The Pulley By George Herbert summary and analysis

 

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.”

 

 

The poem begins with the speaker reflecting on the moment of human creation, setting the scene for a contemplation of God's purpose of blessings upon humanity. God is metaphorically depicted as having a "glass of blessings", suggesting a large amount of divine gifts and virtues intended for humanity.

The plural pronoun "us" hints at the Christian Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). God expresses the intention to shower mankind with all the blessings available, demonstrating a generosity of divine gifts.

God proposes gathering the dispersed riches of the world and condensing them into a small space, symbolizing a concentrated and abundant bestowal of blessings on humanity. The order of blessings begins with strength, highlighting its foundational role in human existence. Strength is the first gift that God grants to mankind. The subsequent gifts follow a sequence: beauty, wisdom, honour, and pleasure. These are characteristics associated with a fulfilling and prosperous life. After nearly all the blessings have been bestowed, God pauses, indicating a moment of reflection or consideration.

God recognizes that there is one blessing, "rest," that has not been given yet and is intentionally reserved at the bottom. This suggests a deeper spiritual rest or peace that God withholds for a specific purpose.

God explains the reason behind reserving the blessing of rest. If this particular jewel, symbolic of spiritual tranquility or contentment, were given to humanity. God predicts that if rest were given, humans might become overly fixated on the gifts rather than the giver. There's a concern that people might find their ultimate satisfaction in the material world ("Nature") rather than in the divine source.

The potential consequence of bestowing the blessing of rest too soon would be a loss for both humanity and God. Humanity would lose the opportunity for a deeper spiritual connection, and God would lose the genuine worship and acknowledgment.

Despite the hesitation, God decides to let humanity keep the other blessings but with a condition. The blessings should be kept with a sense of dissatisfaction or restlessness, indicating a constant yearning for something more.

God's compromise is to allow humanity to experience a combination of richness and weariness. The weariness, or a sense of incompleteness, is seen as a potential means to draw humans back to God ("toss him to my breast") if they are not led by goodness alone.

The Pulley presents a theological exploration of God's deliberate withholding of complete satisfaction or rest from humanity, suggesting that the perpetual longing or restlessness may ultimately lead individuals to seek a deeper connection with the divine. The poem highlights the delicate balance between divine generosity and the wisdom of keeping certain blessings reserved for a higher purpose.