''My Lines and Life''

George Herbert (1593-1633) offers an intriguing case of a poet actively dealing with the problem of authority. Through a reading of Herbert''s main volume of poetry, The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations, Herbert is seen to position the poet''s authority over his verse in relation to the authority of the Christian God. This thesis argues that Herbert entertains an idea of dual authority; that two authors, human and divine, are at work to bring forth the poem. To clarify the notion, the poem is understood as both an act and an artefact: The first is lived, the second recorded in lines of poetry. This duality forms the basis for a poetics of integrity, where the lines and life of the poet must accord in order for the poem to be successful. In extension, Herbert''s view of poetry suggests both an ideal poet as well as an ideal reader, rooted in Herbert''s own Christian identity.