Felicia Hemans

While reading Felicia Hemans’s poetry, I enjoyed reading and taking a closer look at her poem “The Homes of England.” I liked this poem because it was from a woman’s point of view and displayed a woman’s pride for the home and her country. England is such an old country and has so much history. In this poem, Hemans speaks of different homes that exist in England and different aspects of the home in each stanza. It is obvious that the speaker has much pride in her country and that pride starts in the home. The homes of England are its foundation and the heart of England.

In the first stanza, she begins describing the “stately Homes of England.” Here she is describing the more wealthy homes of England which contain a great amount of history. She starts out by exclaiming, “How beautiful they stand! Amidst their tall ancestral trees.” Its almost as if the homes are standing tall with pride for their country. In addition, they stand with the ancestral trees giving the feeling that they are old and have a great deal of heritage for which they can stand tall and be proud. In addition, in this stanza, images of nature are included with its description including, “deer,” “swan,” “sunny gleam,” and “stream.” These images display England’s deep connection with nature and the land of its country.

In the following stanzas, other aspects of the homes of England are celebrated. Hemans begins each stanza with a type of home. She exclaims, “The merry Homes of England!” “The blessed Homes of England!” “The Cottage Homes of England!” and “The free, fair Homes of England!” at the beginning of her stanzas. In the second stanza, she speaks of the “merry home.” The home being described, has a warm and loving mood. In this home the “woman’s voice flows forth in song” or “childhood’s tale is told.” The woman and children in the house are the heart of the home and bring it its warmth and love. In the next stanza, Hemans focuses on the “blessed Homes of England.” This stanza displays the importance of God in the home for England. She states, “How softly on their bowers is laid the holy quietness that breathes from Sabbath-hours!” The “cottage homes” are described at well in this poem. The small cottage homes of England are no less important in the pride of England than the stately homes are. The cottage homes are by the thousands and “smiling” at their wonderful country. Again, nature is included in this stanza showing the connection of it to all of England. The homes peep “thro’ glowing orchards” each with its “nook of leaves.” In addition, the poor are mentioned as being “fearless” in their homes. Even though they live in just a cottage, their home is their heart, and their home and heart is part of England. In the last stanza, the last two lines were very touching to me. Hemans writes speaking about the homes of England, “where first the child’s glad spirit loves its country and its God!” These lines seem to describe the heart of this poem to me. The home is first where someone learns to love their country and God. The home therefore is the central part of England’s pride. There is much history in the homes of England and they are part of its beauty and heritage.