Felix Randal is about the death of a blacksmith. Gerald Hopkins describes, “We have watched his mould of man, bit-boned and hardy-handsome.” (p.776) line 2] The blacksmith was still a very young man at the time of his death. He was well thought of among his peers. “Sickness broke him.” (line 5) According to this, he reached a critical point where he was confined to his bed. Hopkins mentions the young man’s condition, than reflects on how he had so many years left ahead of him still. Thus the old saying, “the good die young.”
Like so many, initially the young man seemed to be upset that he was ill. However, according to the author, he finally accepted his faith. Hopkins also states that the young man confessed his sins before dying. Many would say that he was preparing to enter into the kingdom of God. Hopkins heart was weak as he watched the young man dying. He could not contain his emotions and according to the poem, he cried, as so many of us do at a time like this.
My dad told me a long time ago that the two true things that we must do is live and die. This was shortly after the death of very dear friend my ninth grade year. I did not know it at the time, but he had leukemia. It is tough to see someone who grew up with you die so young; especially when life was so full of promise. Not only is it hard to accept, but very difficult to understand as well.
Reggie,
ReplyDeleteGood observations on Hopkins's poem and the main character in it. After the first paragraph, though, you tend to give more of a synopsis of the poem than an analysis of it. You fall into repeating the plot, rather than discussing how Hopkins conveys it.
Felix Randal signified more about Hopkins than it did about the characters for me. I guess if I just looked at the poem and didn't think about the author, I would agree with most of your post. I still agree with your post. I think he was successful in showing the succession of Randal's illness and his acceptance of death. The poet sort of give's himself a pat on the back for helping Felix give his life to the Lord before his death.
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