God's Grandeur Flashcards
What does the phrase ‘The world is charged with the grandeur of God’ imply?
It suggests that the world is metaphorically electrified by a divine essence, indicating that God’s grandeur is an active force permeating all creation.
What does the simile ‘like shining from shook foil’ convey?
It invokes a moment of divine effulgence, emphasizing the transitory nature of divine revelations and the tension between God’s grandeur and His permanent presence.
What does the simile ‘like the ooze of oil / Crushed’ suggest about divine grandeur?
It underscores the gradual accumulation of divine grandeur, implying that it builds over time rather than being an immediate revelation.
What is the significance of the rhetorical question ‘Why do men then now not reck his rod?’
It interrogates humanity’s moral insensitivity and spiritual negligence, emphasizing the failure to acknowledge divine sovereignty.
What does the anaphora ‘have trod’ illustrate?
It evokes the unrelenting passage of time and highlights the exhausting regularity of human labor, reflecting a cycle of spiritual degeneration.
What do the adjectives ‘seared,’ ‘bleared,’ and ‘smeared’ represent?
They form a synesthetic palette of pollution that highlights the moral and material degradation resulting from human actions.
What does the phrase ‘wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell’ imply?
It suggests that humanity’s sins have left a mark on the natural world, symbolizing moral impurity and aesthetic degradation.
What does ‘nor can foot feel, being shod’ symbolize?
It symbolizes spiritual atrophy, indicating a disconnection from the divine and the sacredness of nature due to material absorption.
What does the phrase ‘all is longed for, loved, and will not be forgotten’ express?
It introduces an existential longing for divine communion, highlighting dissatisfaction with the material world.
What does the description of heaven as ‘soot black’ signify?
It suggests that divine light is obscured by human sin, rendering divine transcendence inaccessible.
What does the desire to see angels ‘walk’ symbolize?
It symbolizes a spiritual disjunction, emphasizing the absence of divine revelation and the alienation from divine providence.
What does the phrase ‘the beauty, the grandeur, the gift / Never to be returned’ imply?
It implies an irrevocable grace from God that, once bestowed, cannot be undone by human action.
What does ‘the voice that offers the feast’ represent?
It symbolizes divine invitation to grace, highlighting existential ambivalence regarding humanity’s ability to accept this gift.
What historical context influenced God’s Grandeur?
God’s Grandeur was written during the height of the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th century, a period marked by rapid industrialization and environmental degradation.
How does Hopkins critique industrialization in God’s Grandeur?
Hopkins critiques industrialization by juxtaposing divine grandeur with the environmental ruin caused by factories and urbanization.
What does the poem’s focus on God’s presence in nature signify?
It contrasts sharply with the materialism of the industrial age, where nature was often viewed as a resource to be exploited.
What moral and political tensions characterized Victorian England?
The Victorian era was marked by tensions between progressivism and traditional values, with social movements calling for reform in response to poor working conditions.
What economic changes did the Industrial Revolution bring?
The Industrial Revolution transformed economies, creating wealth for some while leading to worker exploitation and environmental harm.
How does Hopkins address economic priorities in God’s Grandeur?
He critiques the pollution and exploitation of nature, contrasting it with the divine beauty of creation.
What does the tarnishing of the world symbolize in the poem?
It symbolizes the corruption of purity due to industrial capitalism and the unequal distribution of wealth.
How does Hopkins’s Catholic faith influence his poetry?
His faith deeply influences his worldview, reflecting a belief in God’s presence in the natural world and the possibility of divine renewal.
What central theme is expressed in God’s Grandeur?
The poem’s central theme is the invisible but powerful presence of God in the beauty of the world, despite its degradation.
What duality does Hopkins evoke in his poem?
He presents the duality of human fallibility and destruction alongside God’s redemptive force in nature.
What societal changes occurred due to the Industrial Revolution?
Urbanization led to poor living conditions and a disconnection from nature, with nature viewed merely as a resource.
How does Hopkins seek to reconnect humanity with nature?
He criticizes society’s treatment of nature and attempts to reclaim spiritual values in a materialistic world.
What personal struggles did Hopkins face in his life?
He struggled between his intellectual and spiritual self, seeking reconciliation of faith and artistry.
How does Hopkins’s role as a priest inform his poetry?
His spiritual depth is reflected in his optimistic view of nature and belief in divine redemption.
What artistic influences are present in God’s Grandeur?
While not directly associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Hopkins shares similarities in emphasizing sensory and symbolic aspects of nature.
What is unique about Hopkins’s use of poetic form?
He employs sprung rhythm, creating a musicality that enhances the religious themes of the poem.
How does Hopkins’s view of nature differ from Romantic poets?
Unlike Romantic poets who idealized nature, Hopkins acknowledges its corruption while affirming hope in divine renewal.
