Why Is Gerard Manley Hopkins Considered A Materialist?

Gerard Manley Hopkins, born in 1844 and who is an optimist, is also one of the greatest poets of the Victorian Era (Academy of American Poets). There's also William Wordsworth born in 1770 is another optimist and another great poet, but of the Romantic Era (Harriet Monroe). Both of these poets from two separate time periods have the same idea of society and the human population in general. Materialism is a trait that can torment both the rich and the poor and is described as both culturally destructive and very much self destructive (George Monbiot). In both poem of “God's Grandeur” by Gerard Manley Hopkins and “The World is too Much

The poet here is giving his readers two different ways of looking at what he wants his readers to realize, the grandeur of God. While people in the Victorian Era were more connected to the material world and more focused on the scientific individuality of man because of the Enlightenment Period, is caused some people to forget about the “grandeur of God” because people were moving towards money and other material objects (1). Also, the poem also uses much imagery to describe the feeling and sight of warmth and light. Going back on “shining from shock foil” (Hopkins 2), he uses this phrase to describe a sudden flame brewing; warmth and light. Although the poet states that “the last lights off the black West” in line 11, he then states “with warm breast and with ah! Bright wings” (Hopkins 14). Or in other words, there was darkness but it may be replaced by light. The feeling of warmth and light is symbolic for religious faith, which is a trait that Hopkins' seemed to be full

In line 9-10, Wordsworth states, “Great God! I'd rather be/A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn.” Here, the poet is wishing to be taken back to a simpler time, a time where a man would feel his limits being pushed by a natural world rather than a world filled with huge cities, new technology, and especially money. Wordsworth uses the allusion of Greek mythological heroes such as the “old Triton” and the “sight of Proteus” to represent an era that was in “tune” with the salutary of nature (14, 13), unlike Wordsworth's