Question:
Gerard Manley Hopkins and Pantheism
Critics have long questioned the exact nature of Gerard Manley Hopkins' religious attitude. The essay "Pantheism in Hopkins" presents a viewpoint entertained by something less than a consensus of readers of Hopkins' verse. The paper posits that pantheism, or at least a version of it, permeates Hopkins' admittedly Catholic perspective to an extent unacknowledged by many commentators. Initially, the essay investigates the context of Romantic pantheism that both preceded and accompanied Hopkins, and then provides a detailed explication of "Hurrahing in Harvest," focusing on an analysis of etymology and word selection. The paper contains potentially useful research information and resources about Romantic and Victorian verse, religion, and Hopkins specifically.