The Collar (symbol)
The collar does not appear in the poem itself, but only in the title. However, it is a potent symbol nonetheless. Its most obvious, immediate meaning is confinement and constraint, like the collars worn by chained prisoners or dogs. However, Dale B. J. Randall suggests that the “collar” has multifaceted meanings, relating to homonyms include “caller” and “choler” (one who calls, and the humor that causes anger). Therefore, the symbol might be read to demonstrate both the constraint and the possibility present in religious submission.
The harvest (motif)
During his rant, the speaker complains that he has had “no harvest” except for “a thorn.” He believes that, after planting the seeds of religious devotion, he has not received the harvest he expected. When the speaker’s second voice interjects, it reminds him that “there is fruit.” The harvest, therefore, can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual “fruits” or rewards that are reaped in heaven.
The cage (symbol)
The speaker’s second internal voice (the will) states that his own feelings of sadness are the result of a “cage” he had created on his own. This symbol relates to the poem’s titular collar as another image of confinement. However, in this case, the “cage” is not God’s law but worldly striving for pleasure and gain. God, then, provides freedom.
wine & corn (symbol)
The speaker not only complains of a poor harvest; he complains that his life no longer has wine or corn. In this context, these can be seen as a symbol of the sacrament. The speaker laments that he no longer feels a personal relationship with God. However, his second voice reminds him that this is still possible, as the poem’s ending further confirms.
