Gerald Manley Hopkins

Analytical Essay # 107441

Literature > Poetry

This paper discusses the innovations of famous poet, Gerald Manley Hopkins.

1,196 words () | 3 sources | MLA | 2006 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that Gerald Manley Hopkins' use of vocabulary, rhythm techniques and innovative poetry writing styles makes him one of the most influential poets in history. The paper explains Hopkins' innovations of sprung rhythm, his use of vocabulary and rhyme and his idea of 'inscape' and 'instress', two words to describe the inner nature of his poetry.

From the Paper:

"Gerald Manley Hopkins was born in Stratford, England in 1844. His father was a writer of poetry and technical books, so one can see where he got his unique gift of poetry. As a young boy, he already showed a great attraction to poetry, and he received many awards throughout his school career. His life had a great impact upon his poetry. He converted to Roman Catholic at the age of twenty-two, and was estranged from his family. He ended up burning many of his early poems because he felt poetry was not the proper selection for a serious religious man."

Sample of Sources Used:

Hartman, Geoffrey H. Hopkins: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Inc., 1966.
"Gerald Manley Hopkins." Critical Survey of Poetry. Volume 3. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press Inc., 2003.
Mackenzie, Norman H. A Reader's Guide to Gerald Manley Hopkins. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1981.