Spring
Nothing is so beautiful as Spring,
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.
Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
Unveiling the Beauty of “Spring” by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins’s “Spring” is a vibrant and deeply felt sonnet that celebrates the profound renewal and exquisite beauty of the spring season. This poem transcends a mere depiction of nature, intricately weaving earthly rebirth with profound spiritual themes of creation, innocence, and the enduring hope of redemption. It is a work brimming with dynamic energy, vivid imagery, and a deep sense of wonder, making it a captivating subject for any “Spring analysis”. The poem masterfully links the joyful awakening of nature with a yearning for a return to a pristine, Eden-like state, while simultaneously acknowledging the pervasive presence of sin and the universal need for divine grace.
The Central Idea and Summary of “Spring”
At its core, “Spring” serves as a powerful hymn to life’s exuberance. Hopkins does not simply describe spring; he immerses the reader in its experience through all the senses. The initial eight lines, known as the octave, burst forth with descriptions of natural vitality: weeds growing vigorously, birds singing melodiously, trees blossoming, and lambs leaping playfully. This sensory richness establishes the overwhelming joy and abundance of the season. The subsequent six lines, the sestet, then shift to a more contemplative mood, posing a rhetorical question about the source of this immense joy. The poem suggests this joy is “A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning / In Eden garden,” connecting the present moment of natural beauty to the idyllic origins of creation. The poem then introduces a plea for the preservation of innocence and an acknowledgment of Christ’s sacrifice, adding a crucial layer of religious significance that elevates “Spring” beyond a simple nature study. It is a profound meditation on innocence, nature, and divinity.
In-Depth “Spring” Analysis: Exploring the Poem’s Layers
Stanza 1: A Symphony of Natural Splendor
The poem’s opening lines immediately establish its central assertion:
Nothing is so beautiful as Spring,
This declarative statement functions as a conviction, not merely a preference, setting the tone for the vibrant imagery that follows. The description of natural growth explodes with life:
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
The phrase “weeds, in wheels” employs alliteration and an unusual image, suggesting the pervasive, circular, and almost overwhelming growth patterns of nature. The verb “shoot” conveys rapid growth and vitality, while “lovely” and “lush” emphasize the season’s abundant beauty and richness.
Hopkins extends his description beyond visual elements. The delicate appearance of new life is captured with a striking metaphor:
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens,
This line compares the fragile eggs to miniature versions of the sky, hinting at their inherent perfection and a divine touch in creation. The sound of the thrush is equally vivid and impactful:
and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing;
The verbs “rinse” and “wring” suggest an intensity that is almost overwhelming, purifying yet powerful, while the simile “strikes like lightning” highlights the song’s suddenness, brilliance, and profound effect on the listener. Further contributing to the overall impression of dynamic energy and vibrant life are the “glassy peartree leaves and blooms” and the “racing lambs,” which “have fair their fling,” emphasizing their unrestrained joy and movement. The sky itself is described with rich personification:
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness;
This suggests the sky is not merely a backdrop but an active, vibrant presence, overflowing with color and vitality, almost pouring down its abundance upon the earth.
Stanza 2: Connecting Earthly Joy to Divine Origin
The sestet begins with a rhetorical question, inviting contemplation:
What is all this juice and all this joy?
This is not a genuine inquiry seeking an answer, but rather a way to acknowledge the overwhelming beauty and energy of spring, prompting reflection on its ultimate source. The poet suggests the answer lies in a primal connection:
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.
This powerfully links the present moment of spring’s renewal with the original creation, evoking a sense of paradise, a pristine state before the fall. The poem then introduces a crucial plea and warning:
Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Hopkins urges the reader to fully experience and embrace the joy of spring before it fades, before it becomes tiresome, and crucially, before the inevitable presence of sin and suffering clouds human perception. The direct address to “Christ, lord” suggests that divine grace is essential to preserve innocence and overcome the corrupting influence of sin. The concluding lines express a profound hope:
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
“Mayday” here symbolizes celebrations of springtime joy and the innocence of youth. The address to Christ as “maid’s child” (referring to the Virgin Mary) reinforces the idea that redemption and the preservation of this innocence come through divine love and sacrifice. The poem concludes with a reaffirmation that Christ’s choice and victory over sin are ultimately “worthy the winning,” offering a powerful message of hope and spiritual renewal amidst the transient beauty of the natural world.
