The Speaker

The speaker of "The Altar" is unnamed as he addresses God from the first-person perspective. Herbert is well-known for his devotional poetry in which a first-person speaker puzzles over, grapples with, or expresses dedication to Christian life. In "The Altar," the speaker presents the poem as a type of offering to God, emphasizing his own lowliness compared to the divine. The poem signifies the speaker's worship and his desire to labor and sacrifice for the glory of God.

God

"The Altar" is addressed to God, and as such the speaker communicates with a reverential and prostrate tone. The speaker praises God for His power to create and shape humanity, while underscoring his own imperfections as a sinner. By the end of the poem, the speaker presents the poem itself as an emblem of the sacrifice he hopes to make to show his dedication to God as God...