By englishedition 
We have given here detailed paraphrase of the poem The Collar by George Herbert. This line by line interpretation will surely help you to understand English literature in a better way.
Paraphrase of the Poem The Collar Line by Line
Lines 1-6
I struck God’s dinner table in protest, and I shouted, “I shall have no more of this life of slavery. I shall leave this place and go somewhere else to lead a life of freedom. How is it possible that I should continue to lead a life of desires and longings which can never bring satisfaction here in the service of God and the Church? I want to lead a life of liberty, free from all restraints. I want to be as free as the road. Besides I want a life as independent as the wind, and as liberal as a rich store-hose. Why should I always remain in a position of servitude to the Church and to God?
Lines 7-12
Am I here to have no reward of any kind, and am I to be all the time pierced by a thorn which makes me bleed? Am I to get no offer of nourishing fruit which can restore to me what I have lost by giving up a secular life of pleasure? Surely there must have been wine to drink before I took to this religious life. It has made me sigh with longing all the time and as a result of which all the wine simply dried up. There must have been plenty of food-grains available before I took to this religious life which made me shed
tears all the time thus drowning these food grains.
Lines 13-18
Am I only one to have lost a whole year of my life in leading this life of self-denial while others enjoy worldly pleasures? Am I to have no laurels to crown my life, no flowers, and no gay garlands? Is my life blighted then? Has my life O my heart. All is not lost yet been completely wasted? There is still fruit available, and I still have the use of my hands. With these I can pluck the fruit and eat it instead of continuing to lead a life of renunciation.
Lines 19-26
There is still a chance for me to regain the time which I have wasted in vain longings and sighs of disappointment. I can make up for that lost time by enjoyed double the pleasures which I would normally have enjoyed. Let me give up debating with myself as to what is good for me and what is not good for me; let me discard the cold logic with which I keep arguing whether or not I should enjoy the pleasures of life. I should come out of this cage of religious piety and throw away all restraints. Let me get rid of those flimsy bonds which my petty thoughts, had created and which got the appearance of a strong rope to force and draw me and to serve me as a guide for my conduct, while I closed my eyes, shutting out the reality from my eyes.
Lines 27-32
Let me get away from the Church and the religious life. I may have to take a warning, and become free from the restraints of this life. Let me no longer pay heed to a dead man’s skull which frightens us with the thought of death. Let me tie up my fears in a bundle in order to get rid of them, instead of keeping myself tied up in this kind of life. He has patience enough to lead a life of servitude. It is to serve his own need, deserves his burden, and can never get free.
Lines 33-36
But as I talked in this way in the manner of a madman. I became more and more indignant and wild every word. It seemed to me that someone called out to me saying: “Child, do not become so rash”. And in reply to that voice I said: “My Lord, I am sorry to have spoken in this manner. I bow to you in humble submission.”
SUMMARY OF THE POEM – THE COLLAR