The issue of God’s presence is largely addressed in the writings of Thomas Hardy, Gerard Hopkins, and Oscar Wilde. All three of these authors have different opinions about God’s omnipresence or complete lack of presence, but overall, the goals of these writers was to express through their writings their thoughts on God and his character under different circumstances. Three options are explored: God is either loving, vengeful, or merely indifferent. In Hardy’s “Hap,” he believes that God is must be vengeful if there is a god. On the other hand, “God’s Grandeur” by Gerard Hopkins talks about how God rules the earth. Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest shows what life is like with either a nonexistent or indifferent god.
“Hap” begins with the haunting line, “If but some vengeful god would call to me…” (Hardy 1932). Hardy wants God to be a hateful being because in Hardy’s mind, that would justify and explain why life is so hard and difficult. The poem’s god says, “Thou suffering thing, know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy, that thy love’s loss is my hate’s profit” (Hardy 1932). While …show more content…
The line, “And for all this, nature is never spent,” refers to the fact that God would never let man destroy creation (Hopkins 1548). The poem’s speaker asks, “Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod…” (Hopkins 1548). The poet answers his question by realizing that God is the reason why man has not overly polluted or wrecked the world. The Holy Ghost is very much alive and active in the world, according to Hopkins. God is also viewed as something beautiful and glorious in this poem. The last two lines state, “Because the Holy Ghost over the bent world broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings” (Hopkins 1548). The presence of God is potent, loving, and reigning in this
“Hap” begins with the haunting line, “If but some vengeful god would call to me…” (Hardy 1932). Hardy wants God to be a hateful being because in Hardy’s mind, that would justify and explain why life is so hard and difficult. The poem’s god says, “Thou suffering thing, know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy, that thy love’s loss is my hate’s profit” (Hardy 1932). While …show more content…
The line, “And for all this, nature is never spent,” refers to the fact that God would never let man destroy creation (Hopkins 1548). The poem’s speaker asks, “Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod…” (Hopkins 1548). The poet answers his question by realizing that God is the reason why man has not overly polluted or wrecked the world. The Holy Ghost is very much alive and active in the world, according to Hopkins. God is also viewed as something beautiful and glorious in this poem. The last two lines state, “Because the Holy Ghost over the bent world broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings” (Hopkins 1548). The presence of God is potent, loving, and reigning in this