George Herbert in his poem “The Collar” puts his thoughts, feelings and complaints about the restrictions of freedom on paper. He decides to free himself from the constraints that bind him to the life he fights to free himself from. In various ways, countless things hold us back and prevent us from doing certain things every day. Throughout history people have fought for rights that bound them to what they believed. Herbert explains in his poem that some restrictions are necessary even if we cannot understand why. band of some type of material used to seize or restrain animals or people. Since George put this word in the heading, it must contain the meaning of the entire poem. Religion had a great impact on Herbert's life. In the last years of his life, Herbert wrote a series of poems titled "The Temple" which included "The Collar" (Moore). Herbert was born in Montgomery, Wales in 1593 and was appointed an Anglican priest in 1930 (Jokinen). In the last three years of his life he spent much time working in the temple, and his life in the temple inspired Herbert to write the poem “The Collar.” Priests wore a certain collar during their church work. Today those collars resemble the collars that restrain dogs. However, these collars also represented Herbert's service to the Lord. Herbert says this job as a priest kept him away from everyday life. He considered himself a foreigner working in the temple in the wrong place. Rebelling, Herbert writes: “I hit the table and shouted: enough; I'll do it abroad! (396).” To be abroad means to go or be in a foreign place. George was tired of feeling like an outsider and being tied to a place where... middle of paper... ow. George Herbert successfully redeems this fact with his writing. Even if he wants to do something else and will be “freely” allowed to follow this path, he knows that there is an authority over him who puts his life in order as it should be. George Herbert, a 17th century poet, wrote “The Collar” as a denunciation, an act of rebellion, but he knows he is powerless under a higher authority and can only submit to their will. Works Cited Herbert, George. "The Collar." Literature The human experience. Compiled. Richard Abcarian, Marvin Klotz, Samuel Kohen. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010. Print.Jokinen, Anniina. "An Outline of Herbert's Life." George Herbert (1592-1633). Luminarium: Anthropology of English Literature, November 8, 2010. Web. January 28, 2011.Moore, Andrew. "George Herbert - Study Guide." UniversalTeacher.org. TeachIt.co.uk, May 2005. Web. 29 February 2011