How is the blacksmith compared to the horse in “Felix Randal”? 

Answer

How is the blacksmith compared to the horse in “Felix Randal”? 

M. Hopkins’ (1844-1889) poem “Felix Randal” (written in 1880) shows the life and death of a blacksmith named Felix. In this poem, Felix Randal is compared to the horse. He used to make shoes for horses when he was strong and healthy. 

Felix’s Strength Like the Horse: Felix Randal was a strong, big man before his illness. In this poem, the horse is a symbol. A horse is a big and strong animal. So, the horse becomes the symbol of Felix Randal’s strength and youthful energy. The poet says Felix was a:

“Mould of man, big-boned and hardy-handsome.”

This means Felix was powerful and looked healthy. Felix used to shoe “the great grey drayhorse.” A drayhorse is a big, strong horse that can pull heavy loads. So, Felix was strong and powerful like a drayhorse before his illness.

Horseshoes: Felix Randal was a farrier. This means he was a blacksmith who forged horseshoes. He handled heavy work. The horseshoes he made were also hardy like him. 

Significance: Both Felix and the horse were strong, powerful, and hardworking. They worked hard and carried out their duties with energy. But strength does not last forever. Just like the horse will become weak one day, Felix also became sick, weak, and died.

In conclusion, we can say Felix Randal is compared to a horse to show his youthful energy. The poem shows that strength and power are temporary, and death can come for anybody at any time.