(Basically same as regular post but with audio of me reading poem…I am still trying to figure this out so if you have any idea how it works, shoot me an email!)
God’s Grandeur
The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.
And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.
Gerard Manley Hopkins: 1844-1889, English convert, Jesuit, poet
Born in Stratford, Essex, England on July 28, 1844, Gerard Manley Hopkins is considered one of the greatest poets of the Victorian era. Much loved by family and friends, Hopkins was intelligent, sensitive, and pious with a great love for the natural world. He studied Greek and Latin at Oxford, receiving a “First” in his final exams.
In 1866, Hopkins converted to Roman Catholicism, a decision which left him alienated from his Anglican family and friends. Despite the pain caused by this rift, Hopkins eventually entered the novitiate for the Society of Jesus and was ordained a Jesuit in 1877.
During the first seven years of his priestly studies, Hopkins gave up poetry, believing that it interfered with his vocation. In 1875, he took up poetry again, writing some of the most original and beautiful poetry of the Victorian era.
During his lifetime, Hopkins suffered much from loneliness, depression, and overwork that lead to poor health. He died in 1889 at the age of 45 of typhoid.
Hopkins’ poetry was often misunderstood during his lifetime and only a few of his poems were published while he was alive. His good friend Robert Bridges collected and edited his poems, publishing a volume entitled Poems in 1918. Hopkins influence steadily grew throughout the early 20th century and now he is considered one of the greatest, most original, and influential English poets.
The following sonnet was written in 1877. Read it aloud to fully experience the music and rhythm of the poem. You might even try memorizing it!
Note, that Hopkins uses several poetic techniques in this poem, including alliteration (the repetition of consonants at the beginning of neighboring words) and assonance (the repetition of vowel sounds within neighboring words). Hopkins uses quite a bit of these two techniques, as well as others, to create a powerful emotional response in the reader.
When reciting the poem aloud, try to focus on how the repetition of sounds and the rhythm of the poem affect you.
Some points to reflect upon as you read the poem:
Recite the poem aloud and note the repetition of various sounds
What words strike you as you read the poem?
What do you think he is trying to say about the modern world and man’s role in it in this poem?
What do you think he might be saying about God?
Focus on line 5 and note the effect of the repetition of “trod”
Do you notice any differences between the first stanza (first 8 lines) and the second stanza (last 6 lines)? Tone? Word choice?
If you are interested in learning more about Hopkins and his poetry, please check out these online resources:
https://hopkinspoetry.com
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/gerard-manley-hopkins
https://poets.org/poet/gerard-manley-hopkins
Some additional questions to consider:
Why do you think Hopkins used those particular words instead of others?
What is Hopkins communicating in the first stanza (first 8 lines)?
What do you think he’s communicating in the second stanza (last 6 lines)?
What differences do you sense in the language and imagery Hopkins uses in each stanza?
What do these changes tell you about the meaning of the poem?
Share this post