Analysis, themes and Poetic devices of BINSEY POPLARS by Garard Manley Hopkins

BINSEY POPLARS - Gerard Manly Hopkins

ABOUT THE POET 

Gerard Manley Hopkins, (born July 28, 1844, Stratford, Essex, England and died June 8, 1889, Dublin) He was an English poet and Jesuit priest, one of the most individual of Victorian writers. His work was not published in collected form until 1918, but it influenced many leading 20th-century poets. Hopkins won the poetry prize at the Highgate grammar school and in 1863 was awarded a grant to study at Balliol College, Oxford, where he continued writing poetry while studying classics. 

He was appointed professor of Greek literature at University College, Dublin, in 1884. Hopkins was a devout Jesuit, who wrote about nature as a way to show God’s greatness, through the wonder of creation. His bold advances in poetry were often unappreciated by his Victorian contemporaries, and it was only in the early twentieth century that his genius was recognized. Hopkins died in 1889, aged only forty-four. He died of typhoid fever and was buried in the Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. Gerard Manley Hopkins 

Gerard Manley Hopkins

 BACKGROUND TO THE POEM

 

Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote ‘Binsey Poplars’ in 1879, in response to the feeling of a double row of aspen trees. During the Industrial Revolution swathes of the countryside were destroyed to create railways, and Hopkins was dismayed to discover that the wood from these very trees was used to make brake pads for a local train company, whom he held responsible for carving up much local farmland. 

The poem was inspired by the felling of a row of poplar trees near the village of Binsey, northwest of Oxford, England, and overlooking Port Meadow on the bank of the River Thames. The replacements for these trees, running from Binsey north to Godstow, lasted until 2004, when replanting began again. Binsey Poplars is a lament Hopkins wrote after revisiting a river scene in 1879, close to where he had studied when at Oxford fourteen years earlier. He was shocked to find that a row of aspen trees had been felled, the wood being used for the boom industry of the time, the railways. 

Hopkins was clearly saddened by this, in his eyes, environmental vandalism. It was a sacrilege, an affront to his God, and he set about venting his emotions in a short yet poignant poem. Published in 1918 the poem is full of sprung rhythm, a metric invention Hopkins developed which he thought was closer to common speech and also held more musical energy. There's no doubting his love for and study of phonetics. Hopkins delved deep into the different sounds words make, the quality of the syllable and the weight of the word in the line. S

SETTING OF THE POEM 

The poem “Binsey Poplars” is set in nineteenth century Britain, precisely during the Victorian era. It was both a prosperous and chaotic time for the people of Great Britain. 

The Victorian era was a period where industrialization had just started evolving. The poem is specifically set on the bank of a river that was enclosed by trees. The poetic persona therefore bemoans the felling of trees, seeing it as an ill-treatment of Nature. 

 SUMMARY OF THE POEM

 

The poem relates to the felling of a row of aspen trees or a long line of tall trees along the River Thames, in Oxford, England. The ecological problems associated with deforestation are visible in the lamentation of the poet. The poet mourns the cutting of his “aspens dear,” trees whose delicate beauty resided not only in their appearance, but in the way they created “airy cages” to tame the sunlight. 

These lovely trees, Hopkins laments, have all been “felled.” He compares them to an army of soldiers obliterated. He remembers mournfully the way they their “sandalled” shadows played along the winding bank where river and meadow met. Hopkins grieves over the wholesale destruction of the natural world, which takes place because people fail to realize the implications of their actions. To “delve or hew” (dig, as in mining, or chop down trees) is to treat the earth too harshly, for “country” is something “so tender” that the least damage can change it irrevocably. 

The poet offers as an analogy the pricking of an eyeball, an organ whose mechanisms are subtle and powerful, though the tissues are infinitely delicate: to prick it even slightly changes it completely from what it was to something unrecognizable (and useless). 

Indeed, even an action that is meant to be beneficial can affect the landscape in this way, Hopkins says. The earth held beauties before our time that “after-comers” will have no idea of, since they are now lost forever. It takes so little (only “ten or twelve strokes”) to “unselve” the landscape, or alter it so completely that it is no longer itself. S

Stanza 1 - Here the poem opens with the poetic persona addressing the trees as ‘airy cages'. This gives the pictures of the trees’ intertwined leaves — covered branches, and makes the bright sun more subdued (quelled). It sometimes blocks the sunlight completely. The poet is stirred by the mutilated landscape as he displays a personal bereavement and mourning. He says for emphasis, “All felled, felled, are all felled;”. “Felled “ here means hewed or cut down. 

