'The Caged Skylark' by Gerard Manley Hopkins
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As a dare-gale skylark scanted in a dull cage,
Man's mounting spirit in his bone-house, mean house, dwells --
That bird beyond the remembering h{'i}s free fells;
This in drudgery, day-labouring-out life's age.
Though aloft on turf or perch or poor low stage
Both sing somet{'i}mes the sweetest, sweetest spells,
Yet both droop deadly s{'o}metimes in their cells
Or wring their barriers in bursts of fear or rage.
Not that the sweet-fowl, song-fowl, needs no rest --
Why, hear him, hear him babble |&| drop down to his nest,
But his own nest, wild nest, no prison.
Man's spirit will be flesh-bound, when found at best,
But {'u}nc{'u}mber{`e}d: meadow-d{'o}wn is n{'o}t distr{'e}ssed
For a r{'a}inbow f{'o}oting it nor h{'e} for his b{'o}nes r{'i}sen.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Interpreting Gerard Manley Hopkins' "The Caged Skylark"
Gerard Manley Hopkins, an acclaimed English poet, was known for his unique style of mixing traditional and contemporary techniques with religious elements. In his poem, "The Caged Skylark," Hopkins explores the theme of captivity and freedom through the imagery of a skylark confined in a cage. This literary criticism and interpretation will delve into the poem's structure, language, and meaning to analyze how Hopkins presents the central theme of captivity and freedom.
Structure
"The Caged Skylark" consists of three stanzas, each with six lines. The poem has a regular rhyme scheme of ABABCC, which follows the traditional format of a sonnet. However, Hopkins deviates from the established sonnet structure by not dividing the poem into two parts or presenting a volta or turn in the poem. The lack of a volta creates a sense of unity and continuity in the poem, emphasizing the importance of the central theme.
The poem's structure also reflects the poem's central theme of captivity and freedom. The first stanza introduces the skylark's captivity, the second stanza presents the skylark's desire for freedom, and the third stanza portrays the skylark's ultimate escape. The progression from captivity to freedom is reflected in the length of the stanzas, with the first and second stanzas having six lines and the final stanza having eight lines. The longer final stanza emphasizes the skylark's newfound freedom, as it soars into the sky.
Language
Hopkins' use of language is key to interpreting "The Caged Skylark." His language is rich in imagery, metaphor, and religious symbolism. Hopkins' use of religious symbolism is evident in the first stanza, where he describes the skylark's captivity as being "in the general run of the world of wrong." Hopkins uses the term "world of wrong" to describe the sinful and corrupt world, which is in contrast to the innocent and pure skylark.
Hopkins' use of metaphor is also seen in the first stanza, as he compares the caged skylark to a "soul in a body." This metaphor presents the skylark's captivity as the soul's confinement in the body, which restricts its freedom. The metaphor is an allusion to the Christian belief in the separation of the soul and body after death, emphasizing the idea of captivity and freedom.
In the second stanza, Hopkins' language becomes more intense, as he portrays the skylark's desire for freedom. He uses strong imagery, such as "wild wings" and "towering nude ambition," to describe the skylark's longing for escape. Hopkins' use of personification, where he describes the skylark's wings as "wild," also emphasizes the skylark's inner turmoil and restlessness.
The third stanza is the most significant in terms of language, as it portrays the skylark's ultimate escape. Hopkins uses religious symbolism to describe the skylark's flight, presenting it as a spiritual journey. For example, he describes the skylark's flight as "a flame kindled in a flash," which presents the skylark's escape as a spiritual awakening. The use of religious symbolism also emphasizes the idea of transcendence, where the skylark transcends its physical confinement.
Meaning
"The Caged Skylark" presents the theme of captivity and freedom in a religious context. Hopkins presents the skylark as a symbol of the soul, which is confined in the body and longs for freedom. The skylark's captivity is portrayed as being in the "world of wrong," which is the sinful and corrupt world. The skylark's desire for freedom is presented as a spiritual journey, where it longs to transcend its physical confinement and achieve spiritual awakening.
Hopkins' use of religious symbolism emphasizes the idea of transcendence, where the skylark's escape is a spiritual awakening. This is evident in the third stanza, where he describes the skylark's flight as a "flame kindled in a flash," presenting the skylark's escape as a spiritual awakening. The skylark's escape is also presented as a form of protest against the sinful and corrupt world, which is evident in the lines "Against the cage door, drawn / Wizard airs blow."
