Analysis of God's Grandeur

Morgann Frazee
Explication of God’s Grandeur
Word Count: 772
February 20, 2013

Human Relationships and the Divine

Relationships between humans and the Divine has been the subject of many authors’ writings; in fact the very first text ever published was the Bible which is the most comprehensive link between the Divine and humans. History is full of examples of people trying to define their relationship with the Divine or lack thereof. In the poem, “God’s Grandeur” by Gerard Manley Hopkins human relationships with the Divine are explored.
First off, we see an attempt to capture the obscurity, beauty and knowledge which is ever present in human beings relationships with the Divine. In many aspects human and Divine relationships are very obscure, since it is often difficult to remain faithful when God does not appear to be apparent in everyday life. Hopkins realizes this, but compels the reader to take a closer look at the splendor of God which surrounds us every day, “The world is charged with the grandeur of God ' (457).
Secondly, Hopkins underlines the beauty of God’s undying love for humankind. “Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs- Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with ah! Bright wings” (457). We also see that this Divine spirit is with us even in our ‘bent ' ways. The use of the word bent gives a double connotation; we get the image of this Divine spirit above the Earth, in space, looking over us. It also points out the crookedness of humanity, or the warped path humanity has taken. Despite all of our misgivings, Hopkins depicts the beauty of the Lord as ever present, no matter how ‘bent’ our path becomes.
In this final stanza, Hopkins is providing an answer to David’s Lamentation, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning” (Psalm 22:1) (Zonderman). Hopkins is stating that God is never far he is always there watching over us. This, according to Hopkins, is the true beauty of the Lord.
Furthermore, the quest for knowledge through an understanding of the Divine is a quintessential reality in all religions. Every religion strives to gain some kind of insight into life or the afterlife through a comprehension of the Divine spirits: “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands” (Psalm 119:73) (Zonderman). Hopkins leads us to believe that the truth of the Divine can only be found through a close inspection of our daily surroundings. All around us the truth is, “seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell...” (457). Nature is jaded with the doings of man and to have a wrong attitude towards nature implies, somewhere, a wrong attitude towards God. The knowledge of the Divine spirit lies within the nature that is part of our surroundings, the nature we trample upon.
Hopkins then goes on to point out the irony that exists in our quest for knowledge. Along our journey we, ‘have trod, have trod, have trod '; (457). In our quest for perfection and knowledge we walk all over the truth that lies beneath our feet.The glory and knowledge of God surrounds us all the time, but for some reason we are too blind to realize this and we allow it to slip by us every day as we walk all over it. In spite of this apparent bleak reality Hopkins does not leave us in despair, “And for all this, nature is never spent '; (457). Hopkins leaves us with the assurance that no matter how long we trample on the truth, God is ever present and this knowledge does not fade but forever remains in the hopes that we will one day open our eyes, look around, and discover it.
In conclusion, our relationship with the Divine is often difficult to articulate or describe. Gerard Manley Hopkins formulates these feelings in this poem. Hopkins explores the obscure nature, the beauty and the knowledge possessed, which are all characteristic of Divine powers. Our belief in the Divine is a deeply personal affair and each and every one of us has the ability to choose what we want to believe. Hopkins, however, exposed the inalienable truths which are characteristic of all who choose to believe in some higher order or Divine power.

Works Cited
Hopkins, Gerard. “God’s Grandeur,” Literature to Go. By Michael Meyer. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 457. Print.
Zondervan. The Holy Bible: New and Old testaments. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1986

Cited: Hopkins, Gerard. “God’s Grandeur,” Literature to Go. By Michael Meyer. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 457. Print. Zondervan. The Holy Bible: New and Old testaments. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1986