He compares them with an army of soldiers wiped off at once. He remembers in sorrow, the way trees 'sandalled' shadows dangling along the wind bank where river and meadow met. He compares the lines of trees to a rank of soldiers. The image caught in military points to the fact that the industrial development of the rural area is akin to warfare against the nature and beauty embedded there in leaping. My aspens dear, whose airy cages quelled , Quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun All felled, felled, are all felled; Of a fresh and following folded rank Not spared, not one The poet’s love of the aspens is instantly obvious as he addresses them as ‘My aspens dear’. 

He immediately paints a strong visual image of the effect the aspens create as they lean over to meet each other over the width of the river. The metaphor of the ‘airy cages’ helps the reader to visualise the sunlight dancing through the leaves and reflecting on the water. It is impossible for the reader to rush reading or speaking these words aloud, again making us slow down and appreciate the scene. This beautiful picture is followed by the monosyllabic line “Felled, felled, are all felled’. The meter here could be identified as spondaic, where every syllable in a line is stressed. This metrical unit is effective in showing his distress at such wanton destruction. 

He likens them to a line of soldiers summarily executed when he uses the word ‘rank’ in the line below, and the use of personification following line: ‘Not spared, not one’ reinforces this idea. Hopkins was famous for his variations on meter and made-up words, and the following lines are a prime example of this: That dandaled a sandalled Shadow that swam or sank On meadow and river and wind-wandering Weed-winding bank. Again, this long alliterative sentence is impossible to rush and conjures the image of one idling by the river, taking in the beauty of nature, perhaps dipping a toe in the gentle current. This is nature at its most benevolent, and thus its destruction is all the crueler. The soft sibilance of ‘shadow that swam or sank’ lends a mellifluous quality which makes us imagine the reflections dancing on the water. He teases out the long ‘a’ sounds and the end rhyme of ‘rank’, ‘sank’ and ‘bank’ adding more musical sounds to complete the stanza. 

Stanza 2 - This last stanza starts with an exclamation of sorrow. He exclaims 'O' if we (human being beings) realize the ecological problems associated with the cutting down of nature, we would have avoided it. He exposes the ignorance of people who engage in deforestation. “When we delve or hew —/ Hack and rack the growing green!" “Since country is so tender/ To touch, her being slender,/That, like this sleek and seeing ball/ But a prick will make no eye at all,”. There is a comparison here between the damaged eyes and the nature that had be been destroyed. The analogy is with the seeing eye which can destroyed with one just one prick, then the light Is lost. The nature is fragile and sensitive and any damage done it, makes It lose its beauty. The poet concludes that, once we destroy the nature by digging it up (like the aspen trees), the upcoming generation (after-comers) will lose track of nature's beauty. The beauty of nature would have been gone, before they grow up. It might only take ten or twelve “strokes of havoc” (the blows of an axe) to “unselve” (damage) the natural beauty. 

He bemoans the fact that the trees created to radiate beauty and for a sweet, special (‘especial’) scene are no more in the country side. O if we but knew what we do When we delve or hew- Hack and rack the growing green! The second stanza of ‘Binsey Poplars’ begins with the apostrophe ‘O’ which instantly summons the readers’ attention. It also mimics Christ on the cross as he calls to God his father, “Forgive them for they know not what they do’. This again shows the strength of emotion Hopkins feels at the loss of these trees, and reflects his strong religious convictions. 

His tone turns to one of anger in the harsh consonance of ‘Hack and rack the growing green!’ The cacophonous internal rhyme of ‘Hack and rack’ stand out sharply from the long vowel sounds of ‘growing green’. He has cleverly used the verb ‘growing’ to emphasize that these trees were living organisms, brutally slain. His use of the exclamation mark here highlights his disgust. Since country is so tender To touch, her being só slender, That, like this sleek and seeing ball But a prick will make no eye at all, The poet has used the techniques of harsh language and repetition to make his point but just in case the reader has somehow missed the intensity of his feelings, he creates the lasting image of an eyeball being pricked, almost causing the reader to wince. Hopkins believed that Christians had a duty and responsibility to care for and protect God’s earth. He thus creates this powerful metaphor of the earth and her delicate infrastructure as ‘a sleek and knowing ball’. By destroying the earth, we are destroying a little of ourselves, and our relationship with God. He refers to nature in the feminine; the pronoun ‘her’ elicits further sympathy from the reader. 

