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verbal icon is the “emblem” of the ship on the sea, as a metaphor for
Christ, with the spiritual message again to contemplate the face of Christ.
As in “Holy Sonnet XIII,” Christ’s image is sought in order to
determine His character. In contemplating Christ’s face the speaker
concludes, “though [Christ’s eyes] turn away sometimes, / They never will
despise” (6-7). The central question is if Christ will reject the speaker in the
end. The answer to this question comes about from personal knowledge
not an outside source: “I know those eyes” (6). The speaker appeals to an
individual relationship to Christ in order to define whether He is loving.
Schoenfeldt’s thoughts on “Goodfriday, 1613, Riding Westward” assist in
this case. Although the image of crucifixion greatly disturbs the speaker
causing him to turn away, Schoenfeldt notes that unlike Foucault’s idea
of surveillance being a negative punishing act, “Donne was fascinated by
a contrary notion: the immense comfort that can emerge from a sense of
complete visibility before God, and the corollary fear that God will not
deign to bestow such a gaze” (568). The “eyes,” in “A Hymn to Christ,”
are sought after for comfort and, thus, their turning away is a negative act.
This notion reveals an important aspect of Donne’s vision of Christ—that
of a lover. Far from the punishing gaze of a Calvinist God, Christ’s gaze
is sought after like a lover’s. There is an underlying fear of fickleness and
inconstancy, but at the same time a fiercely personal desire for Christ.
This desire goes both ways: Christ has a jealous love of the speaker
and demands complete devotion: “O, if thou car’st not whom I love,
/ Alas, thou lov’st not me” (23-4). This vision of Christ’s love is like a
jealous lover, who while allowing other relationships “would have that
love [Himself]” (21). Here the speaker says Christ allows for outside
relationships as long as His is the most important to the Christian. The
individual must again be cautious of an external community. The speaker
calls on Christ to “Seal then this bill of divorce to all,” transferring
the affection which used to be focused “On fame, wit, hopes (false
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mistresses)” (25, 28). What is most important is a complete dedication to
God where the speaker can “see God only” (30). Strikingly, the speaker
asserts, “Churches are best for prayer that have least light” (29). This
presents a vision of Christianity that is extremely individual. In the image
of the darkened Church there is no place for Christian community. The
solitary soul must commune with God alone in “An everlasting night” to
enact a proper human-divine relationship (32). The implication of this
view is a vision of the Christian soul forsaking community in order to
have God turn to him/her.
Herbert employs verbal icons in a similar manner; nevertheless,
Herbert’s vision of Christianity differs greatly. In “The Sacrifice,” Christ
is given a voice to describe the Passion narrative. Like Donne, Herbert
concretely depicts the image of Christ allowing it to function as a verbal
icon for the purpose of meditation. Much like a Byzantine icon containing
different pictures of a biblical narrative, this poem chronicles the Passion
narrative with specific images. Readers can stop to ponder famous images
such as “a scarlet robe they me array” (157), “on my head a crown of
thorns” (161), “sharp nails pierce this” (218), and “they will pierce my
side” (246). The speaking Christ allows for this “icon” to literally take
on a verbal quality. Much like a sermon, Herbert paints a picture of the
Passion narrative for the reader to consider while also interpreting it for
him/her: “Never was grief like mine?” (252). Contemplating the words
and images leads the reader to his/her own thoughts of its significance.
Phrased as a question, this interpretation of the crucifixion demands an
answer. As in Ignatian meditation, the reader must place him/herself in
the context of the narrative. Is the reader a part of the “all ye, who pass
by,” included in the “you [who] slept” or embodied in another character
(1, 150)? The repetition of “Was ever grief like mine?” also mirrors the act
of spiritual meditation where a phrase of Scripture is repeated over and
over (4). The words and images act to bring the reader into a state where
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