The Retreat by Henry Vaughan

About the Poet – Henry Vaughan

· Henry Vaughan (1621–1695) was a Welsh metaphysical poet.

· Belonged to the same school of poetry as John Donne and George Herbert.

· Deeply influenced by religion, spirituality, nature, and mysticism.

· Often called “The Silurist” because he came from the Silures region of Wales.

· His poetry blends Christian faith, nostalgia, childhood innocence, and mystical experiences.

· Strongly inspired by George Herbert, especially in his religious poems.

· His major works include Silex Scintillans (1650, 1655), Olor Iscanus, and many devotional poems.

· “The Retreat” is one of his most famous poems expressing longing for lost childhood innocence.

Prescribed Poem Publication Details

· Title: The Retreat

· Poet: Henry Vaughan

· First Published: 1650 in Silex Scintillans (Part I)

· Genre: Metaphysical / Devotional / Religious lyric

· Theme: Innocence of childhood, purity of the soul, desire to return to a spiritual state

· Form: Lyric poem

· Rhyme Scheme: AA BB CC… (mostly couplets)

· Meter: Iambic tetrameter (mostly)

Poem Text

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.

Detailed Summary

Although the poem is continuous, we can divide it into two clear parts based on meaning.

Part 1: Lines 1–20 – Longing for Childhood Innocence

The poet remembers his childhood as a time of perfect purity and spiritual closeness to God. He calls it “angel infancy,” meaning he felt almost like an angel—free from sin, full of innocence, and close to heaven.

He says that when he was a child, he did not understand the world (“this place appointed for my second race”), nor did he know how to think sinful or worldly thoughts. His mind was filled only with pure and heavenly ideas (“white, celestial thought”).

He had not moved far from God, his “first love.” When he looked back at his early life, he felt he could almost see God’s bright face behind him.
His soul could spend hours admiring clouds or flowers and find in them “shadows of eternity”—little hints of heaven.

He had not yet learned to use his tongue to commit sin, nor had he learned to indulge every sense in sinful pleasures. Instead, he felt divine sparks (“bright shoots of everlastingness”) shining through his human body. This shows that he believed children are naturally close to God.

Part 2: Lines 21–32 – Desire to Return to Spiritual Purity

In the second part, Vaughan expresses a strong desire to go back to the pure state of his childhood. He wants to walk again on that “ancient track,” the path of innocence and nearness to God.

He wishes to reach the “plain” where he first separated from his heavenly companions—his “glorious train.”
He believes that from this spiritual place, the soul can see the “city of palm trees,” a symbol of eternal peace and heaven (possibly a reference to the Bible).

But he admits that his soul, now corrupted by worldly life, is drunk and unsteady. It staggered away from the path of purity.

While most people want to move forwards in life, gaining success, wealth, or status, Vaughan wants to move backward—back to innocence, purity, and God.

He ends by saying that when he dies (“this dust falls to the urn”), he hopes to return to the same pure state in which he came into the world.

Themes of the Poem

1. Theme of Childhood Innocence

One of the most important themes of The Retreat is the purity and innocence of childhood. Vaughan believes that childhood is a sacred stage of life when the soul is closest to God. In childhood, the soul is free from sin, pride, and worldly desires. The poet recalls a time when his soul was “angelic” and full of divine light. He believes that during infancy, the soul still remembers heaven and enjoys spiritual purity.

The poet contrasts this innocence with adult life, which is full of corruption, temptation, and moral fall. Childhood, therefore, represents a state of spiritual perfection.

2. Theme of Pre-existence of the Soul

Another major theme of the poem is the pre-existence of the soul. Vaughan follows the Platonic idea that the soul exists with God before coming to earth. According to him, the soul comes from heaven and carries a memory of divine glory.

When the poet speaks of “angel infancy” and “first love,” he means the soul’s earlier life with God. The poet believes that before birth, the soul lived in God’s presence and was pure and divine. Earthly life is seen as a fall from that heavenly state.

3. Theme of Spiritual Loss and Longing for Return

The poem expresses a deep sense of loss and longing. The poet feels sad because he has moved away from his original spiritual purity. As he grows older, he becomes involved in worldly pleasures and sins, which separate him from God.

He strongly desires to return to that earlier spiritual state. This longing is not physical but spiritual. He wishes to go back to the divine path and regain the innocence of childhood. His desire to “travel back” symbolizes spiritual repentance and return to God.

4. Theme of Corruption of the Adult World

Vaughan presents adult life as corrupt and sinful. He says that with age, the soul learns to commit sin and the tongue learns to speak falsely. Worldly knowledge and experience pollute the soul.

He contrasts this with childhood, when the soul was pure and untouched by sin. The adult world is associated with temptation, moral fall, and spiritual blindness, while childhood represents purity and divine closeness.

