The Wreck Of The Deutschland Analysis

Abstract: The Wreck of the Deutschland was Hopkins’s, ‘first major poem written in ‘sprung rhythm’. Herein is contained a brief analysis of this heart moving poem and the impact it has created in the minds of many readers down the ages. The authors in the opening paragraphs of this article have made a concerted attempt to bring out some parallelism from the Book of Psalms and also the theological aspect of innocent suffering. This concept of human suffering seems deeply embedded in this particular poem of Hopkins and this is what the authors wish to portray for their readers. We have also highlighted the various aspects of the three streams of suffering that Hopkins talks about in this epic poem. The three sufferings are brought out in
“While we were yet sinners he died on the Cross for us” says the Bible. His mission was to seek and save sinners. This aspect for some people is as a far from comfortable experience. For Hopkins conversion seems to have been a difficult experience, which happened entirely almost against his personal wish and will. Still he was led on to a thoughtful commitment of faith and spirituality. This account of his spiritual and mental anguish can be observed in stanza 2 and 3 of this epoch churning poem. He tastes sheer trembling in this very experienced terror ‘the swoon of the heart’ at ‘the hurl of thee trod’, vertigo even, as if he were being thrown from a great height. However having succumbed to the will of God, ‘fled with a fling of the heart’, he experienced mercy ‘but you were dove winged’ rather than punishment or a sense of entrapment. After all this indeed he senses a deep feeling of exhilaration. The suffering of the ship wrecked people comes into his perspective. The suffering of the nuns is more complex to him, since they have been expelled from their native country and so they are already suffering for their faith, rather suffering to bring her to faith. As is true to the basic tenants of Christianity death does not have the same terror for her. Christianity believes that death does not separate believers from God. One has to understand here that the nun’s concern is to make a ‘good death’, if that is God’s will. In fact as seen in this crises Hopkins believes she has a vision of Christ actually coming over the storm to take her. The other four nuns are scarcely talked about but in the eyes of Hopkins they might have died similar ‘good deaths!’ As we postulate at this particular stage of this poem, it is for everyone else on the ship that Hopkins feels extremely concerned. His conviction