Gerard Manley Hopkins :: essays research papers

Gerard Manley HopkinsEveryone is destined to be great for a moment in their lives. For GerardManley Hopkins this was difficult. Gerard was a poet that came way before his term and people didnt realize the power he had with words.Gerard Manley Hopkins was one of the most original poets to write inEnglish at any time period. He only lived for 45 years and only had trio ofhis poems published during his lifetime. Gerard was torn between his love ofGod and his love of poetry.Gerard Manley Hopkins, born on July 28 1844, was the eldest of eightchildren of a London marine policy adjuster. Besides writing books aboutmarine insurance Gerards father, Manley, also wrote a volume of poetry. Hismother on the other hand was a very pietistical person. She was actively involved inthe church and impressed her religion on Gerard. He attended Highgate Schoolwhere his talent for poetry was first sh take. Some sources offer he won as many asseven contests while enrolled at Highgate.Gerard in 1864 enro lled at Balliol College, at Oxford, to Read Greats(classics, ancient history, and philosophy). At this time in his life he wantedto become a painter, like one of his siblings. His plans changed when he, andthree of his friends were drawn in to Catholicism. He was received by the perform of Newman in October of 1866. After having taken a first class degree in1867, he taught at the Oratory School, Birmingham. Two years later he decidedto become a Jesuit when he burned all his verses as too worldly. When heentered as a Jesuit he wrote no poems. although the though of crossing the twovocations constantly crossed his mind. Then in 1875 he told his superior howmoved he felt by the wreck of the Deutschland, a ship carrying five nuns exiledfrom Germany. His superior expressed his wish that someone would write a poemabout it. Hopkins having his motive wrote his first major work. He direct hispoem to long time friend Robert Bridges who was put off by the poem and calledit presumptuous juggel ry. But Hopkins stood his ground, knowing he hadsomething of worth. His poem brought together his own conversion and the chiefsnuns transfiguring death. Gods wrath and Gods love with the face of anepigram. Hopkins faith was a source of anguish. He said he neer wavered in it,but that he never felt worthy of it.Hopkins felt that language must divorce itself from such archaisms asere, oer, wellnigh, whattime, and saynot.