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crossref-it.info - AS/A2 English Literature Study Guides - texts in context.

 

Poems for study » Harry Ploughman » Imagery and symbolism in Harry Ploughman

Athleticism

In the effort to visualise the ploughman, Hopkins has packed his images tightly together. Some are simple similes, such as his arms being `Hard as hurdle’(l.1), or later, his thigh ‘as a beechbole firm’(l.9) or his limbs ‘as at a rollcall’(l.9), an interesting military, or perhaps naval (‘crew’) image of his body parts on parade, answering to a roll-call, then being told what their jobs for the day are.

Skin and hair

Other images are harder to work out:

Repeated imagery

Poets tend to develop favourite metaphors and recycle them whenever appropriate:

Investigating Harry Ploughman
  • Where else have you seen Hopkins use lace as an image?
  • What seems to fascinate Hopkins about the earth turned over by the plough?
    • What epithets and images does he use of it?
  • Would you say most of the imagery is drawn from nature?
    • Make a list of nature imagery.
An image where one thing is said to be 'as' or 'like' another: e.g. 'He jumped up like a jack-in-the-box'.
1. Imitation, copy, likeness, statue, picture in literature, art or imagination. 2. A figure of speech in which a person or object or happening is described in terms of some other person, object or action (i.e. as a metaphor or simile)
An image or form of comparison where one thing is said actually to be another - e.g. 'fleecy clouds'.
An adjective conveying a quality or attribute regarded as characteristic of the person or thing described

Hard as hurdle arms, with a broth of goldish flue
Breathed round; the rack of ribs; the scooped flank; lank
Rope-over thigh; knee-nave; and barrelled shank--
Head and foot, shoulder and shank--
By a grey eye's heed steered well, one crew, fall to;
Stand at stress. Each limb's barrowy brawn, his thew
That onewhere curded, onewhere sucked or sank--
Soared or sank--,
Though as a beechbole firm, finds his, as at a roll-
call, rank
And features, in flesh, what deed he each must do--
His sinew-service where do.

He leans to it, Harry bends, look. Back, elbow, and
liquid waist
In him, all quail to the wallowing o' the plough:
's cheek crimsons; curls
Wag or crossbridle, in a wind lifted, windlaced--
See his wind- lilylocks -laced;
Churlsgrace, too, child of Amansstrength, how it hangs
or hurls
Them--broad in bluff hide his frowning feet lashed! raced
With, along them, cragiron under and cold furls--
With-a-fountain's shining-shot furls.