tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883979841111173610.post945839722835573675..comments2024-02-05T00:16:13.698-05:00Comments on Banjo52: GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS, "CARRION COMFORT"Banjo52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04342397136888422440noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883979841111173610.post-81485518812714695122013-01-08T00:29:01.665-05:002013-01-08T00:29:01.665-05:00Hopkins, though a devout Jesuit priest, was a repr...Hopkins, though a devout Jesuit priest, was a repressed homosexual. Despite all this, he never violated the vows he made upon joining the clergy. I would definitely consider this as a factor to the poor man's internal struggle. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883979841111173610.post-24397496562753236462010-03-22T10:11:21.990-04:002010-03-22T10:11:21.990-04:00Brenda, by self-forced, I assume you mean he broug...Brenda, by self-forced, I assume you mean he brought it on himself, or at least allowed it to happen? Could be. You've probably now done more research on him than I have. What was the role of religion in causing his depression or spells of melancholy?<br /><br />I have two reservations. Nowadays, wouldn't professionals say that most or all forms of depression are caused by brain chemistry as much as environment or the patient's own lack of strength? <br /><br />Secondly, I wonder if GMH is any more depressed than other major writers. The stories go on and on. Might be a topic for a post someday?Banjo52https://www.blogger.com/profile/04342397136888422440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883979841111173610.post-53959713786504577042010-03-20T12:58:15.998-04:002010-03-20T12:58:15.998-04:00OK, it's not Monday, but I did some research. ...OK, it's not Monday, but I did some research. How sad to spend a life in depression/despair fed by religion - or was it his religion fed his depression/despair? Maybe 'religion' isn't the word I want... Is it his faith? his beliefs? It is like his depression was self-forced... but then many depressions are self-forced. <br /><br />Anyway, I wanted to GMH to move on to beauty, but he just didn't want to. So my blue-book test book is wasted. I only would use one page of it to say "GMH isn't a happy guy, is he?"Brenda's Arizonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880225110712592548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883979841111173610.post-56355404193498194242010-03-18T21:51:23.669-04:002010-03-18T21:51:23.669-04:00Brenda, I don't know his biography well enough...Brenda, I don't know his biography well enough to give that kind of historical answer. However--and as a return to the New Criticism--I think your question is excellent in posing the problem of cause and effect in literature. <br /><br />I'm pretty sure I remember correctly that T.S. Eliot coined the phrase, "objective correlative" meaning an identifiable, "objective" cause or source for the emotional content in a piece. (He was talking about Hamlet, arguing that the reason Hamlet gives us fits is that there's not enough objective correlative for his passionate grief, rage, and vengeance. Hey, he was T.S. Eliot; surely you didn't expect him to say, "Hamlet, get over yourself.").<br /><br />But Eliot's idea might apply here. As widespread as crises of faith are for people, maybe we still need to know what brought it on for this particular speaker. Or maybe we can say, "Oh, another crisis of faith. That's nice. Same old reasons, I'm sure. Well, at least this Hopkins fellow expresses it in a new way. I say, Ethel, do you suppose he's speaking in tongues?"<br /><br />So I don't know if "it" IS there "in his words." We get the emotional after-effect, but not much that's specific about what brought it on in the first place. <br /><br />I wonder what Hopkins scholars have said about this--in ALL the "terrible sonnets." Maybe someday I'll try to read about it; for now I think you should research it. Results due Monday.Banjo52https://www.blogger.com/profile/04342397136888422440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883979841111173610.post-41549757858073730662010-03-17T17:52:08.620-04:002010-03-17T17:52:08.620-04:00What caused his despair? I can't find it in hi...What caused his despair? I can't find it in his words, though it is probably there. What is it?Brenda's Arizonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880225110712592548noreply@blogger.com