Spiritual transformation in the poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins and its resonance in Su Shi, the Chinese poet

Abstract

　　Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) is regarded as a great Victorian poet and arguably the most famous among Jesuit poets.  Scholars in general believe he was deeply influenced by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius as a Jesuit priest and his poems reflect Ignatian spirit.  Hence, during this Ignatian year (20 May, 2021---31 July, 2022) it is appropriate to explore certain Ignatian insights from some of his poems, focusing on the theme of spiritual transformation.  The five sections of this article are: (1) Introduction: Early initiation to the pleasure of poetry in a Jesuit school; (2) Spiritual transformation from a Christian perspective; 3) Life of Gerard Manley Hopkins; (4) Excerpts of Hopkins showing his friendship with Jesus; (5) Conclusion: Resonance in Su Shi, a Chinese poet