The child is father to the man

Posted by Bob on May 04, 2005

In Reply to: The child is father to the man posted by ESC on May 03, 2005

: : What does the phrase "the child is father to the man" imply?

: Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-89). Poems. 1918.
:
: 68. 'The child is father to the man'
:
: 'THE CHILD is father to the man.'
: How can he be? The words are wild.
: Suck any sense from that who can:
: 'The child is father to the man.'
: No; what the poet did write ran, 5
: 'The man is father to the child.'
: 'The child is father to the man!'
: How can he be? The words are wild.
:

Wordsworth's original sentiment, which Hopkins was referencing, is a poetic statement of an otherwise commonplace observation: what you are, and feel, and think, and believe as a child creates a path you will take into adulthood.