The English Poems of George Herbert

by George Herbert, Helen Wilcox (Editor)

George Herbert (1593 1633) is widely regarded as the greatest devotional poet in the English language. His volume of poems, The Temple, published posthumously in 1633, became one of the most widely read and influential collections of the seventeenth century. Almost 400 years after they were first published in Cambridge by the 'printers to the Universitie', Cambridge University Press is pleased to present the definitive scholarly edition of Herbert's complete English poems, accompanied by extensive explanatory and textual apparatus. The text is meticulously annotated with historical, literary and biblical information, as well as the modern critical contexts which now illuminate the poems. In addition to the lively introduction and notes, this edition includes a glossary of key words, an index of biblical quotations, and the authentic texts of Herbert's work.

Genres: Poetry

788 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 2007

About the author

George Herbert (1593-1633) was a Welsh-born English poet and orator. Herbert's poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognized as "a pivotal figure: enormously popular, deeply and broadly influential, and arguably the most skillful and important British devotional lyricist."

Born into an artistic and wealthy family, Herbert received a good education that led to his admission in 1609 as a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, Herbert excelled in languages, rhetoric and music. He went to university with the intention of becoming a priest, but when eventually he became the University's Public Orator he attracted the attention of King James I and may well have seen himself as a future Secretary of State. In 1624 and briefly in 1625 he served in Parliament. Never a healthy man, he died of consumption at the early age of 39.

Reviews

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful companion to the poetry of George Herbert which looks deceptively simple until you read the notes and realise the multitude of sources Herbert is using and the poetical styles that he draws upon. I had read many of Herbert's poems multiple times but Helen Wilcox's exhaustive notes helped me appreciate them in a new light. Many, like The Collar, I appreciated for the first time. Just every now and then I questioned some of the judgements as to the Biblical sources that he used and I did spot one mistake in the 700+pages of notes (Henry VIII's break with Rome was 1534 and not 1524 - a typo, I assume). I am still in two minds about just how much sexual imagery Herbert intended to use in Love (III), but at least it sent me back to the Song of Songs and helped me read that poem in a new way also. If only more poets had such a volume as this to help the simple reader!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earlier this year I bought a cheap ebook of the Complete Works of George Herbert, only to find myself constantly searching online for interpretations of whatever poem I was trying to understand. I plodded on for a few months before discovering this eTextbook. Highly recommend, except for the fact that I have to use my smartphone kindle app instead of my kindle device to open it.

[Suzanne McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still the gold-standard - an absolutely superb scholarly edition of all of Herbert's English poetry. All who love Herbert and his poetry continue to owe Wilcox an enormous debt of gratitude.

[Mike E.]

Man stole the fruit, but I must climb the tree;
The tree of life to all, but only me.

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great.

[Roger Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary; in a class of its own.

[Mata]

Excellent edition