The words ‘tender’ and ‘slender’ conjure up an image of a beautiful young woman, and make the earth sound even more fragile and delicate. He suggests that we, as humans, are incapable of seeing the bigger picture. We may think that we are making advances in technology, but if we are sacrificing the earth in the process it is all in vain. It suggests a lack of care and foresight for those in the future who will never know of this beauty. It is significant that he repeats the words ‘hew and delve’ from earlier in the stanza. 

They have an onomatopoeic quality which suggest digging into the earth and making indelible changes. Where we, even when me mean To mend her we end her, When we hew or delve, After-comers cannot guess the beauty been. Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve Strokes of havoc únselve It pains the poet greatly that it takes such a short time for humans to destroy what has taken a life-time to grow and flourish. The trees have grown in accordance with nature and created this beautiful scene, but are so quickly obliterated. The word ‘havoc’ suggests chaos and a lack of control, for ultimately we humans diminish our own spiritual growth by these actions. 

The sweet especial scene, Rural scene, rural scene, Sweet especial rural scene. The repetitive three final lines create a wistful tone, as though the poet’s rage has subsided to a quiet sadness. They take on the tone of a prayer or incantation as he drifts into a reverie, remembering this ‘Sweet especial rural scene.’ Ultimately the poet wants his readers to treat the earth with respect and awe. For in causing damage to nature, he feels we cause a disconnect with our own true selves

 THEMES 

 The orderliness of nature - The thematic preoccupation of this poem is trees, which is part and parcel of nature. The poem reveals the orderliness in nature. If one takes a look at the natural things abounding in existence and the natural laws guiding them, one will notice a rare resemblance of order and harmony in place. The sun rises and sets at specific times; the rain has a season; trees yield fruits at their seasons. If one goes to the forest, the way trees are arranged and the serene ambience shows as if they were done by a given ‘being’ for his pleasure. Tampering with such an organized setting is what the poet mourns. "Since country is so tender/ To touch, her being so slender, /That, like this sleek and seeing ball”. 

Destruction of nature - The poet mourns deforestation because of its adverse consequences. He laments after revisiting the River Thames side and discovered that a row of aspen trees had been destroyed or felled. He sees this as a sacrilege and an insult to God, so, he alludes to what Jesus said when He was being crucified, that God should forgive those who crucified Him, for they didn't know what they did. 

The poet asserts, “O if we but knew what we do”. This shows the ignorance of those who contribute to deforestation, as regards its negative 

consequences. 

The benefits of nature to man - The poetic persona wails because of the benefits of afforestation (presence of trees). He is preoccupied with the relationship between man and his environment. Human beings cannot live in isolation from the environment. Imagine if there were no grasses or trees. The ‘airy cages’ of the trees keep the sun away from the earth and allow the breeze to pass freely, and so fresh. Trees provide shades to both animals and man. Nature is therefore of benefits to man, and should be preserved. 

The Manifestation of God in Nature - Hopkins used poetry to express his religious devotion, drawing his images from the natural world. He found nature inspiring and developed his theories of inscape and instress to explore the manifestation of God in every living thing. According to these theories, the recognition of an object’s unique identity, which was bestowed upon that object by God, brings us closer to Christ. Similarly, the beauty of the natural world—and our appreciation of that beauty—helps us worship God. 

Many poems, including “Hurrahing in Harvest” and “The Windhover,” begin with the speaker praising an aspect of nature, which then leads the speaker into a consideration of an aspect of God or Christ. For instance, in “The Starlight Night,” the speaker urges readers to notice the marvels of the night sky and compares the sky to a structure, which houses Christ, his mother, and the saints. The stars’ link to Christianity makes them more beautiful. 

The Regenerative Power of Nature - Hopkins’s early poetry praises nature, particularly nature’s unique ability to regenerate and rejuvenate. Throughout his travels in England and Ireland, Hopkins witnessed the detrimental effects of industrialization on the environment, including pollution, urbanization, and diminished rural landscapes. While he lamented these effects, he also believed in nature’s power of regeneration, which comes from God. In “God’s Grandeur,” the speaker notes the wellspring that runs through nature and through humans. 