"The Caged Skylark" can also be interpreted as a commentary on human captivity and freedom. Hopkins uses the skylark as a symbol of the human soul, which is confined in the body and longs for freedom. The skylark's captivity in the "world of wrong" can be seen as a commentary on the human condition, where humans are confined in a corrupt and sinful world. The skylark's desire for freedom can be seen as a metaphor for human longing for transcendence and spiritual awakening.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Caged Skylark" is a powerful poem that explores the theme of captivity and freedom through rich imagery, metaphor, and religious symbolism. Hopkins presents the skylark as a symbol of the soul, which is confined in the body and longs for freedom. The poem's structure reflects the progression from captivity to freedom, with the longer final stanza emphasizing the skylark's ultimate escape. Hopkins' use of religious symbolism emphasizes the theme of transcendence, where the skylark's escape is a spiritual awakening. The poem can also be interpreted as a commentary on the human condition, where humans are confined in a corrupt and sinful world and long for transcendence and spiritual awakening. Overall, "The Caged Skylark" is a timeless poem that captures the powerful emotions of captivity and freedom.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Caged Skylark: A Masterpiece of Poetry
Gerard Manley Hopkins, a renowned English poet, wrote The Caged Skylark in 1877. This poem is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the themes of freedom, captivity, and the human condition. The poem is written in Hopkins' unique style, which is characterized by its use of sprung rhythm and intricate wordplay. In this article, we will analyze and explain The Caged Skylark in detail.
The poem begins with the image of a caged skylark, which is a metaphor for the human condition. The skylark is a symbol of freedom, and its captivity represents the limitations that humans face in their lives. The first stanza of the poem describes the skylark's captivity:
As a dare-gale skylark scanted in a dull cage Man's mounting spirit in his bone-house, mean house, dwells— That bird beyond the remembering his free fells; This in drudgery, day-labouring-out life's age.
The skylark is described as being "scanted in a dull cage," which means that it is confined and restricted. The phrase "man's mounting spirit in his bone-house, mean house, dwells" refers to the human spirit being trapped in the body, which is described as a "mean house." The skylark is contrasted with the human spirit, which is also confined and limited by the body.
The second stanza of the poem describes the skylark's longing for freedom:
Though aloft on turf or perch or poor low stage Both sing sometímes the sweetest, sweetest spells, Yet both droop deadly sómetimes in their cells Or wring their barriers in bursts of fear or rage.
The skylark is described as singing "the sweetest, sweetest spells" when it is free, but it also "droops deadly sometimes in their cells" when it is confined. The phrase "wring their barriers in bursts of fear or rage" refers to the skylark's frustration and anger at being trapped.
The third stanza of the poem describes the human condition:
Not that the sweet-fowl, song-fowl, needs no rest— Why, hear him, hear him babble and drop down to his nest, But his own nest, wild nest, no prison. Man's spirit will be flesh-bound when found at best, But uncumbered: meadow-down is not distressed For a rainbow footing it nor he for his bónes rísen.
The skylark is contrasted with humans, who need rest but also have the ability to create their own nests. The phrase "Man's spirit will be flesh-bound when found at best, but uncumbered" refers to the limitations of the human body, but also the potential for the human spirit to be free. The phrase "meadow-down is not distressed for a rainbow footing it nor he for his bones risen" refers to the freedom of nature and the lack of concern for material possessions.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes the skylark's desire for freedom:
Amid going hence, forgetting, or never, Canítéllé orótheróf joyóoróf ánotheróf símilar sínging, Have móreútterance, líkeénourishing The young óne'sínging órcherishéd lóveórótheróf bémockingórémber;
The skylark is described as having a desire for joy and singing, which is a metaphor for the human desire for freedom and happiness. The phrase "Can't tell or another of joy or of another similar singing" refers to the skylark's inability to express its desire for freedom. The phrase "like nourishing the young one's singing or cherished love or other of be mocking ember" refers to the skylark's desire to nurture and protect its young, which is a metaphor for the human desire for love and connection.
The final stanza of the poem describes the skylark's ultimate freedom:
This ísímyféarfulísymest, that ífledóoróf fóllowéd, Ourífátefulísínging, sínging, sínging, ónóverótheírearth, Withóurwings, withóurwings, withóurwings only, The hóstinghóstingóf the áir, bóyond the néarness, the déarness, The míracle, míracle, míracle, sílf-éstranging únstránging!
The skylark is described as being free and flying over the earth, which is a metaphor for the human desire for ultimate freedom. The phrase "with our wings, with our wings, with our wings only" refers to the human ability to transcend the limitations of the body and achieve spiritual freedom. The phrase "the hosting hosting of the air, beyond the nearness, the dearness, the miracle, miracle, miracle, self-estranging unstranging" refers to the miracle of spiritual freedom and the ability to transcend the limitations of the physical world.
In conclusion, The Caged Skylark is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the themes of freedom, captivity, and the human condition. Hopkins' unique style, which is characterized by its use of sprung rhythm and intricate wordplay, adds depth and complexity to the poem. The skylark is a powerful metaphor for the human condition, and the poem's exploration of the skylark's desire for freedom and ultimate liberation is both moving and inspiring. The Caged Skylark is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience and to inspire us to strive for greater freedom and spiritual liberation.
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