Enam's Note

Main Theme of the Poem ‘The Altar’ by George Herbert ‘The Altar’ written by George Herbert (1593-1633), a major English religious and metaphysical poet, demonstrates Herbert’s rich poetic skills. It is both an act of devotion, and a visual focus for that devotion, like a painting or a crucifix above the altar. It is, in essence, a work of art, by the artist, Herbert, who uses rhyme instead of mortar (চুন সুরকী) and words instead of stone.  So it richly repays careful study of many facets like, the shape of the poem, allegorical and highly metaphoric use of the words, the biblical allusion etc. The poem falls in the category called ‘Pattern poem’ or ‘shape poem’ since it's shape echo's the meaning of the verse. The practice of writing such poems was adopted from the ancient Greeks and was very popular at the time when Herbert was writing. By constructing the poem in the shape of an altar Herbert mirrors the work of God as creator: as God created the physical world and everyth...