Gerard Manley Hopkins' "terrible" Sonnets In the mid 1800's a very spiritual poet was born. Gerard Manley Hopkins was born July 28, 1844 to Manley and Catherine (Smith) Hopkins, the first of their nine children (Drabble 473). His parents were High Church Anglicans, and his father had just published a volume of poetry the year before (Drabble 473). He was ordained as a Jesuit priest who wrote beautiful poetry full of thoughts of nature and harmony. Hopkins poetry was, …showed first 75 words of 1407 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1407 total…professor in Dublin. These sonnets expose the pain and suffering that this Jesuit priest felt. Hopkins early poetry such as "God's Grandeur" and " The Sea and the Skylark" shows his strong belief of God in nature. Hopkins strong religious beliefs were developed from his religious upbringing and his father encouraged his poetry at an early age (Drabble 473). Those combinations allow thousands of people to understand the inner torment religious doubt and despair can lead too.