The Windhover by Gerard Manley Hopkins

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts from the poem 'The Windhover' by Gerard Manley Hopkins, reflecting its themes, form, and stylistic innovations.

Windhover

A bird (kestrel) known for its ability to hover in the air, head to wind.

Minion

A term for favorites or protégés, especially those of a monarch or prince.

Dauphin

Literally the title of the eldest son of the King of France, used here to signify royalty.

Brute beauty

The beauty of a creature, not synonymous with brutal in the traditional sense.

Buckle

To join together; emphasizes the unity of qualities in the hawk.

Shéer plód

Simple, pure, and straightforward labor, often relating to the toil of a ploughman.

Sillion

The ridge between two furrows of a plowed field, suggesting natural beauty.

Gash

To break open or wound, relating to the concept of the Crucifixion.

Sprung rhythm

A meter where the number of accents in a line matters but the number of syllables does not, allowing variations in pace.

Modernist elements

Innovative features such as unusual grammatical structures, capitalization for emphasis, and complex imagery.