The Retreat
By Henry Vaughan
Happy those early days! when I
Shined in my angel infancy.
Before I understood this place
Appointed for my second race,
Or taught my soul to fancy aught
But a white, celestial thought;
When yet I had not walked above
A mile or two from my first love,
And looking back, at that short space,
Could see a glimpse of His bright face;
When on some gilded cloud or flower
My gazing soul would dwell an hour,
And in those weaker glories spy
Some shadows of eternity;
Before I taught my tongue to wound
My conscience with a sinful sound,
Or had the black art to dispense
A several sin to every sense,
But felt through all this fleshly dress
Bright shoots of everlastingness.
O, how I long to travel back,
And tread again that ancient track!
That I might once more reach that plain
Where first I left my glorious train,
From whence th’ enlightened spirit sees
That shady city of palm trees.
But, ah! my soul with too much stay
Is drunk, and staggers in the way.
Some men a forward motion love;
But I by backward steps would move,
And when this dust falls to the urn,
In that state I came, return.
Summary of The Retreat
- The Poem’s Essence: “The Retreat” is a deeply personal and evocative poem by Henry Vaughan, a prominent figure in the metaphysical school of poetry. It beautifully explores the poet’s nostalgia for the innocence and spiritual clarity of childhood, contrasting it with the complexities and burdens of adult life. First published in his collection, Silex Scintillans in 1650, the poem remains a celebrated example of reflective verse.
- Central Idea: Loss of Spiritual Connection: The core of “The Retreat” revolves around the poet’s yearning to recapture a lost state of grace. He remembers a time when his soul was untainted by worldly concerns, and he was close to the divine. This “angel infancy” represented a direct connection to God, a state he feels increasingly distant from as he grows older.
- Key Themes: The poem primarily addresses themes of innocence, the passage of time, the loss of spiritual awareness, and the desire for renewal. Vaughan skillfully portrays the purity of childhood as a metaphorical paradise, contrasted with the perceived corruption of adulthood. The poem’s central tension lies between the longing for a past Eden and the acceptance of a fallen state.
In-Depth Analysis of “The Retreat”
Exploring the Angelic Infancy
The poem begins with a bold declaration: “Happy those early days! when I / Shined in my angel infancy.” This isn’t simply a sentimental recollection of childhood; Vaughan presents it as a state of near divine existence. The word “shined” is crucial; it evokes light, purity, and a connection to a higher power. He wasn’t merely a child; he radiated a celestial quality. This establishes the central metaphor of childhood as a period of spiritual illumination, before the “understanding” of the world clouded his vision. The phrase “angel infancy” is a powerful image, suggesting a closeness to God reminiscent of angelic beings.
The Proximity of the Divine
Vaughan emphasizes the ease with which he experienced the divine in his youth. “When yet I had not walked beyond a mile or two from my first love,” suggests that God wasn’t distant or abstract, but a constant companion in his early life. This intimacy is further reinforced by the image of being able to see a glimpse of His bright face—an unmediated experience of the divine. The imagery of distance—“a mile or two”—shows that even a small deviation from innocence led to a diminishing connection with God.
Nature as a Pathway to Eternity
The poet doesn’t limit his spiritual experiences to internal feelings. He finds glimpses of eternity in the natural world. “When on some gilded cloud or flower / My gazing soul would dwell an hour, / And in those weaker glories spy / Some shadows of eternity.” This demonstrates that for Vaughan, nature was a pathway to the divine. Even “weaker glories”—the beauty of clouds or flowers—could reveal “shadows of eternity,” suggesting that God’s presence permeated all creation. This echoes a common theme in metaphysical poetry, where the physical world is seen as a reflection of the spiritual realm.
The Fall from Grace
The poem shifts in tone as Vaughan describes the process of growing older and losing that initial connection to God. He describes learning to fancy aught but a white, celestial thought and acquiring the ability to wound his conscience with a sinful sound. This signifies a fall from innocence, a turning away from the divine toward worldly concerns and moral failings. The phrase “black art” used to describe the ability to sin is particularly evocative, suggesting a deliberate and conscious embrace of evil. The imagery of “dispense several sins to every sense” highlights how deeply ingrained sin becomes, affecting all aspects of his being.
The Yearning for Return
The latter half of the poem is dominated by a profound longing to return to that lost state of grace. “O, how I long to travel back, / And tread again that ancient track!” This expresses a deep regret for the choices that led him away from God. The “ancient track” symbolizes the path of innocence and spiritual clarity, a path he desperately wants to retrace. The imagery of travel reinforces the idea that regaining spiritual connection requires a deliberate journey back to one’s roots.
The Metaphor of the Drunken Soul
The line “But, ah! my soul with too much stay / Is drunk, and staggers in the way” introduces a powerful metaphor. Vaughan compares his soul to a drunken traveler, lost and unsteady. This suggests that prolonged immersion in worldly concerns has clouded his judgment and weakened his spiritual resolve. The image is particularly effective because it conveys a sense of helplessness and the difficulty of regaining clarity.
The Rejection of Forward Progress
The final stanza presents a surprising conclusion. “Some men a forward motion love; / But I by backward steps would move.” Vaughan rejects the conventional notion of progress and expresses a desire to move backwards in time, to recapture the innocence of his youth. This reinforces the central theme of the poem and suggests that true fulfillment lies not in achieving worldly success, but in returning to one’s spiritual origins. The concluding lines, “And when this dust falls to the urn, / In that state I came, return,” express a longing for complete spiritual renewal, even if it means returning to the state of innocence before birth.
Literary and Poetic Devices in “The Retreat”
- Metaphor and Symbolism: As discussed, childhood functions as an extended metaphor for spiritual purity and innocence. Symbols like “light” and “darkness” reinforce this theme.
- Imagery: Vaughan utilizes vivid imagery throughout the poem, appealing to the senses and creating a powerful emotional impact. Examples include “gilded cloud,” “shady city of palm trees,” and the image of a “drunken” soul.
- Allusion: The poem subtly alludes to biblical themes of the Fall and the desire for redemption.
- Assonance and Consonance: The repetition of vowel and consonant sounds (“Shined in my angel infancy,” “black art”) creates a musical quality and emphasizes certain words and phrases.
- Enjambment: The use of enjambment—the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next—creates a flowing rhythm and mimics the natural flow of thought.
“The Retreat” remains a compelling and timeless exploration of the human longing for spiritual connection. Through its evocative imagery, profound metaphors, and sincere emotional honesty, the poem continues to resonate with readers seeking to understand the complexities of faith, innocence, and the search for meaning in a world often marked by loss and disillusionment.