Introduction: “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
“Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers first appeared in 1928 as part of his collection Cawdor and Other Poems. The poem captures themes of suffering, resilience, and the natural world’s raw, untamed beauty. Jeffers vividly depicts the plight of a wounded hawk, using the bird’s pain as a powerful metaphor for the relentless and often indifferent forces of nature. Through striking imagery and a tone that blends compassion with a stoic acceptance of mortality, Jeffers reflects on the tension between mercy and survival. This piece is celebrated for its philosophical depth and unique perspective on human-animal relationships, emphasizing Jeffers’ characteristic “inhumanism”—a belief in transcending human-centered values to embrace a broader, more natural worldview. “Hurt Hawks” resonates with readers for its honest exploration of life’s harsh realities and remains influential for its raw and profound meditation on existence.
Text: “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
I
The broken pillar of the wing jags from the clotted shoulder,
The wing trails like a banner in defeat,
No more to use the sky forever but live with famine
And pain a few days: cat nor coyote
Will shorten the week of waiting for death, there is game without talons.
He stands under the oak-bush and waits
The lame feet of salvation; at night he remembers freedom
And flies in a dream, the dawns ruin it.
He is strong and pain is worse to the strong, incapacity is worse.
The curs of the day come and torment him
At distance, no one but death the redeemer will humble that head,
The intrepid readiness, the terrible eyes.
The wild God of the world is sometimes merciful to those
That ask mercy, not often to the arrogant.
You do not know him, you communal people, or you have forgotten him;
Intemperate and savage, the hawk remembers him;
Beautiful and wild, the hawks, and men that are dying, remember him.
II
I’d sooner, except the penalties, kill a man than a hawk; but the great redtail
Had nothing left but unable misery
From the bones too shattered for mending, the wing that trailed under his talons when he moved.
We had fed him for six weeks, I gave him freedom,
He wandered over the foreland hill and returned in the evening, asking for death,
Not like a beggar, still eyed with the old
Implacable arrogance. I gave him the lead gift in the twilight. What fell was relaxed,
Owl-downy, soft feminine feathers; but what
Soared: the fierce rush: the night-herons by the flooded river cried fear at its rising
Before it was quite unsheathed from reality.
Annotations: “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
| Line | Annotation | Literary Devices |
| “The broken pillar of the wing jags from the clotted shoulder,” | Describes the hawk’s injury; a vivid image of a broken wing as a “pillar” that juts out painfully, invoking a sense of unnatural disfigurement. | Imagery, Metaphor, Consonance |
| “The wing trails like a banner in defeat,” | The broken wing is compared to a “banner in defeat,” symbolizing loss, weakness, and surrender. | Simile, Symbolism, Imagery |
| “No more to use the sky forever but live with famine” | The hawk, unable to fly, is condemned to live a short, painful life without sustenance or freedom. | Irony, Imagery |
| “And pain a few days: cat nor coyote” | Suggests that natural predators (cats, coyotes) won’t end the hawk’s suffering quickly; his death is prolonged. | Alliteration, Imagery |
| “Will shorten the week of waiting for death, there is game without talons.” | Highlights the hawk’s helplessness, unable to hunt or defend itself, enduring an inevitable but delayed death. | Irony, Personification |
| “He stands under the oak-bush and waits” | The hawk, in its crippled state, remains stationary, waiting passively under a bush, symbolizing patience or resignation. | Imagery, Symbolism |
| “The lame feet of salvation; at night he remembers freedom” | “Lame feet of salvation” suggests a paradox where death is seen as a form of salvation; the hawk dreams of freedom in its incapacitated state. | Personification, Paradox |
| “And flies in a dream, the dawns ruin it.” | The hawk experiences brief relief in dreams, only to awaken to its reality, highlighting the cruel nature of hope. | Contrast, Imagery |
| “He is strong and pain is worse to the strong, incapacity is worse.” | Strength in the hawk makes suffering more intense, suggesting that resilience can lead to greater suffering in a powerless state. | Paradox, Irony, Repetition |
| “The curs of the day come and torment him” | Carrion animals approach the hawk, sensing its weakness; “curs” implies contempt for these scavengers, reflecting the hawk’s fierce pride. | Metaphor, Imagery |
| “At distance, no one but death the redeemer will humble that head,” | Death is personified as a redeemer, the only force able to end the hawk’s suffering, as it remains proud in life despite its condition. | Personification, Irony, Symbolism |
| “The intrepid readiness, the terrible eyes.” | Despite its condition, the hawk retains a fierce and unyielding expression, symbolizing undiminished strength and pride. | Imagery, Personification |
| “The wild God of the world is sometimes merciful to those” | Introduces the concept of a “wild God” embodying nature’s cruelty and occasional mercy; implies that the hawk’s fate is in this god’s hands. | Allusion, Symbolism, Personification |
| “That ask mercy, not often to the arrogant.” | Suggests mercy is not granted to those who show arrogance, as the hawk does; reflects on themes of humility and survival. | Irony, Personification |
| “You do not know him, you communal people, or you have forgotten him;” | Jeffers addresses “communal people,” implying that modern humans have lost connection with nature’s brutal realities. | Apostrophe, Contrast |
