Analyzing Hopkins' 'The Windhover' Poem: Alliteration & Imagery, Apuntes de Literatura Universal

¡Descarga Analyzing Hopkins' 'The Windhover' Poem: Alliteration & Imagery y más Apuntes en PDF de Literatura Universal solo en Docsity! Hannah Rogers Windhover Essay November 29, 2013 “The Windhover” is a poem about a falcon that has the ability to hover in the air while is scans the ground, searching for prey. Hopkins begins by describing how he saw one of these birds in the midst of its hovering. The bird strikes the poet as a “morning minion”, a devoted servant of the dawn. The first line uses “m” alliteration. “This morning morning’s minion” creates a humming sound as the reader speaks causing the reader to think about the sound of a bird in flight as the wind hums under its wings. Hopkins goes on with a metaphor relating the bird to a dauphin of the kingdom of daylight. The “d” alliteration coupled with the line’s iambic pentameter creates an abrupt and staccato sound similar to beating wings. The bird is in control of the wind just as a horse rider is in control of a horse by its reins. The bird is in ecstasy, enjoying its freedom and control of the powerful force of the wind. Suddenly, the bird is in motion and the repetition of “off” emphasizes the excitement and suddenness of this movement. Like a skater, the bird gracefully “sweeps smooth” through the wind and “rebuff[s]” it with forward momentum. Hopkins’ “heart [is] in hiding.” The “h” alliteration creates a tone of shyness as though Hopkins is not easily moved by emotion. However, he is “stirred for a bird” and has been emotionally moved by the creature’s beauty and powerful mastery of the wind. Hopkins goes on, further elaborating on the bird’s movement and beauty. It is a “brute beauty,” a powerful and strong creature with “valour” and “act[ion],” prideful with fiery red feathers. A metaphor is used here to relate the bird to a fire which is beautiful and dangerous. In the last 3 lines, Hopkins pulls away from discussing the bird and goes on to address his theme. He describes a farm tool and uses “pl” alliteration of “plod makes plough” and “ou” assonance in “plough down” to make the description of this mundane object sound beautiful. He does this again by creating an image of “blue-bleak embers” that soon break open, “gall themselves,” and burst out with gorgeous “gash gold vermilion.” Here Hopkins makes his point that beauty can be found in even the most boring and mundane things. Just as he is mesmerized by the windhover gliding in place above him, you too can find beauty and inspiration in the simple, everyday things that exist all around you.