# The Soul explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.

## What happens

This chapter is a poetic meditation on the immeasurable worth of the human soul. It argues that no earthly wealth, fame, or joy can outweigh the value of a deathless soul, and that all material treasures are lighter than dust when weighed against immortal worth.

## Themes in this chapter

### Faith and Divine Justice

The poem emphasizes the eternal, divine worth of the soul, suggesting a moral and spiritual balance that transcends earthly measures.

### Hope and Redemption

The focus on the soul's deathless nature and its ultimate value offers a hopeful perspective on human worth beyond material circumstances.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The narrator speaks in first person, calling for the weighing of earthly treasures against the soul.

## Key lines

> Bring forth the balance, let the weight be gold! We’d know the worth of a deathless soul

Set up the scales and use gold as the counterweight, for we want to measure the value of an immortal soul.

_Opening lines establishing the central metaphor of weighing the soul against worldly riches._

> Lighter than dust is the wealth of earth, Weighed in the scales with immortal worth.

All the riches of the world are lighter than dust when compared to the value of an immortal soul.

_Conclusion that earthly wealth is insignificant next to the soul's eternal worth._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-soul
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_7_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters