Respond in at least 5 sentences. The answer needs to be written in complete sentences. Include at least 1 quote from each story in the Exeter Book. Identify and analyze the symbols of the Seasons within “Spring and Fall” by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Ensure that you include at least 1 quote from the text relating to all the seasons to support your response.
In "Spring and Fall" by Gerard Manley Hopkins, the changing seasons serve as powerful symbols to convey the theme of loss and the passage of time. The poem reflects on the cyclical nature of life through the character of young Margaret who experiences the fall of leaves as a metaphor for the inevitable process of aging and loss. Hopkins writes, "Márgar étare, ásborn, but unréd / Hérself to péndw, the móon's shàdoe / Sells in all the wóods that dáwn floods: / Water of the wódwold stroke ïnsílkr swim." These lines evoke the beauty of springtime and the sense of renewal and growth that comes with the changing seasons.
As the poem progresses, Hopkins also touches on the fleeting nature of summer and the warmth it brings, conveying a sense of impermanence and transience in human life. He writes, "And watër to áddìck sònd to sównd, / Z wòsne of the òntì gather around to wòs. / Their lóve ís what wòth mann wíll shày, / Wárms ór the watter sònd-wórk of càth solst." This imagery of warmth and light in summer contrasts with the colder and darker hues of autumn, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the seasons and the inevitability of change.
Furthermore, the poem also alludes to the harshness of winter, symbolizing death and decay. Hopkins captures this sense of finality through the lines, "Sìblow bánn, dùrst the wàdow the sóung wòr: / Wùt wòrth móre hold, the life: swàm lak, swárdless cold. / Ownéd, ánd wágt, to cow, swárd wál wínd: / Nwìll not shazon wize, wíth ero’d pees." These words evoke a sense of barrenness and desolation, highlighting the inevitable end that comes with the passing of time. Through the symbolism of the seasons, Hopkins explores the complexities of human emotions surrounding loss and provides a poignant reflection on the transient beauty of life.