Notes Class 10 Chapter 2.4 Kumarbharati English Maharashtra Board

The Pulley

1. About the Poet

• George Herbert (1593-1633): Welsh poet and priest, known for religious poetry.
• Uses imagery (vivid word pictures) and conceits (clever comparisons).
• “The Pulley” explores God’s relationship with humans, showing how He keeps them connected.

2. Key Themes

• God’s Plan: Gives humans gifts but uses restlessness to draw them to Him.
• Human Nature: People focus on material things (wealth, beauty) and forget God when content.
• Spirituality: True peace comes from God, not worldly possessions.
• Pulley: Metaphor for how God lifts humans to Him through restlessness, like a mechanical device.

3. Key Vocabulary

• Riches: Wealth, valuable things.
• Dispersed: Scattered, spread out.
• Contract: Bring together in small space.
• Span: Small area.
• Perceiving: Noticing, realizing.
• Bestow: Give as gift.
• Jewel: Precious thing (rest, contentment).
• Adore: Love deeply.
• Repining restlessness: Constant dissatisfaction.
• Weary: Very tired.
• Toss: Bring closer (humans to God).

4. Literary Devices

1. Pun:

• “Rest in the bottom lay”: Rest means peace and remaining (wordplay).

2. Metaphor:

• “Bestow this jewel”: Jewel compares rest to something precious.

3.Repetition:

• “And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature”: Rest repeated to contrast worldly and divine peace.

4. Antithesis:

• “Let him be rich and weary”: Rich (wealthy) contrasts weary (tired).

5. Alliteration:

• “Repining restlessness”: “R” sound emphasizes unease.

6. Inversion:

• “So both should losers be”: Reversed order for poetic effect.

7. Synecdoche:

• “Let us pour on him”: Him represents all humanity.

8. Rhyme Scheme: a-b-a-b-a (e.g., Man, by, can, lie, span).

5. Title: “The Pulley”

• Pulley: Mechanical device to lift objects.
• Metaphor: God uses restlessness to lift humans to Him, encouraging them to seek true rest.

6. Monologues of God

• God speaks to Himself:
  1. “Let us pour on him all we can.”
  2. “For if I should bestow this jewel also on my creature, / He would adore my gifts instead of me.”
  3. “Yet let him keep the rest, / But keep them with repining restlessness.”