Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Altar" is a poem by George Herbert, first published in his collection of poems, The Temple, in 1633. The poem is structured in the shape of an altar, with each line mirroring the line above it and below it. This unique structure reinforces the speaker's desire to offer a perfect sacrifice to God and gives the poem a sense of symmetry and balance.

The poem is written in iambic pentameter and follows a rhyming pattern of ABABCC. The use of rhyme creates a musicality that adds to the poem's spiritual significance. The use of enjambment, or the continuation of a sentence without pause beyond the end of a line, creates a flow that reinforces the poem's themes of unity and connection.

The poem begins with the image of a broken altar made from the speaker's heart, cemented with tears. The metaphor of the heart as an altar suggests that the speaker is offering themselves to God as a sacrifice. The use of the image of a broken altar reinforces the idea that the speaker recognizes the limitations of their own abilities and turns to God for salvation. The speaker's heart is such a stone that only God's power can cut. Each part of the heart meets in this frame to praise God's name.

The use of language and metaphor in "The Altar" is also noteworthy. The speaker's heart is compared to a stone, emphasizing the idea of God's power and authority. The use of the image of stones also reflects the idea of building, creating, and constructing something of value. The final lines of the poem express the speaker's desire for God's blessed sacrifice to be theirs and for God to sanctify the altar to be His. This suggests a sense of devotion, surrender, and submission to God's will.

Overall, "The Altar" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores the speaker's relationship with God. The use of the metaphor of the heart as an altar reflects the idea of offering oneself to God as a sacrifice, a concept that is central to Christian theology. The poem's message of the importance of turning to God for salvation and of offering oneself to God as a sacrifice has resonated with readers for centuries. The poem's unique structure, use of language and metaphor, and striking imagery create a sense of depth and meaning that has made it a lasting testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the human experience.

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