphysical tradition of linking everyday imagery with profound spiritual insight.
Literary Works Similar to “The Pulley” by George Herbert
· 🌸 “The Collar” by George Herbert This poem depicts a speaker’s rebellion against divine discipline, only to ultimately submit to God’s will, using vivid imagery and a conversational tone. Like “The Pulley,” “The Collar” explores the tension between human desires and divine guidance, using a metaphysical conceit to illustrate God’s pull on the soul.
· 🌺 “Holy Sonnet 14: Batter My Heart” by John Donne: Donne’s speaker pleads for God to forcefully intervene and purify his soul, employing dramatic metaphors like a besieged town or a marriage. Similar to “The Pulley,” this sonnet examines the human struggle for spiritual connection, using a bold conceit to depict God’s role in drawing humans closer.
· 🌷 “Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness” by John Donne: In this poem, Donne reflects on mortality and his preparation for death, viewing it as a journey to God, with metaphors of maps and cosmic travel. Like “The Pulley,” it uses metaphysical imagery to explore humanity’s relationship with God, emphasizing divine purpose behind human experience.
· 🌹 “The World” by Henry Vaughan: Vaughan contrasts the fleeting allure of worldly pleasures with the eternal light of God, using rich imagery to depict spiritual awakening. As in “The Pulley,” this poem critiques earthly satisfaction and highlights God’s role in guiding humans toward true fulfillment.
· 🌼 “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell: Though more secular, this poem uses metaphysical wit to argue for seizing the day, contrasting fleeting time with eternal desires, with vivid conceits. Comparable to “The Pulley,” it employs a clever conceit to explore human longing, though it focuses on temporal love rather than divine connection.
Representative Quotations of “The Pulley” by George Herbert
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “When God at first made man” | This opening line introduces the poem’s narrative, setting the scene of God’s creation of humanity with a tone of divine authority. | Formalism: The simple, declarative structure establishes the poem’s narrative framework, using a direct tone to mirror God’s purposeful act of creation. The iambic meter sets a rhythmic foundation, emphasizing order. |
| “Having a glass of blessings standing by” | God is depicted with a container of blessings, ready to bestow gifts, suggesting abundance and divine generosity in stanza 1. | Reader-Response: This vivid image might evoke awe in a religious reader, seeing God’s generosity, or skepticism in a secular reader, questioning divine motives, shaping personal interpretations of abundance. |
| “Let us,” said he, “pour on him all we can” | God speaks, deciding to generously give humans the world’s riches, reflecting His initial intent in stanza 1. | New Historicism: In 17th-century England’s religious context, this reflects Puritan views of divine providence, where God’s gifts test human gratitude, aligning with Herbert’s Anglican teachings. |
| “Contract into a span” | God gathers the world’s scattered riches into a small space (a hand’s width), symbolizing concentrated blessings in stanza 1. | Formalism: The metaphor of a “span” condenses vast riches into a tangible image, showcasing Herbert’s metaphysical wit and the poem’s compact imagery to convey divine power. |
| “So strength first made a way” | In stanza 2, God begins distributing blessings, starting with strength, which paves the path for other gifts like beauty and wisdom. | Psychoanalytic: Strength represents the id’s primal energy, initiating human potential, but God’s control suggests a superego-like restraint, setting up the poem’s psychological tension. |
| “When almost all was out, God made a stay” | God pauses after giving most blessings, noticing “rest” remains, showing deliberate withholding in stanza 2. | Reader-Response: This pause might stir curiosity or tension in readers, prompting reflection on why God withholds rest, with responses varying based on personal beliefs about divine intent. |
| “Bestow this jewel also on my creature” | In stanza 3, God refers to “rest” as a precious jewel, contemplating giving it to humans but hesitating due to potential consequences. | Formalism: The metaphor of “jewel” elevates rest’s value, while the structured rhyme (ABABA) reinforces the poem’s disciplined exploration of divine decision-making. |
| “He would adore my gifts instead of me” | God fears humans would worship His blessings (like beauty) over Him, revealing His concern in stanza 3. | Psychoanalytic: This reflects a superego-like fear of the id’s indulgence, where humans’ unconscious desire for pleasure could override spiritual devotion, highlighting inner conflict. |
| “Let him be rich and weary” | In stanza 4, God allows humans to keep blessings but ensures they feel restless, aiming to draw them closer through weariness. | New Historicism: This oxymoron reflects 17th-century religious views that worldly wealth leads to spiritual dissatisfaction, encouraging reliance on God, a common theme in Herbert’s era. |
| “May toss him to my breast” | The poem concludes in stanza 4 with God hoping weariness will pull humans to His embrace, like a pulley, completing the central metaphor. | Psychoanalytic: This image evokes a Jungian archetype of returning to a divine, maternal source, symbolizing the unconscious drive for spiritual wholeness through restlessness. |
Suggested Readings: “The Pulley” by George Herbert
- RAY, ROBERT H. “RECENT STUDIES IN HERBERT (1974-1986).” English Literary Renaissance, vol. 18, no. 3, 1988, pp. 460–75. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43447260. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
- Chadwick, Owen. The Victorian Church—Part Two: 1860–1901. Oxford University Press, 2000.
- Brisman, Leslie. “George Herbert and the Skewing of Origins: ‘The Pulley.’” ELH, vol. 43, no. 4, 1976, pp. 501–519. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/464900
- “George Herbert’s ‘The Pulley.’” Catholic Exchange, 28 Mar. 2016. https://catholicexchange.com/george-herberts-pulley