Felicia Hemans

I have found that I take a great deal of interest in Felicia Hemans’ work, The Homes of England because I see it as somewhat parallel to the feelings that have been present in more modern times of war. I find the quote that precedes the work very interesting because I feel that there are a great deal of people who, when facing difficult times with their country, share the sentiments “Where’s the coward that would not dare...To fight for such a land?”-Marmion.

I enjoyed the way that Hemans described “The Homes of England” because she seems to place the same amount of thoughtful love into the descriptions that she provides within each of the stanzas. Hemans speaks, with great care, of “The stately Homes of England...The merry Homes of England...The blessed Homes of England…The Cottage Homes of England…The free, fair Homes of England”. She provides such warm, comforting images in each stanza that I found myself reading over each line with great care, and I also found myself giving each word careful examination and consideration. I really enjoyed the images that Hemans painted with her words, especially the last stanza:

The free, fair Homes of England!
Long, long, in hut and hall,
May hearts of native proof be rear’d
To guard each hallowed wall!
And green for ever be the groves,
And bright the flowery sod,
Where first the child’s glad spirit loves
Its country and its God!

I feel that I took so much interest in this stanza because of the patriotic feel of each line. I am very proud to be an American and I hold a great deal of respect for others who also hold patriotic values about their country. After reading The Homes of England I feel that Felicia Hemans was proud of her country, even if she was not particularly proud of the government, and she felt that it is important to fight for what one believes in worth while.