The Windhover

1. Summarize the ways Hopkins uses metaphor to describe the bird’s movements. Identify each specific image he uses as a descriptor for the bird and explain the image’s literal meaning. After summarizing, analyze the effect each metaphor has on the poem’s meaning. Is there a connection between the metaphors, or do they all exist independently of one another despite all being about the same thing?

2. What is this poem about? Is Hopkins expressing his religious zeal, or is he subtly confessing to his own personal dilemma of poetry versus religion? Craft an argument with a defensible thesis statement that picks one interpretation over the other. Provide either textual, historical, or biographical evidence from at least two sources and the poem to help support your thesis.