Poem Analysis: Binsey Poplars, Author of Poem: G.M. Hopkins.

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Niels Looije

Poem Analysis: Binsey Poplars

Author of Poem: G.M. Hopkins

The poet mourns the cutting of the poplar trees, whose delicate beauty is not only conveyed in their appearance, but in the way they created "airy cages" to catch the sunlight. These lovely trees, Hopkins grieves, have all been "felled." This may insinuate that Hopkins is disappointed in the human race because they fail to realize the consequences of their actions

The diction used in the poem is closely related to flora and nature, but is generally in a negative sense. Words like "delve or hew" are words of destruction as these actions hurt the earth we live on and as Hopkins says, "country" is something "so tender" that it’s damageable without being able to change it back. As an analogy, Hopkins used the pricking of an eyeball. Our sight is one of our most valuable gifts of life and to damage it even slightly may change our way of life completely as we are so dependent on our sight. Hence if we damage our eyes they become useless to us, because we cannot see with them. The implication is that we are harmed as much as the landscape; Hopkins wants us to feel this as a real loss to ourselves. Not only will the landscape not be there, but we will also no longer be able to see it. I believe that Hopkins has made a terrific comparison here; nature must not be underestimated as it has been around for longer than anyone on earth and is an important part of the world in the past and will be in the future as well.

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This poem is closely related to Felix Randal and the Windhover as Hopkins depicts a sense of divinity not in a human or a bird this time, but in the flora itself (i.e. the forest). This is created as Hopkins tends to put emphasis on the beautiful and all-powerful imagery that is created. This is holds very true to the poetry I have read so far from Hopkins, as it is becoming quite clear that Hopkins believes that nature is the essence of life. A particular relationship is that of Felix Randal with this poem. Although Hopkins portrays both subjects ...

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