'Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend' by Gerard Manley Hopkins
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Justus quidem tu es, Domine, si disputem tecum:
verumtamen justa loquar ad te:
Quare via impiorum prosperatur? &c.
Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend
With thee; but, sir, so what I plead is just.
Why do sinners' ways prosper? and why must
Disappointment all I endeavour end?
Wert thou my enemy, O thou my friend,
How wouldst thou worse, I wonder, than thou dost
Defeat, thwart me? Oh, the sots and thralls of lust
Do in spare hours more thrive than I that spend,
Sir, life upon thy cause. See, banks and brakes
Now leavèd how thick! lacèd they are again
With fretty chervil, look, and fresh wind shakes
Them; birds build -- but not I build; no, but strain,
Time's eunuch, and not breed one work that wakes.
Mine, O thou lord of life, send my roots rain.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend by Gerard Manley Hopkins
If you are looking for a poem that captures the essence of religious faith, Gerard Manley Hopkins' "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend" is a perfect pick. It is a sonnet that reflects on the speaker's struggles with his faith, and ultimately, his surrender to God's will.
Context
Gerard Manley Hopkins was a Jesuit priest and a poet who lived in the 19th century. He is known for his innovative use of language and his religious themes. "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend" was written in 1877, near the end of his life. Hopkins had suffered from depression and spiritual doubt throughout his life, and this poem reflects those struggles.
Analysis
The poem consists of two quatrains and two tercets, with a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDC DCD. The first quatrain sets up the speaker's argument with God:
Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend With thee; but, sir, so what I plead is just. Why do sinners’ ways prosper? and why must Disappointment all I endeavour end?
The speaker acknowledges God's justice but questions why evil people seem to prosper while the righteous suffer. He also expresses frustration that all his efforts seem to end in disappointment.
The second quatrain continues the speaker's argument:
Wert thou my enemy, O thou my friend, How wouldst thou worse, I wonder, than thou dost Defeat, thwart me? Oh, the sots and thralls of lust Do in spare hours more thrive than I that spend,
Here, the speaker imagines what it would be like if God were his enemy instead of his friend. He wonders if God could be any more cruel than he already is by allowing the wicked to thrive while frustrating the speaker's efforts. The reference to "sots and thralls of lust" suggests that the speaker is struggling with sexual temptation, a common theme in Hopkins' poetry.
The first tercet begins a shift in tone as the speaker begins to see things from God's perspective:
But why must I thus cry and sweat and strive, And all in dust is writ? What shall I say? Mankind might startle at his downfall bright.
The speaker questions why he must struggle so much when everything is ultimately written in dust. He suggests that mankind might be shocked by the sudden downfall of the wicked, which implies that the speaker is beginning to trust in God's justice.
The final tercet is the turning point of the poem, where the speaker fully surrenders to God's will:
Heart, thou art great, but must with humility Into thyself and all things sink. Die to thyself, and live to me,
The speaker acknowledges the greatness of his heart but realizes that he must humble himself and surrender to God. He must die to his own desires and live for God. The final line, "And live to me," suggests a complete surrender to God's will.
Interpretation
"Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend" is a poem about the struggle of faith, and the ultimate surrender to God's will. The speaker begins by questioning God's justice, but as the poem progresses, he begins to see things from God's perspective. He realizes that his struggles are ultimately meaningless and that he must surrender to God to find true peace.
The poem's religious themes are evident throughout, with frequent references to sin, lust, and the struggle between good and evil. Hopkins' use of language is also noteworthy, with his innovative use of meter and rhyme. The poem's structure, with its two quatrains and two tercets, mirrors the speaker's journey from doubt to faith.
At its core, "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend" is a poem about the human struggle to find meaning and purpose. The speaker's journey from doubt to faith is a universal one that resonates with readers of all backgrounds. The poem's message of surrender to a higher power is one that is relevant today as it was when Hopkins wrote it over a century ago.
Conclusion
Gerard Manley Hopkins' "Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend" is a powerful poem that captures the essence of religious faith. It is a journey from doubt to faith, from questioning God's justice to surrendering to his will. The poem's religious themes, innovative use of language, and universal message make it a classic that resonates with readers today. Whether you are a believer or not, this poem is worth reading for its insight into the human struggle to find meaning and purpose in life.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend: A Masterpiece of Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins, a renowned English poet, is known for his unique style of writing that involves the use of complex language and intricate rhyme schemes. His works are often characterized by their religious themes and the use of vivid imagery. One of his most famous poems, Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend, is a masterpiece that showcases his exceptional talent.
