The pulley | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board

‘The pulley’ poem is written by George Herbert who was a Welsh poet. He was a priest by profession. He wrote religious poems with a lot of imagery.

“The Pulley” shows how God lifts man towards Himself with the pulley of restlessness.

Watch this video to understand the poem. Go through the word meanings, Appreciation and Figures of speech. It covers everything that you need for board exams.

Word meaning

Blessing:   expressing thanks, affection, or good wishes

Riches: valuable possessions

Dispersed:   spread

Contract:  (here) they tighten and become smaller

Span: Small Space

Strength:   physical energy or potential of a person

Made a way:  made an entry into the soul

God made a stay: God stops his activity    

Perceiving:  to realize or notice you continue to be there and do not move away

Treasure:   gifts

Creature:  we, the human beings created by God

Adore: love, worship, praise

The rest:  the remainder of all gifts of God

Repining:  worrying

Weary:    tired, exhausted

Appreciation

The title of the poem is ‘The Pulley’. The poem is written by Welsh poet George Herbert who was a priest by profession.

Each stanza of the poem has five lines. The rhyme scheme of the poem is a-b-a-b-a. The chief figure of speech used in the poem is Metaphor. The ‘glass of blessings’ signifies the sum of all human qualities bestowed on man. The quality of ‘rest or ‘contentment is implicitly compared to a jewel’. The other figures of speech are Pun, Inversion, Paradox, etc.

The central idea of the poem is the reason for man’s continual restlessness all his life. According to the poet, this is because God withheld the quality of ‘rest’ from man, so that man’s thoughts would ultimately turn towards God, his creator.

Figures of speech

1. Having a glass of blessings standing by
   Figure of speech: Metaphor
   Explanation: The ‘glass of blessings‘ signifies the sum of all human qualities bestowed on man
   
   
2. Rest in the bottom lay :
   Figure of Speech: Pun
   Explanation: The word has two meanings, It means remaining and it also means the gift of ‘rest’.
   
   
3. Let him be rich and weary.
   Figure of Speech: Paradox
   Explanation: Opposite ideas of being rich and weary at the same time are mentioned in the poem.
   
   
4. Repinning restlessness
   Figure of Speech: Alliteration
   Explanation: The sound of r is repeated for poetic effect
   
   
5. So both should losers be
   Figure of speech: Inversion, Alliteration
   Explanation:
   Inversion: The words have been arranged in an inverse manner to add a poetic effect. Correct Order: “So both should be losers”
   Alliteration: Sound s is repeated for poetic effect
   
   
6. May toss him to my breast
   Figure of speech: synecdoche
   Explanation: The breast is only referencing the chest, but it is talking about the comfort one will receive from God.
   
   Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that refers to a part of something is substituted to stand in for the whole or vice versa.
   
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Other poems from the textbook of SSC Maharashtra Board

1.1 Where the mind is without fear | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board

1.3 All the World’s a Stage | Explanation and appreciation | SSC Board | English Medium | Maharashtra Board

2.1 Animals | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board

2.4 The pulley | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board

3.1 Night of the scorpion | Explanation and appreciation | SSC English Medium | Maharashtra Board

4.4 The Height of the Ridiculous | Explanation and appreciation | SSC English Medium | Maharashtra Board