5. Theme of Spiritual Journey and Salvation

The poem also deals with the idea of a spiritual journey. Life is seen as a journey away from God, and salvation lies in returning to Him. The poet does not wish to move forward in worldly success but wants to move backward spiritually—to God.

The final lines suggest that true peace can be achieved only after death, when the soul returns to its original divine home. Thus, the poem reflects Christian mysticism and religious devotion.

STRUCTURE OF THE POEM

1. Form and Stanza Pattern

“The Retreat” is written in two stanzas of unequal length.
The poem follows a lyrical form, expressing personal emotions and spiritual reflections.

The poem flows like a meditation or prayer rather than a logical argument. The tone is reflective, emotional, and devotional.

2. Rhyme Scheme

The poem follows a rhyming couplet pattern, mainly AABB, which gives it a musical and smooth flow.
The regular rhyme reflects the calm and meditative mood of the poem.

3. Language and Style

The language of the poem is:

· Simple and musical

· Rich in religious imagery

· Full of symbolic expressions

Words like angel, celestial, eternity, glorious train, and palm trees suggest heaven and spiritual purity.

4. Use of Imagery and Symbolism

Vaughan uses powerful imagery to express spiritual ideas:

· Light symbolizes divine knowledge

· Journey symbolizes the soul’s movement away from God

· Childhood symbolizes innocence and closeness to God

· Backward movement symbolizes repentance and return

These images give the poem a mystical and philosophical depth.

5. Movement of Thought

The structure of the poem follows a clear emotional movement:

1. Joyful memory of childhood innocence

2. Realization of spiritual loss

3. Deep longing to return to God

4. Acceptance that return is possible only through death

This progression makes the poem emotionally powerful and spiritually meaningful.

MCQs with Answers

1. Who wrote “The Retreat”?

a) John Donne
b) George Herbert
c) Henry Vaughan
d) Andrew Marvell
Answer: c) Henry Vaughan

2. When was “The Retreat” first published?

a) 1600
b) 1633
c) 1650
d) 1700
Answer: c) 1650

3. “Angel infancy” refers to—

a) Physical beauty
b) Spiritual purity of childhood
c) Wealthy childhood
d) Knowledge and learning
Answer: b) Spiritual purity of childhood

4. “First love” in the poem refers to—

a) A girl from childhood
b) God
c) Nature
d) Family
Answer: b) God

5. “Bright shoots of everlastingness” means—

a) Sparks of sin
b) Moments of joy
c) Glimpses of eternal life
d) Fireworks
Answer: c) Glimpses of eternal life

6. What does the poet wish to “travel back” to?

a) School
b) His birthplace
c) Childhood innocence
d) A forest
Answer: c) Childhood innocence

7. “City of palm trees” symbolizes—

a) London
b) Paradise / Heaven
c) A desert
d) A dream city
Answer: b) Paradise / Heaven

8. According to Vaughan, growing older makes the soul—

a) Strong
b) Drunk and weak
c) Pure
d) Powerful
Answer: b) Drunk and weak

9. “Backward steps” refers to—

a) Walking backwards physically
b) Returning to childhood purity
c) Getting lost
d) Running away
Answer: b) Returning to childhood purity

10. What will happen when “this dust falls to the urn”?

a) He will become rich
b) He will be reborn
c) He will return to his original pure state
d) Nothing will happen
Answer: c) He will return to his original pure state

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Vaughan mean by “angel infancy”?

“Angel infancy” refers to the poet’s childhood, which he believes was pure, innocent, and close to God. He felt spiritual light within him during those early days. In childhood, the soul has not yet learned sin or worldly desires. Thus, infancy is compared to that of an angel—spotless and divine.

2. Why does the poet call childhood a time of spiritual closeness?

The poet recalls that as a child, he could easily sense God’s presence and feel eternal joy. Clouds, flowers, and nature reminded him of heaven. He had not yet committed sins or experienced moral corruption. Therefore, childhood represents a time when the soul is nearest to its divine origin.

3. Explain the meaning of “bright shoots of everlastingness.”

This phrase refers to flashes or sparks of eternal spiritual energy that the poet could feel within himself as a child. He believed that the human soul carries hints of immortality. These “shoots” are glimpses of heavenly purity shining through the physical body.

4. Why does the poet wish to “travel back”?

Vaughan wants to return to the innocence and spiritual purity of childhood. As an adult, he feels burdened by sin and worldly experiences. He believes that going backward—towards his original, pure state—is the only way to regain closeness to God. This backward journey symbolizes spiritual renewal.

5. What does the poet hope will happen after death?

The poet hopes that when his body dies (“dust falls to the urn”), his soul will return to the same pure and innocent state it had at birth. He believes death will free him from the sinful world and restore him to a divine, eternal condition.