Herbert's work contains numerous references to the Bible and Christian theology. Teachers should be aware that students will come to the work with different capacities for understanding these references based on their religious backgrounds. To ensure that all students are able to interpret and understand the poems' major themes, the teacher may wish to provide relevant background information. Furthermore, the teacher should be aware and considerate of the needs of students who may be uncomfortable discussing Christianity.
Though the gender of the speaker in the poems is not identified, this Lesson Plan uses the pronoun "he" for clarity and concision.
The thought questions in this lesson...