While Hopkins never doubted the presence of God in nature, he became increasingly depressed by late nineteenth-century life and began to doubt nature’s ability to withstand human destruction. His later poems, the so-called terrible sonnets, focus on images of death, including the harvest and vultures picking at prey. Rather than depict the glory of nature’s rebirth, these poems depict the deaths that must occur in order for the cycle of nature to continue. “Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord” (1889) uses parched roots as a metaphor for despair: the speaker begs Christ to help him because Christ’s love will rejuvenate him, just as water helps rejuvenate dying foliage 

 FIGURES OF SPEECH AND POETIC DEVICES 

Language - The diction used by the poet is a bit complicated and archaic. There are words like unselve (ruin), especial(special), dandled (dangled), sandalled (sandal), felled (cut down). This might make the poem a bit difficult for an average reader to decipher. 

 Mood/Tone - The mood of the poet is that of anger and disillusionment. The tone of the poem is mournful. 

Simile- That, like this sleek and seeing ball”

Personification - “Since country is so tender/ To touch, her being so slender”. Country is given human quality of “tender”. Also, the persona pronoun “her” is being used for ‘country’. ... the leaping sun”: Sun \s given human action of leaping (movement). Also in ‘My aspens dear,.’, the poet addresses aspens affectionately as if it was human. 

Antithesis - ‘To mend her we end her,'. “Mend” contrasts with “end" 

Oxymoron - '... airy cages ... ': The word ‘airy', the presence of ventilation contrasts with ‘cages’ which is like restriction or bondage. 

Imagery - The use of ‘airy cages suggest an environment or landscape that is well ventilated and cool, due to the presence of many trees. The use of ‘All felled'; "hew’'; "hack'; and '...end her’ present the picture of destruction as the trees are being chopped (cut) with loud noise when they hit the ground."... growing green’ gives the picture of the blossoms of the trees before they are felled. '... seeing ball’ is ah imagery of eye ball and emphasizes the usefulness of the eyes just like the trees. Also, '...sweet especial scene’ tries to appeal to our taste, suggesting the benefit of trees to the environment. 

Synecdoche - “Aspens” or '’Binsey poplars” refer to only species of the popular plant, but it is used to refer to the entire Nature (different trees) being hewed or cut down. The felling of only one tree can have a significant effect on the whole ones left behind. “An injury to one is an injury to all” M

Metonymy -'... the growing green' refers to the beautiful and tender trees, and vegetation being hewed. Repetition - ‘sweet especial scene' is being repeated to emphasize how awesome those aspen trees are; ‘ten or twelve' is being repeated to show the action of an axe in destroying the trees (nature). 'Felled' is being repeated three times in line 3 to indicate the poet's personal sadness over the destruction of the trees. Also, the repetition of ‘quelled' emphasizes how the ‘airy cages’ (the branches of the trees) subdued the light from the sparkling sun. 

Alliteration - This is a poetic device that involves the repetition of an initial consonant sound, in order to add musicality — ‘All felled, felled, are all felled;” “...fresh and following folded rank" “Shadow that swam or sank” “... the growing green”... wind-wandering weed-winding bank.” A

Assonance — This the repetition of vowel sounds, in order to add musicality to lines of poetry —*Quelled or quenched” “felled, felled, are all felled” “Shadow that swam or sank” “Hack and rack” M

Metaphor - The branches of the trees are described as "airy cages”. This shows how trees create a cool and calm ambience through the air they retain. Nature is described as ‘country’, which mean countryside(serenity and landscape). The feminine pronoun “her” used for country (countryside) symbolizes fecundity (fertility) and beauty that makes the countryside.

Enjambment - It is when an idea in a line of poetry flows into the next line or lines before a complete thought is achieved. This also known as run-on-lines. The poet uses enjambment extensively throughout the poem: 

 My aspens dear, whose airy cages quelled, Quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun, All felled, felled, are all felled; In the stanza above, line 1 flows into 2; and line 2 flows into 3. 

Structure ~ ‘Binsey Poplars’ is set out in two stanzas and follows an innovative technique devised by Hopkins himself, known as ‘sprung rhythm’, a form of meter he derived from the rhythms heard in everyday speech and songs. In sprung rhythm, the stress is usually on the first syllable and several unstressed syllables could follow. He also makes extensive use of internal rhyme and compound adjectives which lend the poem a certain urgency that effectively conveys his sadness and shock that his beloved trees have been chopped down.

The extensive use of enjambment makes the poem appear conversational and flows like a speech. The rhyme scheme is abacbacceefgghhfgifiifff