Literary and Poetic Devices in “Spring”
Hopkins’s “Spring” is a masterclass in poetic craftsmanship, employing a rich array of “literary devices in Spring” and “poetic devices in Spring” to achieve its vibrant effects.
Key Literary Devices
- Metaphor: This device creates a direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”
Example:
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens
Here, delicate thrush eggs are directly equated with miniature heavens, linking the natural world with the divine and suggesting their inherent perfection.
- Simile: A simile makes a comparison between two different things using “like” or “as.”
Example:
it strikes like lightning to hear him sing;
The thrush’s powerful song is compared to lightning, emphasizing its suddenness, brilliance, and overwhelming impact on the ear.
- Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in words close to each other.
Example:
weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
The repetition of the ‘w’ and ‘l’ sounds creates a musicality and emphasizes the dynamic, abundant growth of spring.
Example:
rinse and wring
The repeated ‘r’ sound highlights the intense, almost forceful nature of the thrush’s song.
- Imagery: Language that appeals to the five senses, creating vivid mental pictures and sensory experiences for the reader. The poem is exceptionally rich in this.
Examples: “long and lovely and lush” (sight, touch), “echoing timber” (sound), “glassy peartree leaves and blooms” (sight, touch), “racing lambs” (sight, movement), “descending blue” (sight).
- Rhetorical Question: A question posed for effect or to make a point, rather than to elicit an actual answer.
Example:
What is all this juice and all this joy?
This question is not seeking information but serves to emphasize the overwhelming beauty and energy of spring, prompting the reader to reflect on its origin and significance.
Key Poetic Devices
- Sonnet Form: “Spring” is structured as a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, comprising fourteen lines. It is divided into an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the final six lines). The octave typically presents a problem or observation, while the sestet offers a resolution or reflection.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem employs a complex and intricate rhyme scheme, characteristic of a Petrarchan sonnet. The octave follows an ABBAABBA pattern, while the sestet uses a CDCDCD pattern. This creates a musical and harmonious effect, contributing to the poem’s overall aesthetic beauty.
- Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause or punctuation. This technique creates a sense of flow, momentum, and natural speech, mirroring the dynamic and unrestrained energy of spring.
Example:
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing;The thought flows seamlessly across these lines, building intensity.
- Sprung Rhythm: Hopkins is renowned for his innovative use of “sprung rhythm,” a meter designed to mimic the natural stress patterns of English speech. Unlike conventional meters that count syllables, sprung rhythm counts only the stressed syllables in a line, allowing for a variable number of unstressed syllables. This gives the poem a distinctive, energetic, and often startlingly fresh rhythm, making it sound both ancient and modern, and intensely alive.
A Moment for Reflection
“Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,”
These lines from “Spring” serve as a poignant reminder to cherish the fleeting beauty of innocence, to embrace joy fully, and to seek divine grace in a world often marked by suffering and the shadow of sin. They encapsulate the poem’s powerful blend of natural observation and spiritual yearning.
Conclusion: The Enduring Message of “Spring”
“Spring” by Gerard Manley Hopkins is a truly remarkable poem, a testament to the power of language to capture the breathtaking beauty of the natural world and to explore the deepest questions of the human spirit. Through its vivid imagery, intricate structure, and profound thematic depth, the poem invites readers to reconnect with the wonder of creation, to embrace joy in its purest form, and to seek enduring hope in the face of life’s inevitable challenges. Its rich “Spring analysis” reveals a timeless message about the interconnectedness of nature, innocence, and the divine, making it a cherished piece of literature for generations.