Virtue by George Herbert

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright,

The bridal of the earth and sky;

The dew shall weep thy fall to-night,

For thou must die.

Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave

Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye;

Thy root is ever in its grave,

And thou must die.

Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,

A box where sweets compacted lie;

My music shows ye have your closes,

And all must die.

Only a sweet and virtuous soul,

Like season'd timber, never gives;

But though the whole world turn to coal,

Then chiefly lives.

Theme
The theme of Virtue by George Herbert is the importance of a virtuous soul that transcends the
transience and decay of earthly beauty. Herbert contrasts the fleeting nature of the day, the rose, and
the spring with the eternal and immortal soul that is shaped by virtue and faith. He urges the reader to
seek virtue instead of worldly pleasures, as virtue is the only thing that can overcome mortality and
grant salvation. Herbert also expresses his appreciation of nature and its influence on the soul, but he
warns that nature is not a reliable source of joy and spiritual nourishment, as it is subject to change and
death2. He uses metaphors, alliteration, rhyme, and meter to create a musical and structured poem that
reflects his metaphysical style.

Explain “the bridal of earth and sky”?

The phrase “the bridal of the earth and sky” is a metaphor that describes the day as a beautiful and
harmonious union of the earthly and the heavenly realms. It suggests that the day is a celebration of the
 marriage between the earth and the sky, which are often seen as opposites or contrasts. The poet uses
this image to convey the sweetness and calmness of the day, as well as its spiritual significance. He
implies that the day is a gift from God, who has joined his mercy and truth with human righteousness
and peace. The phrase also echoes the biblical idea of God as the bridegroom and his people as the
bride, who are reconciled and united by his love.

What is the use of refrain in poem?

A refrain in poetry is a repeated section of text that usually appears at the end of a stanza or
verse. A refrain can be a phrase, a line, or a group of lines that convey a significant meaning or
theme in the poem. A refrain can also create a musical effect, a sense of rhythm, or a connection
to the audience’s emotions. Some examples of poems that use refrains are:

 “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas, which repeats the line “Rage, rage
against the dying of the light” at the end of every other stanza.
 “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson, which repeats the word “Immortality”
at the end of the first and last stanzas.

The use of refrain in the poem Virtue by George Herbert is to emphasize the contrast between
the natural objects that are sweet but mortal and the soul that is sweet and immortal. The
refrain “And thou must die” appears at the end of the first three stanzas, each of which describes
a sweet thing of nature: the day, the rose, and the spring. The refrain reminds the reader that
these things are not lasting and will eventually perish. The refrain also creates a sense of sadness
and inevitability, as the speaker laments the loss of beauty and joy. However, in the last stanza,
the refrain changes to “Then chiefly lives”, which refers to the virtuous soul that survives even
when the whole world turns to coal. This refrain contrasts with the previous ones and shows that
virtue is the only thing that can overcome death and decay. The refrain also creates a sense of
hope and triumph, as the speaker celebrates the power and glory of a virtuous soul.

How are the four stanzas of poem Virtue interconnected? How do they
build to a climax? How does the forth stanza contrast with first three
The four stanzas of the poem Virtue are interconnected by the theme of the contrast between the transience of
earthly beauty and the eternity of a virtuous soul. Each stanza focuses on a different example of a sweet thing of
nature that is mortal: the day, the rose, the spring, and the soul. The first three stanzas build to a climax by using the
refrain “And thou must die” to highlight the fragility and futility of the natural objects. The fourth stanza contrasts
with the first three by using the refrain “Then chiefly lives” to highlight the strength and durability of the virtuous soul.
The fourth stanza also contrasts with the first three by using a simile to compare the soul to “season’d timber” that
never gives, while the first three stanzas use metaphors to compare the natural objects to a bridal, a box, and music.
The fourth stanza also contrasts with the first three by using an inversion to place the subject “a sweet and virtuous
soul” at the end of the line, while the first three stanzas place their subjects at the beginning of the lines. These
contrasts show that the virtuous soul is different from and superior to the natural objects in terms of its quality and
longevity.