Creation Described in Pied Beauty and A Birthday

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Recommended: Use of nature in poetry

‘Pied Beauty’ and ‘A Birthday’ are two poems that explore creation through the author’s portrayal of creation. Hopkins is a religious man, who sees things as God’s creations and its inner and outer beauty, where as Rossetti sees creation as life and love, and how they affect her. Hopkins appreciates and bows down to God for all of His beautiful and striking creations that God has spread all over the world. It is as if he is depicting God as an artist and His creations as a painted canvas board on which he can draw beauty and simple things. In ‘A Birthday’, Rossetti looks at the creation of new love that she has now found. She is overjoyed because her love is shared and wants to make a new beginning with this person. A Birthday is filled with joy, cheerfulness and expectation of

what this newly created life will be like with her new love.

Hopkins writes about God’s creations through nature. This poem describes his wonder and respect at the creation of such an extraordinary and ever changing course that is nature “All things counter, original, spare, strange;” Hopkins sees things as different and unique, but still sees the beauty that lies behind this. He manages to bring our senses to life, making us imagine beautiful things by showing us that all things no matter how different they are that they are still made by the one God. He doesn’t need extra words to describe something. His words are simple and create a realistic picture of what we think is beautiful. This creates a tone to the poem. When I read the poem I could see that Hopkins was awed and astounded by nature and was above all grateful for this glorious gift from God. He praises God in a very subtle manner, right until the end.

Rossetti starts the poem with repetit...

... middle of paper ...

...ler branches can grow from.’ And also how the branch holds fruit, another sign of life supported by the branch. The shell is the protective case of the mothers’ womb and signifies the guardian of life and creation in the great sea of our lives. The last two lines show us her joy for the birthday and her lover. “The birthday of my life” tells us that whoever’s birthday it is, it is a very special day in her life, and “my love has come to me” tells us that either her lover is now with her forever, or maybe that she has given birth to a child which is now the love of her life.

Both Gerard Hopkins and Christina Rossetti show us their joy of creation and their love for creation. Hopkins sees the things that God has given to us and how are so beautiful. Rossetti displays to us her feelings towards creation of new things, life and love, and how they mean so much to her.

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