Though both poems offer shaped verses, a wealth of poetic elements, and a distinct theme of Christianity, I believe that George Herbert’s Easter Wings offers a more powerful Christian message than his other poem, The Altar. While the latter draws an image of an altar built of metaphorical hearts, the prior takes readers back to the creation of mankind. In line 1, the author states that the Lord “createdst man in wealth and store” and this phrase seems to refer to the story of Adam and Eve, the first humans. Adam and Eve were allowed to live life in the Garden of Eden, a beautiful, perfect paradise created by God for mankind, but were expelled when they ate the forbidden fruit. By incorporating this story of Adam and Eve, Herbert paints a more complete image of God, as well as the Garden of Eden.
In the second half of the first stanza, the speaker seeks to redeem himself from Adam’s mistake and expresses his wishes to “rise” with the Lord, just as Jesus had risen from his grave on Easter day. This desire for redemption is further highlighted by the alliteration used by the author in line 10 (fall further the flight) as well as the rhyming “shall the fall”. In addition to the fact that the two stanzas have been fashioned into the shape of two wings, it is evident these wings symbolize redemption in this poem. Because the speaker claims that mankind has “fallen” as a result of Adam’s sin, it makes sense that the author needs wings to fly back up. This is further evident in the last two lines, where the speaker displays his desire to “imp” or attach his own wings to Jesus’s, as he rises on Easter day. It is also important to consider the two stanzas comparatively. Each stanza starts off with a negative, almost bleak tone but by the end of each stanza, the tone becomes optimistic and full of plea. Because both stanza’s starts with the result of Adam’s sins, they give the effect of “rising”, consistent with this idea of resurrection. This plea, as well as the speaker’s changing tone, paint a clear image of the resurrection of Christ and allow readers to perceive the speaker’s deep desire for both salvation and redemption. Because to me, Christianity is a religion of repenting sins, and redemption, I believe that the ideas and imagery present in Herbert’s Easter Wings provides a more powerful Christian message than his other poem, The Altar.
Introduction to Poetry 