The Windhover

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1918

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Symbols & Motifs

The Windhover

The bird that gives the poem its title represents a number of things. More than anything, though, the bird is a representation of Christ in its ability to master the natural world with power and grace and in the way it hovers in the sky above all else, waiting for a moment to descend to the earth only to once again return to the sky. The bird has complete control over all elements of the world. It is able to withstand the power of the wind and gravity by hovering in place despite the forces acting against it. And the bird serves as a symbol for how the soul, when it opens and becomes aware of how the world expresses beauty and redemption, can achieve mastery of a thing.

The Fire

Perhaps the most complex movement of the poem is the section about “the fire that breaks from thee then” (Line 10). The fire is the first image in a string of metaphorical images that express the way the world, like Christ, renews itself. Upon buckling, a fire emerges to take the place of the buckled, collapsed thing. “Buckle” (Line 10) suggests something that has fallen over or lost its strength, but from that loss comes the passion, energy, movement, and warmth of a bright fire a billion times more bright, lovely, and dangerous than anything else. This could be the fire of passion, a fire of faith, or it could be a literal fire. Any one of these would indicate something with an even greater level of power and control than the bird described in the first stanza.

The Plough

The plough in the third stanza is another metaphorical symbol that continues the theme established by the fire. As the fire brings about renewal after a loss of power, the plough breaks open the soil, and through this act of destruction it brings about something new that is full of life. The plough allows the ground to give forth its shining embers that provide nutrition and support for growing life in the form of seeds. From the soil comes the blood of Christ but also color, suggesting the development of a nutritious harvest.

Both fire and agricultural development served as the primary tools of early human development, and for all of human history, they have been the most important things to ensure the survival of the species. Yet, like the bird, they have become common things that, despite possessing great power, are often overlooked. Hopkins appreciates the power they possess.