Student Scholar Presentation: Paul Chin '24

Though not quite as recognized today as John Donne, his more famous and at times more pyrotechnical contemporary, George Herbert (1593-1633) is a poet whose work is nonetheless breathtaking in its intensity of thought and innovation of form. A member of the collection of 17th Century poets called "the metaphysical poets," Herbert has been increasingly seen as one of the most important poets in the English language, and his influence has reached poets ranging from as wide as Henry Vaughan, to T.S. Eliot, to Elizabeth Bishop.

In this talk, Paul introduces George Hebert the poet and his landmark collection of poems, “The Temple,” considered by many to be one of the greatest achievements in lyric poetry of the 17th Century. He will also offer his own close reading of several of his notable poems, hopefully with participation from the audience as well.  Together, we will try to understand why Helen Vendler ranked Herbert the superior poet to Donne, whether devotional poetry can be appreciated by both the religious and non-religious, and what Herbert’s poetry, written nearly four hundred years, might have to say to us in the tumult of today.