The nature poems of G. M. Hopkins is generally characterized as a sensitive observation on the natural objects. But the most distinctive character of his poems is in its motion and trembling. It is related with his peculiar poetic concept ‘inscape’ and ‘instress.’ We can see too many proves of this moving in Hopkins’s poetry. In his nature poems, every tree, spring water and grass is alive. Even the cloud is described as a moving life force in his diary or poems. It is surprising to be able to see so many life forces in one poet’s poems. This life force is more distinguished in his poem “The Windhover” or other poems of animal. And its climax, we can see in his poem “Harry, the Ploughman.” In this poem we can see wonderful observation on the body of a strong farmer. He observed even the minute motion of muscles one by one and he seems to be glad to see this manly body. Hopkins has an inclination of the socialist and he liked more the labouring men than the cultured weak people. Another example is Tom in “Tom’s Garland” and the blacksmith in “Felix Randal.” This is in striking contrast to Yeats’s early nature poems which are considered as a dreamy poetic world. Yeats was too devoted to one woman’s love and his early poems are a kind of escape from this world. His nature is a retirement place from this world. Contrary to this, Hopkins’s nature is a life itself. For him the whole world and nature are a great and perfect work of God. And he caught its highest moment in its motion, that is inscape.

• 신원철(삼척대) | Shin Won Chul