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Gerard Manley Hopkins biography

Besides being a very well-known English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins was also a Jesuit priest.

Origin, Childhood, and Academia

Poetry ran in his blood as he belonged to the legacy of Manley Hopkins who himself published verses. He was the eldest among nine other siblings in his family and had great potential along with greater responsibilities.

Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins

His family ambience always helped him to put emphasis on his studies and pursue poetry as his passion and profession as well. In fact, he was awarded at the Highgate grammar school for the poetry of excellence and then got admitted to the Balliol College, Oxford.

His academic excellence was mirrored by the title he received from his alma mater – “the star of Balliol “. In fact, he started his career in poetry when there prevailed a growing relationship and a revolutionary ambience between Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism.

Birth and Death of Gerard Hopkins

Gerard Manley Hopkins was born on July 28 in the year 1844 and died on June 8th, in the year 1889. He was born in Stratford and he died in Dublin.

Gerard Manley Hopkins biography

Most of his writings were not published when he was alive but his compositions did influence a lot of 20th-century writers and poets.

Gerard Manley Hopkins’ Signature Poetic Style

Inscape is what we call it. The poet believed in the existence of an inner self and individual persona in each and every natural aspect. His poetry is used to describe nature in its own spontaneity and in its own sweetness.

Gerard Manley Hopkins
Alfred William Garrett; William Alexander Comyn_Macfarlane; Gerard Manley Hopkins by Thomas C. Bayfield

The uniqueness and individuality of each natural facet were brought out by him through his creations on paper. He used to maintain a journal of events and his experiences.

Taking up Priesthood was a Turning Point for Gerard Hopkins

It was around 1868 that Gerard Manley Hopkins entered the Jesuit novitiate. After this, there was a long pause in his practice of poetry creation. But an unfortunate incident in 1875 broke this silence and brought him back to the world of rhythm, to the world of verses.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

The shipwreck in 1875 that killed a few nuns ( around 5 ) was so heartbreaking for Gerard Manley Hopkins that he could not help writing” The wreck of the Deutschland”.  This brought him back to his arena of poetry again.

Gerard Manley Hopkins; Career, Academic Excellence, and Priesthood

He continued priesthood simultaneously with the practice of poetry and hence, marked himself academically excellent. He used to teach Greek literature at the university college, Dublin and used to preach religious thoughts as well.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

He used to teach classics in the religious domain (Church mostly), and served as a missionary as well. Gerard Manley Hopkins used to preach at many Jesuit churches in those days. His merits were reflected in both the religious arena and academic circuit.

Gerard Manley Hopkins Sprung Rhythm

His experimenting with rhythm, poetic verses, syntax, alliteration, repetition and so on and so forth are mentioned worthy.

His unfortunate death was owing to typhoid fever. This loss was mourned by many across the globe as his compositions and creations had something that was uniquely lovable.

More Info On-  Hopkins Inscape Instress