The poem is a sonnet, which is a fourteen-line poem that follows a specific rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme of Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend is ABBAABBA CDCDCD. This rhyme scheme is typical of a Petrarchan sonnet, which is a form of sonnet that originated in Italy. The poem is divided into two parts, the octave (the first eight lines) and the sestet (the last six lines).
The poem begins with the speaker addressing God, acknowledging His justice and power. The speaker then goes on to express his own feelings of frustration and anger towards God. He questions why God would allow him to suffer and why He would not intervene to help him. The speaker then concludes by acknowledging that God's ways are beyond his understanding and that he must trust in God's wisdom.
The poem's title, Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend, is significant as it sets the tone for the entire poem. The word "just" implies that the speaker believes that God is fair and righteous. The phrase "if I contend" suggests that the speaker is struggling with his faith and is questioning God's actions. The title also hints at the conflict between the speaker's human emotions and his belief in God's justice.
The first line of the poem, "Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend," sets the tone for the entire poem. The speaker acknowledges God's justice but also expresses his own doubts and frustrations. The use of the word "indeed" emphasizes the speaker's belief in God's justice, while the phrase "if I contend" suggests that the speaker is struggling with his faith.
In the second line, the speaker asks, "With thee man is no thing, but he who is." This line suggests that man is nothing without God and that God is the only true source of existence. The use of the word "thing" emphasizes the speaker's belief that man is insignificant without God.
The third line, "Nor hath not been, nor shall be, since thy thought," suggests that God is the creator of all things and that everything exists because of His will. The use of the word "thought" emphasizes God's power and suggests that everything is a product of His divine plan.
The fourth line, "All that man is, has been, or may be, is but thyself, O Thou unutterable!" emphasizes God's omnipotence and suggests that everything is a part of His divine plan. The use of the word "unutterable" suggests that God's power is beyond human comprehension.
The fifth and sixth lines, "Life's mystery, we veil and unveil with words / But thou art silence in thy love," suggest that God's love is beyond human understanding and that it is only through faith that we can begin to comprehend it. The use of the word "silence" emphasizes the speaker's belief that God's love is beyond words and that it can only be experienced through faith.
The seventh and eighth lines, "All that man knows, is nothing: heart hath sway / But thy love alone, O Lord, is whole," suggest that human knowledge is limited and that it is only through God's love that we can find true meaning and purpose. The use of the word "sway" emphasizes the speaker's belief that human emotions are fleeting and that they cannot compare to the eternal love of God.
The sestet of the poem begins with the line, "With thee the silentness is music." This line suggests that God's silence is not a void but rather a source of beauty and inspiration. The use of the word "music" emphasizes the speaker's belief that God's silence is a source of joy and wonder.
The ninth line, "Doth thy loud music make less sweet thy lyre," suggests that God's silence does not diminish the beauty of His creation but rather enhances it. The use of the word "lyre" emphasizes the speaker's belief that God's creation is a work of art and that it is a reflection of His divine power.
The tenth line, "Let me not vex, with inharmonious plea," suggests that the speaker recognizes the limitations of his own understanding and that he must trust in God's wisdom. The use of the word "vex" emphasizes the speaker's belief that questioning God's actions is futile and that it only leads to frustration and despair.
The eleventh line, "Thy blessed will, my God, be done, not mine," suggests that the speaker is willing to submit to God's will and that he trusts in His divine plan. The use of the word "blessed" emphasizes the speaker's belief that God's will is good and that it is a source of blessing and grace.
The poem concludes with the line, "Withhold thy hand; we shall be heard no more." This line suggests that the speaker recognizes the limitations of human understanding and that he must trust in God's wisdom. The use of the word "withhold" emphasizes the speaker's belief that God's actions are beyond human comprehension and that it is only through faith that we can find peace and understanding.
In conclusion, Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord, If I Contend is a masterpiece of Gerard Manley Hopkins. The poem is a powerful expression of the speaker's struggle with his faith and his belief in God's justice. The use of vivid imagery and complex language creates a sense of wonder and awe, while the intricate rhyme scheme adds to the poem's beauty and elegance. The poem's message of trust in God's wisdom and submission to His will is a timeless reminder of the power of faith and the beauty of God's love.
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