Sárospataki Füzetek 18. (2014)
2014 / 1. szám - TANULMÁNYOK - Frank Sawyer: Gerard Manley Hopkins: "Christ plays in ten thousand places"
Gerard Manley Hopkins What none would have known of it, only the heart, being hard at bay, Suffering is part of life and part of the Christian message and in stanza seven and eight Hopkins refers to the Passion of Christ. Earlier he says in the poem that such traumatic happenings as the ships sinking and the death of the nuns (presumably favoured by God), can make “the faithful waver”. But believers need to take suffering into account. 8 Is out7 with it! Oh, We lash with the best or worst Word last!8 How a lush-kept plush-capped sloe9 Will, mouthed to flesh-burst, Gush! - flush the man, the being with it, sour or sweet, Brim, in a flash, full! - Hither then, last or fitst, To hero of Calvary, Christ's feet - Never ask if meaning it, wanting it, warned of it - men go. The poet says that the “high flood” of God’s purpose sweeps people toward Christs feet at the cross, whether really wanting this or not. Christs crucifixion has a tidal effect of influencing the history of the world.10 But this Good News of Grace comes together with suffering - like the sweet and sour of a plum (sloe). The poet makes the most of the words ‘lush’, ‘plush’, ‘flesh’, gush’, and ‘flash’. One savours the plum, as sweet and sour - and just so is the working out of Redemption. Hopkins wants us to use all our senses, our hearing, sight, feelings, and taste when we meditate on his words. The result of the gush and tide of Redemption is that people end up at the foot of Christ s cross, whether they mean to, want to, or even are warned of the need to. Such is the sovereignty of “God! Giver of breath and bread; ...Lord of living and dead” (stanza 1). 9 Be adored among men, God, three-numbered form; Wring thy rebel, dogged in den, Man's malice, with wrecking and storm. Beyond saying sweet, past telling of tongue, 7 This means that our heart is swept out by the tide of Christ's Passion and by the historical effect divine redemption. 8 The idea is that final impenitence is absolute, since God cannot pardon where there is no repentance. 9 Sloe = bluish-black plum. 10 Cf. Peter Cash, The Wreck of the Deutschland, (University of Leicester, 2010), p.6. Sárospataki Füzetek 17. évfolyam | 2014 | 1 85
