Gerard Hopkins – ‘Spring’ Date: Objectives: Introduce how we study poetry. Introduce the poet and the poem. Explore the theme of nature.

Warm up Going to stress this a lot. Many poems depend on your pre-existing knowledge of a topic. Today’s is ‘Spring’. Bulletpoint what words come to mind when you hear the word spring (as in Springtime, the season of the year). We’ll share these and take them down too.

Warm up Going to stress this a lot. Many poems depend on your pre-existing knowledge of a topic. Today’s is ‘Spring’. Bulletpoint what words come to mind when you hear the word spring (as in Springtime, the season of the year). We’ll share these on the board and take them down too.

Context: You won’t be asked about the history of the poet, only what is in the poem but…. Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) was an English Jesuit priest (chastity, poverty, obedience) and is considered the father of the green movement (environmentalist). He believed that everything in the universe had a unique essence or energy from God and that it is our duty to protect it.

Context before reading this poem It helps to know about the Garden of Eden (a perfect innocent place) and man’s ‘fall’ from that place into sin.

Let’s read – Spring – Gerard M. Hopkins Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –           Pause When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;   Pause Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush           Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring           The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;    Pause The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush           The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush           With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.        Pause     What is all this juice and all this joy?           Pause A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning  In Eden garden. – Have, get, before it cloy,           Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,           Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,           Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning. 

Taking notes There’ll be notes on each of the following slides. At the bottom of each slide is a ‘question to discuss’ which I shall ask you as you’re writing. If you are a quick writer, DO NOT put your pen down and fall to sleep when you get to this point. Don’t write the question but do write the answer, what we’re discussing, what you think, ANYTHING that is not you staring at a wall.

Note this down: Form Split into an octave (eight lines) and Sestet (six lines). First stanza – celebrates the beauty of spring. Second stanza – An urgent plea to Christ to preserve the youthful spring-like innocence of children- very religious. Question to discuss: why in your opinion do adults like paragraphs, stanzas and splitting things into sections.

Note this down: The Octave Nature is untroubled and enjoying itself. The wild flowers are growing, the birds are singing, the sky is blue and the animals are playing. The bird singing is an innocent mystical experience. Everything in nature is carefree. Element of envy. Question to discuss: do animals worry about things, have concerns or plans in your opinion? Is that a nice way to live?

Note this down: The Sestet Spring becomes a symbol for the innocence and joy of youth. It is like the Garden of Eden (pure) but it is taken away from children because of the original sin. The poet asks Christ to protect the children, in the springtime of their youth. Glossary: cloy – disgust or sickening. Mayday – day to celebrate Mary’s purity. Maid’s child – Christ. Can anyone explain the Garden of Eden and Original Sin.

Note this down: Techniques Alliteration – repeating the same letter at the beginning of words - speeds up the poem –conveys energy and life. Imagery – images of nature – also conveys energy and life.

Questions on back of page Complete questions for homework. Cooldown - finish the following sentences. I think...... I know........ I want to know........