NOTES
At the heart of understanding Hopkins' poetry is a fundamental principle which the poet
called "Inscape" and "Instress".
Hopkins, in his search for an aesthetic understanding of nature, found value in the
writings of the great medieval theologian-philosopher, Duns Scotus, who attempted to
distinguish the difference between the individual and the genus.
What makes Peter different from other men? What makes Angela different from other
girls? What makes my cat different from other cats?
Scotus claimed that Peter has an essence, a "this-ness", which is marks him
apart. My cat too has a "this-ness". Hopkins would expand on the concept of "this-
ness" and call it "inscape".
Inscape then is that unique property in things which makes them distinctive. It is the
inner essence of the thing. This uniqueness represents the beauty of the thing. Even
more, however, for it represents the beauty of God that is reflected in the thing.
When the poet looks into the sky in the morning and sees a falcon floating on the wind,
he sees more than just a bird. He sees the inner beauty of the bird. But within this
inner beauty, he also sees the beauty that is God. The falcon's "inscape" is
therefore the beautifying principle of God himself.
Not everybody, however, can see this "inscape", this inner manifestation of beauty and
the presence of God. Only the artist can see it. And the poet gave the name
"instress" to this ability to witness the "inscape" in something.
"Instress" is therefore the feeling that one has for the inner quality in
something. This is what characterises the artist. "Instress" is therefore a
mystical ability that enables the artist to perceive the inner beautifying principle
or "inscape".
"Instress" is the sensation of "inscape", where the "inscape" of the artist
becomes aware of the "inscape" of the thing of beauty. Most living people, Hopkins
once said, are fundamentally dead to this world of inscape, i.e. most people just cannot
see this inner beauty in something else.
Artistic creation, on the other hand, happens when the artist's personal inscape or
individual nature becomes "instressed" with the personal inscape of the other. The
work of art that then follows (e.g. a poem) is what the poet called "a new
inscape". Hence the title of Robin Malan's poetry anthology, "New Inscapes".
The poem then has its own "inscape" - it too becomes a thing of beauty which reflects
the beauty of God. When the reader's "inscape" becomes aware of the beauty of the
poem, then the reader has become "instressed". Once again, not everybody has this
ability.
Read more notes on Hopkins
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Be warned! "The Windhover" is probably one of the most complex poems that you are ever
likely to study. It has several depths of meaning. The poet has selected his words carefully for
their lyrical value, and has layered within them meaning upon meaning upon meaning. Tread
carefully! There is no simple answer to any of the questions which appear here.
1.
Hopkins is known for creating words.
- How many words can you find in this sonnet which are created? What does each
mean?
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2.
"Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!"
- Comment on the alliteration in "Brute beauty"
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- What is "the fire that breaks from thee"?
- Why should this fire be "a billion times told lovelier, more dangerous"?
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- Who is the "chevalier"?
- Why does the poet address him as "O my chevalier!"?
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3.
Having understood the concept of "inscape" and "instress" (see notes
opposite), explain to what extent "inscape" is important in understanding the poet's vision of the
falcon in this sonnet.
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4.
An image is a hidden picture, a portrait which the poet has tucked away within his words but
which he wishes the astute reader to see. He therefore leaves clues for the reader, jigsaw
puzzle pieces of words which, when pieced together, reveal the image.
- In this sonnet, two images are hidden away. What are they? Here are the clues for
each:
- Image 1:
minion, kingdom, chevalier, riding, striding, rein, pride, plume.
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- Image 2:
kingdom, dauphin, plod, plough, brute, buckle, fall, gall, breaks, gash, blue,
gold-vermillion.
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