Finding Meaning In Nature - Poetry Explication

It is often associated with human nature to relate a situation to another or even find symbolism while comparing two ideas to each other; thus, the concept of finding deeper meanings within the use of nature in culture or art is more common that portrayed. For example, similar to musicians using symbolism of nature within their music to display emotion, poets and other artists have been using nature as a means of depicting the human condition since the beginnings of time. Embedding their art with connections to nature, William Wordsworth and Gerald Manley Hopkins wrote two beautiful poems heavily filled with nature references. However, while Wordsworth’s poem developed the theme of nature and its existence within his own life; Hopkins used nature as a connecting point to his greater context of religion. Therefore, the connections to nature itself was stronger within William Wordsworth’s poem, “My Heart Leaps Up” than Gerald Manley Hopkins’s “Spring”.

William Wordsworth’s, “My Heart Leaps Up”, is a short nine line poem explaining how the experience of a rainbow brings the speaker great joy. Followed by mentioning the three phases of life: childhood, adulthood, and old age, the speaker declares that if he no longer appreciates the simplistic beauty of nature, life is no longer worth living. Wordsworth’s complex paradox toward the closing lines of the poem: “The Child is father of the Man;” (“My Heart Leaps Up” 7), is symbolic for how the child within an individual stays within them throughout adulthood. Likewise, due to the enormous joy the speaker exhibits from the simple appearance of a rainbow, one could argue that it is human nature to react joyously toward nature itself; similar to a child’s common reaction of being happy about the little things in life. In addition, there is hope expressed in the closing lines by the speaker that he wishes his entire life to be bound natural admiration of nature; in fact, the statement Wordsworth boldly proclaims “And I could wish my days to be / Bound each to each by natural piety.” (“My Heart Leaps Up” 8-9). Thus, while this optimistic philosophy is established throughout “My Heart Leaps Up”, the greatest contributing factor is the symbolic and physical image the rainbow portrays. Complementary to keeping the joy of a child over the little things in life such as seeing a rainbow, the rainbow may also be the symbolic representation of the little things in life itself.

Comparatively, while Hopkins finds joy in nature in the poem “Spring”, he also expresses the imperfection of humans to be found within nature itself; almost as if comparing human’s natural instincts to nature while reasoning that free will was given by God, thus, differentiating humans to the natural world’s counterparts. The poem, while exhibiting strong metaphors and comparisons to nature, holds more of a religious connection and demonstration. “Spring” begins with establishing the symbol of rebirth and renewal of the earth; for example, “When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;” (2), portrays the weeds as an embodiment of spring’s motion and the movement of life during this season, thus, emphasizing the circular concept spring displays within the seasons and it’s repetition. The conclusion may be drawn from this line alone that similar to sin, it is a circular concept, even part of the natural order of things. Followed by “... and thrush  / Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring / The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;” (“Spring” 3-5), the metaphor of the thrush’s eggs being similar to “look little low heavens” (“Spring” 3) and the comparison of its voice symbolising a cleansing, brings attention that the speaker finds spring to be the one time Heaven and Earth collide. For emphasis, the line even uses the term “strike” with connection to God, thus, the resemblance to God’s two creations to be strikingly similar. Likewise, the “rinse and wring” gives the mental image of a physical cleaning of the self leading to irony that the celebration of Easter is also during spring time; therefore the connection can be drawn toward sinning and Jesus dying for sinners to spring time in general. The final greatest connection between Hopkins’ poem and it’s religious affiliation is “A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning / In Eden Garden. - Have, get, before it cloy, / Before it cloud,” (“Spring” 10-12); the context by bringing the idea of Eden is comparing it to the season of spring and enjoying it before it goes bad. Interestingly, when the speaker says “The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush / With richness;” (“Spring” 7-8), the idea that Heaven and Earth are conjoining seems to be present as well as Heaven feeding Earth beauty and richness; however, just as Hopkins’ believes all good things come to an end, he manages to add in that it all occurs in a rush, thus, spring being too blissfully short and when summer comes it becomes rotten. Furthermore, Hopkins’ goes on in a prayer-like manner, “Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,” (“Spring” 12), relating the concept of sour fruit before ripening in spring and then becoming rotten in summer to humans before Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice and then not appreciating it. Hence, while there are certainly ample of connections to nature within Hopkins’ poem, it is more religiously embedded.

Accordingly, Wordsworth’s “My Heart Leaps Up” occupies a truer connection to nature by using nature as an actual representation for the appreciation of nature itself; whereas, Hopkins’ poem “Spring” has a superior religious context and embedded symbolism than that of nature. For example, the rainbow in “My Heart Leaps Up” is elevated at such a magnitude as both an image and a symbol that the speaker proclaims, “So be it when I shall grow old, / Or let me die!” (6). Such strong and bold words over the small matter of a rainbow if he was only talking about the physical rainbow; however, the rainbow itself signifies so much more than merely itself, it is a representation of all nature no matter its size and how it should impact the human mind appreciatively. Similarly, the appreciation of simplistic beauty is also portrayed through Wordsworth short and simple poem; the paradox of the complex simplicity nature holds may also be found within the very paradox Wordsworth makes within “My Heart Leaps Up”. Wordsworth, while portraying the theme of connecting to nature does so simply through his words of the poem but he also makes very obvious structure choices. For example, the beginning of the poem is the very title itself, followed by “when I behold” (“My Heart Leaps Up” 1), using the magestic term “behold”, foreshadowing the observation of nature in all it’s beauty. Similarly, the following line is indented, a brilliant way of portraying to the reader to leap their eyes to the next line; the thematic element is clearly developed, however the structure of the poem is again more complex than the simple poem, another paradox.

Meanwhile, Hopkins’ poem “Spring” contains complicated allusions to biblical concepts and ideas such as Jesus dying for human sin, the connection between the spring rotation with the repetition of sin, and the combination of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, although “Spring” clearly has numerous connections to nature, the emphasis itself is concentrated on religion and how it relates to the human experience. For instance, in the closing line of the first stanza, it is stated “... the racing lambs too have fair their fling.” (“Spring” 8) and in the same line format of the second stanza, it is said “Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,” (“Spring” 13). The comparative theme within these two lines is portraying innocence; lambs are commonly associated with innocence in biblical terms, as are children. Hopkins’ is stating that it is inevitable for innocence to be ruined while living life, and even pleas “Most, O maid’s child, they choice and worthy the winning.” (“Spring” 14) as the final line; therefore he is making the statement that the human condition revolves around the ruin of innocence, thus, repentance of the soul and mind, which is a similar concept to the renewal and rebirth in spring. This poem results in resembling a prayer as well as being heavily biblical based and thematic in the renewal and rebirth that spring presents, however, ties it all back to sinning and innocence along with Jesus and God.

Therefore, the author that best develops the theme of finding meaning in nature would be William Wordsworth. “My Heart Leaps Up” has a strong indication of being drawn to the inspiration nature brings to life within the speaker’s heart. Whereas Wordsworth’s poem has the optimistic attitude saying “And I could wish my days to be” (“My Heart Leaps Up” 8), Hopkins’ seems to be comparatively pessimistic with the perspective that it is all a cycle, thus, all good things will eventually become rotten, even stating “What is all this juice and all this joy?” (“Spring” 9). Gerald Manley Hopkins certainly found meaning within nature, however, the overbearing religious context takes a precedent force within the poem, while Wordsworth was strictly and wholeheartedly nature influenced.

Works Cited

Shmoop Editorial Team. "My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold Poem Text." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.

Shmoop Editorial Team. "Spring Poem Text." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.