Hope holds to Christ by Gerard Manley Hopkins

This somewhat complex and hard to interpret poem has a clear image at its heart—the personification of Hope. The force is described as  “she” and as someone who is holding the “mind’s mirror” up to Christ with the hope of seeing his reflection. As the poem progresses, it becomes more about faith and belief than about reality.

Hope holds to Christ
Gerard Manley Hopkins

Hope holds to Christ the mind’s own mirror outTo take His lovely likeness more and more.It will not well, so she would bring aboutAn ever brighter burnish than beforeAnd turns to wash it from her welling eyesAnd breathes the blots off all with sighs on sighs.Her glass is blest but she as good as blindHolds till hand aches and wonders what is there;Her glass drinks light, she darkles down behind,All of her glorious gainings unaware.

I told you that she turned her mirror dimBetweenwhiles, but she sees herself not Him.

Summary 

‘Hope holds to Christ’ by Gerard Manley Hopkins addresses hope, faith, and the human mind, connecting all of these to Christ and Christianity.

In the first lines of ‘Hope holds to Christ,’ the speaker begins by noting that Hope, as a personified force, holds a mirror up to Christ. As the lines progress, it becomes clear that there’s a relationship between Hope and Christ, and that reflects the other in the human mind. There, one can find a reflection of Christ even if Hope is not able to see it. It’s this inability that closely resembles the need for faith. One must believe even if there is no reflection in the dim mirror. 

Structure and Form

‘Hope holds to Christ’ by Gerard Manley Hopkins is a twelve-line poem divided into one set of ten lines and one final couplet. The couplet is distinct from the rest of the lines in that the speaker transitions to use a first-person narrative perspective and address “you.” The poem also follows a rhyme scheme of ABABCCDEDEFF. This unusual, but quite a constant pattern, is perfect for the content. The lines are also mostly written in iambic pentameter. This means that most of the lines contain five sets of two beats, the first of which is unstressed and the second of which is stressed. 

Literary Devices 

Throughout this piece, Hopkins engages with several literary devices. These include but are not limited to: 

• Enjambment: occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping point. For example, the transition between lines three and four as well as lines five and six. 
• Alliteration: can be seen when the poet repeats the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words. For example, “mind’s” and “mirror” in line one and “breathes” and “blots” in line six. 
• Personification: occurs when the poet imbues a non-human force with human characteristics. For example, the way that the writer treats Hope throughout this poem. 

Detailed Analysis 

Lines 1-6 

Hope holds to Christ the mind’s own mirror out
To take His lovely likeness more and more.
(…)
And breathes the blots off all with sighs on sighs.

In the first lines of ‘Hope holds to Christ,’ the speaker begins by personifying “Hope.” This means that he imbues the force with human characteristics. In this case, calling the force a “she” and describing how hope held the “mind’s mirror out” to reflect Christ. By seeking Christ in this way, the poet is describing how the mind, hope, and Christ are connected. Christ is reflected in mind but only when it’s burnished. This suggests that one has to be filled with hope, faith, and good deeds in order to reflect the image of Christ as one would want to. 

Hope continues to be personified, described as washing the mirror with “welling eyes,” or eyes filled with tears. She sighs and sighs and wipes the glass so that it will take his likeness better. This suggests that it takes effort, and there’s always a sin to be contended with before one can reflect Christ. There are examples of enjambment and alliteration in this stanza, such as “bright burnish” and the transition between lines one and two. 

Lines 7-12 

Her glass is blest but she as good as blind
Holds till hand aches and wonders what is there;
(…)

I told you that she turned her mirror dim
Betweenwhiles, but she sees herself not Him.

In the next line, the speaker says that Hope’s glass is “blest” or “blessed.” But, she’s blind to her state. She doesn’t see how truly blessed she is. Despite this, she has faith. She continues to hold onto the mirror until her hand aches. This resembles what faithful people are meant to do as they commit themselves to Christ even through doubt and sorrow. 

Hope, the speaker adds, is also unaware of herself and what she represents. Hope is intangible so, one is constantly unaware of how much is real and how much is not. She’s “unaware” of her “glorious gainings. 

The final two lines are different. The speaker transitions to using first-person narration and addresses “you.” He says that he told “you” about Hope and that she saw “herself not Him” when the mirror dimmed. This suggests that Hope and Christ are one and the same and that having hope is like having faith. 

FAQs 

Similar Poetry 

Readers who enjoyed ‘Hope holds to Christ’ should also consider reading other Gerard Manley Hopkins poems. For example: 

• ‘Felix Randal’ – written as an elegy for a farrier by the name of Felix Randal.
• ‘Habit of Perfection’ – states his resolution to take to a religious and austere life and to discard all the pleasures of the senses.
• ‘Pied Beauty’ – is another poem about Christ and his creation.