- 1. Megan SmithFinal ProjectProfessor KellermanENG 203, Spring
2013
2. Gerard Manley HopkinsThe world is charged with thegrandeur of
God~ Gods Grandeur (1918) 3. Brief Biography Gerard Manley Hopkins
Born 28 July 1844;Stratford, Essex,England Died 8 June 1889 One of
nine children Attended OxfordCollege Convert to the CatholicFaith
Ordained Jesuit Priest in1870 Expressed and exploredthe natural
world throughpoetry, music and art Suffered depressiveepisodes
throughout hislife 4. Victorian Priestand Poet Work reminiscent of
theRomanic Period Embodies the conflict betweenthe grandeur of
creation andencroaching Industrialization Particular attention to
majesticanguish found in nature andspirituality 5. Addressing
Tensions of the EraGods Grandeur (1918)Generations have trod,
havetrod, have trod;And all is seared withtrade; bleared, smeared
withtoil;And wears mans smudgeand shares mans smell: thesoilIs bare
now, nor can footfeel, being shod.Perhaps most important was the
shiftfrom a way of life based on ownershipof land to a modern urban
economybased on trade and manufacturing. Bythe beginning of the
Victorian period,the Industrial Revolution, as this shiftwas
called, had created profoundeconomic and social changes, includinga
mass migration of workers toindustrial towns, where they lived
innew urban slums. ~Norton Anthology Website 6. Themes in Hopkins
PoetryVivid Imagery Surprising word-choices Unusual use
ofalliteration Grounded in thenatural worldSpiritual Dimension
Addresses the beautyand anguish concurrentin the spiritual
andnatural world Detrimental effects ofIndustrialization
Confessional aspect ofpersonal doubt and sin 7. One day when the
bluebells were in bloom I wrote the following. I do notthink I have
ever seen anything more beautiful than the bluebell I havebeen
looking at. I know the beauty of our Lord by it. Its inscape is
mixedof strength and grace, like an ash tree.Journal, May 12 1870
8. Sprung Rhythm Highly innovativeprosody Defied traditionalforms
of meter Based on olderrhythmic structure ofthe
Anglo-Saxontradition Forerunner of freeverse Sprung rhythm
stressessyllables, creatingunusual pauses (likemusical rests) and
aslowing emphasis onphrases in a line Hear a reading of "Spring
andFall" from the NortonAnthology Website 9. Hear HopkinsPoetry
Read AloudRichard Burton reads GerardManley Hopkins poemThe Leaden
Echo& The Golden EchoClick here. 10. Spring and Fall: To aYoung
Child (1880) Spring and Fall (To a Yound Child) is aseasonally
appropriate theme, as thenarrator witnesses the spring and fallof a
childs consciousness flashbefore his eyes. The childs conceptof
mortality moves from theinnocence of spring and freshthoughts, to
the fall of death andgrief entering the childs life as shewatches
the Goldengroveunleaving. Though the process ofrealization might be
preverbal in thechild, though the adult narratorsmind we see it
unfold; the adult candismiss the dying blanket of leaves,but knows
that sorrows springs arethe same and the child is forevermarked by
the knowledge of death,eventually her own. The ending fallsas
softly as a leaf, though, and thegentle images show a reverence
forboth nature and life that is ultimatelyaffirming yet also deeply
sorrowfulover mans blight--this reality thateach of us must carry
andexperience.Short Analysis from ENG 203Megan Smith 11. Hear a
MusicalArrangement ofHopkins PoemNatalie Merchant singsSpring and
Fallon her albumLeave Your Sleep (2010)Click here. 12. Links
Letters of Gerard Manley Hopkins and audioof his poetry from Poetry
Foundation Victorian Webs discussion of Spring andFall and Hopkins
use of language Norton Anthologys Introduction to theVictorian Era
Audio Reading of Spring and Fall fromNorton Anthology website
Natalie Merchants musical arrangement ofSpring and FallResources
for further reading aboutHopkins work
