“Felix Randal:”An Unconventional Elegy
... for. Furthermore, Hopkins follows the conventional pattern of moving from loss and sorrow to consolation within the elegy when he writes, “This seeing the sick endears them to us, us too it endears” (9). Earlier in the poem Hopkins’ sonnet is full of sorrow. However, this sorrow is later met with consolation, a feature quite common in elegy. Hopkins finds relief in knowing that his religious acts helped to comfort Randal and ultimately himself. Although Hopkins precisely follows the conventions of elegy he takes “Felix Randal” beyond conventionality by demonstrating that the structure of the Petrarchan sonnet is just as important as the conventions of elegy. The poet demonstrates this proficiency by using its structure to further enhance the content of the poem. For example, the octave is used to explore the conflict his religious relationship to Felix produces. He states: “O he is dead then? My duty all ended, / Who have watched his mould of man” (1-2). Traditionally, the octave is used to portray conflict. In “Felix Randal, Hopkins is not only using the octave to express the conflict he is feeling as a result of Randal’s death (a conventional element of elegy), but he is additionally using the octave to emphasize his religious relationship to Randal. This further enhances the content of the poem by emphasizing the sorrow he is feeling. Furthermore, Hopkins uses the Volta to demonstrate a mood change within the poem and a consolation for himself. The Volta reads, “This seeing the sick endears them to us, us too it endears” (9). In traditional sonnets the ninth line or the ‘Volta’ is used to provide a turn of events. Hopkins achieves a successful Volta and uses its structure to enhance his own consolation, a conventional element of elegy. Previously, Hopkins is expressing feelings of sorrow but the Volta offers a means for Hopkins to express the solitude he discovers in realizing that by helping Randal he is helping himself. This turn of events leads the reader into the resolution the poet finds in the remainder of the sonnet. Hopkins uses the sestet to portray these elements of self-expression. He illustrates, “My tongue had taught thee comfort, touch had quenched thy tears, / Thy tears that touched my heart, child, Felix, poor Felix Randal” (10-11). The traditional use of a sestet often provides a release to the conflict presented in the octave. Here, Hopkins achieves this by using the sestet to enhance his feelings about the personal relationship between Felix Randal and himself. He finds comfort in the fact that he helped Randal through his sufferings but additionally finds comfort in knowing that Randal ‘touched his [own] heart’. This offers a release from the sorrow he previously expresses in the octave. Not only is Hopkins using the poem as a means of self-expression, a conventional element of elegy, but he is also concentrating on producing a successful sestet. Hopkins additionally uses the sestet to leave the reader with a positive image of Felix Randal by stating, “When thou at the random grim forge, powerful amidst peers, / Didst fettle for the great grey drayhorse his bright and battering sandal” (13-14). Again, Hopkins uses the structure of the sonnet to his advantage. Readers not on...