Simone Weil and George Herbert on Love through Poetry
Hugh G. A. Roberts
Forum for Modern Language Studies April 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/fmls/cqad029 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Simone Weil, as described in her letters and late writings |
| Key findings | Argues that focused attention on poetry can function as a form of prayer and lead to religious experience, using Weil's account of reciting Herbert's 'Love (III)' as a case. For Weil, the beauty of poetry is analogous to the beauty of the world and can indicate God's will or the ineffable order of the universe. |
Abstract
Abstract In two letters written shortly before she sailed from Marseille in May 1942, Simone Weil reveals the profound impact George Herbert’s ‘Love’ (now commonly titled ‘Love (III)’) had on her. When reciting the poem to herself during intense headaches, she had a religious experience which involved Christ descending and taking possession of her. This article offers a comparative case study of how focused attention on poetry can become a form of prayer leading to religious experience. It offers a close reading of ‘Love’ through the lens of Weil’s philosophical and spiritual writings from the last year of her life. For Weil, the beauty of poetry is analogous to the beauty of the world and hence can indicate God’s will or the ineffable order of the universe.