Carrion Comfort
Note: The poem “Carrion Comfort” is not included in Gerard Manley Hopkins’s published works.
Not, I’ll not, carrion comfort, Despair, not feast on thee;
Not untwist—slack they may be—these last strands of man
In me ór, most weary, cry I can no more. I can;
Can something, hope, wish day come, not choose not to be.
But ah, but O thou terrible, why wouldst thou rude on me
Thy wring-world right foot rock? lay a lionlimb against me? Scan
With darksome devouring eyes my bruisèd bones? and fan,
O in turns of tempest, me heaped there; me frantic to avoid thee and flee?Why? That my chaff might fly; my grain lie, sheer and clear.
Nay in all that toil, that coil, since (seems) I kissed the rod,
Hand rather, my heart lo! lapped strength, stole joy, would laugh, chéer.
Cheer whom though? the hero whose heaven handling flung me, foot trod
Me? or me that fought him? O which one? is it each one? That night, that year
Of now done darkness I wretch lay wrestling with (my God!) my God.
Summary of “Carrion Comfort”
“Carrion Comfort” is presented as a powerful poem that explores an intense spiritual struggle, confronting themes of despair, suffering, and the relationship between humanity and a powerful, possibly cruel, divine force. The speaker rejects the deceptive allure of giving in to despair and asserts his will to endure, even while acknowledging exhaustion. The poem examines why suffering might occur and suggests that the struggle, though painful, can be a necessary purification that ultimately strengthens the individual. The speaker realizes that the battle is not only against despair but also against divine authority, hinting that suffering may be a catalyst for profound spiritual growth. The poem does not resolve the tension, presenting it as an ongoing, complex relationship.
Analysis of “Carrion Comfort”
Exploring the Opening Lines: Rejection of Despair
The poem immediately establishes its central conflict with the forceful declaration, “Not, I’ll not, carrion comfort, Despair, not feast on thee.” Here, the speaker repeatedly refuses to succumb to the false solace offered by despair. The phrase “carrion comfort” itself is a potent metaphor. Carrion, the decaying flesh of dead animals, suggests something repulsive yet strangely appealing. It is a deceptive form of comfort because it feeds on weakness and decay rather than offering true healing. Though weary, the speaker vows to resist this temptation, demonstrating a powerful act of will.
The Power of Questioning: Confronting the Divine
The middle stanzas shift dramatically, focusing on the speaker’s direct address to God. Lines such as “But ah, but O thou terrible, why wouldst thou rude on me / Thy wring-world right foot rock?” reveal a speaker grappling with intense pain and confusion. The imagery is violent and visceral: God’s foot “rocking” the speaker, a “lion limb” pressing down, “darksome devouring eyes” scanning his “bruised bones.” This is not a depiction of a benevolent, comforting God, but one who is powerful, even ruthless. The forceful imagery demonstrates the sheer intensity of the speaker’s struggle and the profound sense of being overwhelmed by divine power. The speaker isn’t simply questioning God’s existence, but challenging the nature of that power and the justification for such suffering.
The Paradox of Suffering: Finding Strength in Struggle
The poem’s turning point arrives with the lines, “Why? That my chaff might fly; my grain lie, sheer and clear.” Here, a potential purpose for the suffering is suggested: a process of purification. The metaphor of chaff and grain is crucial. Chaff is the worthless husk of wheat, while the grain represents the essential, nourishing part. The suffering, however agonizing, is presented as a winnowing process that separates the worthless from the valuable. The subsequent lines, “Nay in all that toil, that coil, since (seems) I kissed the rod,” suggest that even submission to suffering—“kissing the rod”—can yield unexpected benefits. The speaker acknowledges that this struggle has strangely “lapped strength, stole joy,” revealing a paradoxical truth: pain can be a catalyst for growth. This does not necessarily justify the suffering, but it reinterprets it as a transformative experience.
The Ambiguity of Victory: Who Is Being Tested?
The final lines of the poem are intentionally ambiguous: “Cheer whom though? the hero whose heaven handling flung me, foot trod / Me? or me that fought him? O which one? is it each one?” This presents the most challenging aspect of the poem. It suggests that the “victory” – the newfound strength and resilience – isn’t easily attributable. Is God being cheered by the speaker’s endurance? Or is the speaker finding strength through his own resistance? The possibility that it is “each one” highlights the complex interplay between divine power and human agency. The speaker’s struggle is not simply about submitting to God’s will, but about actively engaging with it, even wrestling with it. This ambiguity invites the reader to ponder the nature of faith, suffering, and the true meaning of spiritual growth.
Literary and Poetic Devices in “Carrion Comfort”
- Sprung Rhythm: Hopkins is renowned for his innovative use of “sprung rhythm,” a poetic meter that mimics the natural rhythms of speech. Unlike traditional meters based on stressed and unstressed syllables, sprung rhythm emphasizes the number of stressed syllables in a line, allowing for greater flexibility and a more dynamic reading experience.
- Alliteration: The poem is rich in alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds. For example, “slack they may be” and “fought him” create a musicality and emphasize certain words.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds, such as the long “o” in “Not, I’ll not,” enhances the poem’s musicality and creates a sense of resonance.
- Imagery: Hopkins masterfully uses vivid imagery to convey the intensity of the speaker’s experience. The violent imagery of being “flung,” “trod,” and “bruised” creates a powerful emotional impact.
- Metaphor: The poem is filled with potent metaphors, such as “carrion comfort” and the “chaff and grain” comparison, which enrich its meaning and invite deeper interpretation.
- Enjambment: The use of enjambment, where a sentence continues from one line to the next without punctuation, creates a sense of momentum and reflects the speaker’s internal turmoil.
- Personification: Giving human qualities to abstract concepts or inanimate objects, such as attributing agency to despair or depicting God as a powerful physical force.
“Carrion Comfort” remains a challenging yet rewarding poem, inviting readers to contemplate the complex relationship between suffering, faith, and the human spirit. Its innovative use of language and its unflinching exploration of difficult questions continue to resonate with audiences today.