UNIT 4: GOD AND MAN
God’s Grandeur
G.M. Hopkins
1 Critically appreciate the poem.
OR, Write the central idea/theme/summary of the poem?
The poem praises and glorifies God for his grandeur. God is present in the whole creation as electric current running through wires. His greatness is visible around us, shining like a newly made sword. It flows continuously like oil oozing from seeds. God is the supreme power and the omnipresent force although humans fail to pay attention to his divine authority. The eternal beauty of nature as the creation of God is in sharp contrast with the ugliness caused by human activities.
In spite of unwise human activities and indifference, God’s love never ends. Humans are running after money and engaged in momentary gains. They give priority to the material over the spiritual. They try to destroy nature to fulfill their greed. The soil is bare because of destruction. Greenery is decreasing. Yet, nature is never spent. It renews and freshness remains. The sun may go down at dusk, but it will rise again. God always protects us like a bird protecting its young under its warm wings.
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2 Why are men unaware of God’s greatness?
Men are unaware of God’s greatness because they are too busy in material gains. Material greed has made them blind. They are running after money and engaged in commercial activities. They forget that the unending sources available around us are free gifts from God. They are destroying the beauty of the nature for momentary gains. Going away from the lap of nature, they become unaware of God’s greatness.
3 How is the glory of God praised in the poem?
The glory of God is praised in the poem by describing the world as filled with God’s grandeur. His greatness is visible around us, shining like a newly made sword. It flows continuously like oil oozing from seeds. All the natural resources available around us are free gifts from God. He goes on providing us although we forget him and turn our back to him. We try to destroy his creation for momentary gains and to fulfill our greed. Still, he protects us like a bird protecting its young.
4 When/How does God show greatness according to G. M. Hopkins?
Hopkins says God always shows greatness whether we see it or not. The world is filled with God’s grandeur. His greatness is visible around us, shining like a newly made sword. It flows continuously like oil oozing from seeds. All the natural resources available around us are free gifts from God. He goes on providing us although we forget him and turn our back to him. He protects us even if we try to destroy his creation for momentary gains and to fulfill our greed.
5 What are the reasons to determine god as powerful?
God’s grandeur is the main reason to determine him as powerful. God’s beauty is changeless and eternal. His blessing flows continuously like oil oozing from seeds. Nature is never spent because it is God’s creation. Natural resources available around us are unending. We try to destroy God’s creation. But it always renews and freshness remains. God goes on providing us. Therefore, God is the supreme power and the omnipresent force.
6 what is the effect of the repetition of the words “have trod”?
The repetition of the words “have trod” suggests the continuous use of the earth by humans. When the poet says generations have trod, the literal meaning is that millions of people have walked on the earth and carried out a variety of activities. The symbolic meaning is that we have exploited God-given earth and other resources much and in different ways. We have grown many things on the soil and accomplished many other things depending on natural resources. The repetition of “have trod” suggests our activities on the earth.
7 What do the words ‘seared’, ‘bleared’ and ‘smeared’ suggest?
The words ‘seared’, ‘bleared’ and seared suggest the overuse of the earth and other natural resources by humans. God has provided us many natural resources. The literal meaning of ‘seared’ is burnt. It suggests we have almost destroyed and finished God-given resources. Similar is suggested by ‘bleared’, which means become dim. Truly natural world is disappearing because man-made concrete, artificial world is expanding. Over the natural we have ‘smeared’ artificiality. Thus, our activities are trying to erase the signature of God in nature.
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