George Herbert's Christian Narrative

Harold Toliver provides a profound scholarly examination of George Herbert's Christian Narrative, Volume 1. This work of history and criticism situates the seventeenth-century poet within the broader intellectual and religious movements of his era. While many scholars focus on the doctrinal controversies of the 1620s, Toliver investigates how Herbert utilizes the Christian narrative to shape his lyric poetry. The text explores the tension between the secular world and sacred parables, examining the conflicts between heart and mind through the lens of English Christian poetry.

This volume of George Herbert's Christian Narrative offers close readings of key poems to reveal how the overarching biblical story influences individual lyric moments. Toliver analyzes Herbert's adaptation of the sonnet form and his engagement with the Pauline method of interpreting scripture. By addressing the intersection of religion, narration, and early modern history, this book establishes Herbert's significant place within the landscape of seventeenth-century English Christian poetry.