Pied Beauty : Quotations
Pied Beauty is a notable literary work by Gerard Manley Hopkins. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Pied Beauty.
Quotations
“Glory be to God for dappled things –”
Explanation: The poet begins the poem by praising God for creating things that are not plain or uniform, but mixed in color, shape, or pattern. He finds beauty in their variety.
“Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;”
Explanation: Here, the poet gives examples of natural things that have spotted or colorful appearances—like chestnut fruits that fall and birds’ wings with beautiful patterns. These show nature’s variety.
“All things counter, original, spare, strange;”
Explanation: The poet praises God for not just beautiful or common things, but also for things that are strange, opposite, rare, or different. He sees beauty in their uniqueness.
“He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:”
Explanation: The poet says that though the world is full of change and variety, God Himself is unchanging. He creates all diversity, but He remains constant and perfect.
“Praise Him.”
Explanation: The poet ends the poem with a simple but powerful call to praise God, who is the source of all beauty, variety, and life.
“Swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim.”
Explanation: The poet is showing contrast in nature. Things can be fast or slow, sweet or sour, bright or dull. Still, they are all beautiful in their own way. Hopkins celebrates this variety and opposites as a part of God’s wonderful creation.