E349S April 5: Existence and Nature's Divinity

Oh, the monsters are fabulous, indeed.

In Lewis Carroll's chapter "The Lion and the Unicorn," Alice is titillated by her encounter with the Unicorn, a creature of fantasy and of myth. Alice has" never [seen] one alive before," especially considering the skepticism found in reality in regards to myths and imagination. [1]The concept of firm belief  versus doubt comes into play because the Unicorn has never seen a girl like Alice as well. The discussion of reality versus fantasy is noted as the Unicorn states, "if [Alice] will believe in [the Unicorn], [it] will believe in [her]."[2] Both characters think each other to be "fabulous monsters," but each has difficulty accepting the reality of the encounter.

Unicorns exist, right?

 Reality is very subjective, adhering to the perspective and opinions of each individual uniquely. Alice comes from a world of rigid social structure and formality; the Unicorn comes from a world of madness and chaos. Because of their differing perspectives, conflict arises in reaching middle ground between each character's stance. Without a firm belief system, the concept of existence is negated because existence is subjective to the individual. In essence, if Alice did not recognize the existence of the characters she faces throughout her journey, the very journey is tarnished. Without recognition of the reality of her trials and tribulations,  her whole adventure is shrouded in falsehoods. 

God is great, for nature is perfect.

In relation, Hopkins's poem May Magnificat portrays the Virgin Mary's religious extension to nature. Considering man's neglect to nature, Mother Mary finds "[sympathy]/ with that world of good," and more so, in "Nature's motherhood." [3] Whilst Alice questions reality versus fantasy, trying to grasp the idea of existence, Hopkins utilizes Mother Mary, a religious figure of salvation, as influential in the reverence of nature. Only by accepting Mary's existence can her religious influence and associated morality be regarded as evident and credible. Simply put, Mary's existence is easier accepted than the existence of the Unicorn. Nature is God's creation, embodied by Mother Mary. God "was [nature's] salvation,"[4] but only through firm belief can such be true. Mary's association with nature implies a divinity associated with natural creation. Similarly, Hopkins portrays Mary as the focus in a Ad Matrem Virginem, begging the "Mother of mighty God"[5] to teach of his mysterious ways; Hopkins humbly requests her to to teach him how to rejoice in the facets of life through which God can be found, especially nature. Hopkins uses Mother Mary throughout his poetry and a justification and presentation of God's will and testimony.  

Faith be in God, for God gives us faith.

Works Cited

1. Lewis Carroll, The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition, (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2000), 70.

Carroll, The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition, 229.

2. Carroll, The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition, 229.

3.  Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Major Works Including all the Poems and Selected Prose (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), 139.
4. Hopkins, The Major Works, 329.
5. Hopkins, The Major Works, 329.