Julian of Norwich - 14th Century Mystic and first known female author to write in (middle) English
We don't know her real name or details of her biography. Her writings miraculously survived in a convent in France and we have them today.
Her most famous quotation is probably:
All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well
Just these two words He spoke changed my life,
"Enjoy Me."
What a burden I thought I was to carry -
a crucifix, as did He.
Love once said to me, "I know a song,
would you like to hear it?"
And laughter came from every brick
in the street and every pore in the sky.
After a night of prayer, He changed my life when
He sang,
"Enjoy Me."
-St. Teresa of Avila
 |
Pathway to a beach in the Netherlands |
Entire of itself;
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
As well as if a promontory were:
As well as if a manor of thy friend's
Or of thine own were.
Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
John Donne and George Herbert were part of the 17th Century metaphysical poetry movement as defined by Samuel Johnson. (Johnson was an important literary figure in the 17th Century.) The poets are interesting, not so much because of the beauty of the language they used, or the lyrical quality of their poetry, but because of their use of imagery and their treatment of life's big overarching themes such as love, God and death.
John Donne, a priest, had a similar experience to Julian of Norwich in which he was seriously ill and thought he was doing to die. During this time he had spiritual insights which led him to write what is known as the Devotions. He felt his illness was a visit from God reflecting his internal sinfulness. His work has been inspirational to other writers, such as Hemmingway, who famously wrote 'For whom the Bell Tolls', taking Donne's line for his novel's title. The tolling bell, of course, is the death knell which was used historically at funerals. A bell was rung, often following the coffin. Donne was referring, metaphorically speaking, to the death of Everyman* one day.
George Herbert is another example of a metaphysical poet. He was also a priest. The poem known as Love III is from his Temple Project. This was a collection of poems which it is thought relate to different parts of a church building.
Love III, expresses a relationship between God an individual man. (*I like to think that the man is the voice of 'Everyman' which we encounter in medieval morality plays.) The verses are thought to describe the altar, where the creator God accepts and redeems the poem's protagonist, who is acutely aware of his own sinfulness. The poem is written in the first person narrative voice and uses the wonderful technique of a conversation between Love, or 'the Lord', and the man. The creator God is also the voice of Jesus in the poem ('who bore the blame?'). This fusion of character and technique is a good example of how the metaphysical poets managed to encapsulate what lies beyond the physical world and embody these big themes in their poetry.
Unfortunately the Temple Project was never completed as George Herbert died before it was finished.
George Herbert
Love III
LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack’d anything.
‘A guest,’ I answer’d, ‘worthy to be here:’
Love said, ‘You shall be he.’
‘I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on Thee.’
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
‘Who made the eyes but I?’
‘Truth, Lord; but I have marr’d them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.’
‘And know you not,’ says Love, ‘Who bore the blame?’
‘My dear, then I will serve.’
‘You must sit down,’ says Love, ‘and taste my meat.’
So I did sit and eat.
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