Use of Imagery in Hopkins’ Poems

Answer

Comment on the use of imagery in Hopkins’ poems you have read. 

Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844 – 1889) is renowned for his vivid and innovative use of imagery in his poetry. His ability to paint pictures with words allows readers to feel his subjects deeply. This skill is an iconic feature of his work. He makes his poems resonate with readers through their striking visual and sensory details.

Nature Imagery: Hopkins has a deep appreciation for nature. This is reflected in his poems. In “The Windhover” (1918), he describes a bird, specifically a falcon, flying. He uses words like, 

dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon

Hopkins paints a picture of the bird against the morning sky. The movement of the bird is captured vividly. This makes readers feel like they are watching the bird fly. In “Pied Beauty” (1918), Hopkins celebrates the variety and beauty of nature. He compares the sky to the speckled hide of a cow. He also talks about spots on a fish. These images highlight the diversity and beauty of the natural world.

Religious Imagery: Hopkins was a deeply religious man. In “The Windhover” (1918), the bird’s flight is seen as a metaphor for Christ’s power and majesty. Hopkins refers to the bird as “Christ our Lord”. He admires its strength and grace. He sees it as a symbol of divine beauty and energy. In “Felix Randal” (1918), the blacksmith’s life and death are viewed through a religious lens. It reflects on the “sweet reprieve and ransom” of his soul.

Sensory Imagery: Hopkins’s poetry is rich with sensory details that appeal to sight, sound, touch, and taste. In “Spring and Fall: to a Young Child” (1918), the falling leaves are described with words like “Goldengrove unleaving,”. This helps readers visualize the changing colours of the season. The sound of leaves falling can almost be heard in the background. In “The Windhover,” he describes the bird’s movements with dynamic imagery: 

How he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing.

These descriptions engage the reader’s senses. It makes the experiences described feel immediate and real.

Human and Physical Imagery: Hopkins often uses imagery to depict human experiences and emotions. “Felix Randal” deals with the physicality of the blacksmith’s work and his eventual decline. He mentions the physical description of Felix Randal in such a way,

big-boned and hardy-handsome

He paints a vivid picture of Felix’s physical presence and strength. In “Spring and Fall,” Hopkins focuses on the child Margaret’s emotional and physical reaction to the changing seasons. This reflects the universal human experience of loss and grief.

Imagery of Change and Decay: Change and decay are central themes in many of Hopkins’ poems. In “Spring and Fall,” the imagery of falling leaves symbolizes the passage of time and the inevitability of decay. Hopkins says,

Ah! as the heart grows older 

It will come to such sights colder

This line connects the natural cycle of the seasons to human mortality. In “Felix Randal,” the decline of the blacksmith’s health is depicted. Hopkins describes his physical condition using the phrase,

Sickness broke him.

This reflects on the impermanence of human life. These images remind readers of the transient nature of existence.

In termination, Gerard Manley Hopkins’ mastery of imagery is a hallmark of his poetry. His ability to create vivid, dynamic, and sensory-rich images draws readers into his world. Through his innovative use of imagery, Hopkins paints pictures with words. He invites readers to see, feel, and experience the profound beauty and complexity of life and faith.