| “Intemperate and savage, the hawk remembers him;” | Unlike humans, the hawk remembers and respects the “wild God”; highlights the hawk’s enduring connection with primal forces. | Contrast, Imagery, Personification |
| “Beautiful and wild, the hawks, and men that are dying, remember him.” | Compares the hawk to men who face death, suggesting that in moments of extremity, one recalls nature’s raw power and independence. | Simile, Symbolism, Imagery |
| “I’d sooner, except the penalties, kill a man than a hawk;” | The speaker expresses reluctance to harm a hawk, valuing it more highly than humans, reflecting his respect for wild creatures. | Irony, Hyperbole |
| “But the great redtail had nothing left but unable misery” | The hawk, specifically a “redtail,” is condemned to “unable misery,” emphasizing its helpless suffering. | Imagery, Pathos |
| “From the bones too shattered for mending, the wing that trailed under his talons when he moved.” | Graphic description of the hawk’s irreversible injury, depicting its suffering and inability to heal. | Imagery, Visual Detail |
| “We had fed him for six weeks, I gave him freedom,” | The speaker tried to sustain the hawk but eventually releases it, showing compassion and the inevitability of the hawk’s return to nature. | Irony, Symbolism |
| “He wandered over the foreland hill and returned in the evening, asking for death,” | The hawk roams but returns, seeking relief in death, showing a dignified acceptance of its fate. | Personification, Irony |
| “Not like a beggar, still eyed with the old implacable arrogance.” | Despite its suffering, the hawk retains its fierce pride, refusing to submit to weakness. | Personification, Contrast, Symbolism |
| “I gave him the lead gift in the twilight.” | The speaker euthanizes the hawk with a bullet, calling it a “lead gift,” emphasizing both the act’s mercy and finality. | Euphemism, Symbolism, Irony |
| “What fell was relaxed, Owl-downy, soft feminine feathers;” | After death, the hawk’s fierce exterior softens, symbolized by “Owl-downy” feathers, capturing the release from suffering. | Imagery, Contrast |
| “But what soared: the fierce rush: the night-herons by the flooded river cried fear at its rising” | The hawk’s spirit is imagined as soaring, frightening other animals, symbolizing a transcendent strength even in death. | Imagery, Symbolism, Irony |
| “Before it was quite unsheathed from reality.” | The hawk’s spirit leaves its body, “unsheathed” as though it were a weapon or force, evoking the power of natural essence beyond death. | Metaphor, Symbolism, Imagery |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
| Literary Device | Example | Explanation |
| Allusion | “The wild God of the world” | Jeffers references a “wild God” representing nature’s untamed, indifferent force. This allusion suggests a divine but unforgiving power in the natural world, which the hawk respects even in its suffering. |
| Apostrophe | “You do not know him, you communal people” | The poet addresses “communal people,” critiquing those detached from nature’s harsh realities. This apostrophe serves to remind readers of the divide between human society and the natural world’s raw, unforgiving forces. |
| Assonance | “No more to use the sky forever but live with famine” | The repetition of the “o” sound in “no more to use” and the “a” sound in “famine” create a mournful tone, emphasizing the hawk’s painful fate of being grounded. |
| Consonance | “Broken pillar of the wing” | The repetition of the “l” sound in “pillar” and “wing” creates a musical quality, adding emphasis to the hawk’s suffering through the harshness of the consonant sounds. |
| Contrast | “Beautiful and wild, the hawks, and men that are dying” | Contrasts the fierce freedom of hawks with the vulnerability of men near death, highlighting both creatures’ shared recognition of nature’s power when facing mortality. |
| Euphemism | “The lead gift in the twilight” | Refers to euthanizing the hawk with a bullet, softened by calling it a “lead gift.” This euphemism conveys the speaker’s reluctance to end the hawk’s life while acknowledging the necessity of relieving its suffering. |
| Hyperbole | “I’d sooner, except the penalties, kill a man than a hawk” | The speaker exaggerates his preference for killing a man over a hawk to emphasize his deep respect for the wild creature and the value he places on natural life. |
| Imagery | “The wing trails like a banner in defeat” | Visual imagery vividly depicts the broken wing trailing behind, evoking the hawk’s weakened state and creating a powerful image of suffering and loss. |
| Irony | “The hawk remembers him” (the “wild God” vs. “communal people”) | Irony lies in the hawk’s closer relationship to the “wild God” than the “communal people,” highlighting that wild creatures are more attuned to nature’s savagery than humans, who have forgotten it. |
| Metaphor | “The broken pillar of the wing” | The wing is likened to a “pillar,” symbolizing strength now fractured, representing the hawk’s lost power and pride. |
| Paradox | “He is strong and pain is worse to the strong” | The paradoxical idea that strength can intensify suffering suggests that the hawk’s pride makes its injury even harder to bear, as powerlessness contrasts sharply with its natural resilience. |
| Personification | “At distance, no one but death the redeemer will humble that head” | Death is personified as a “redeemer” who can end the hawk’s suffering, suggesting that death alone has the authority to bring peace to such a proud creature. |
| Repetition | “The terrible eyes…the intrepid readiness” | Repeated references to the hawk’s fierce qualities highlight its unyielding spirit, emphasizing the dignified acceptance of its suffering. |
| Simile | “The wing trails like a banner in defeat” | The wing is compared to a defeated banner, symbolizing loss and underscoring the hawk’s loss of freedom and strength. |
| Symbolism | “The wild God of the world” | The “wild God” symbolizes the indifferent, powerful forces of nature, revered by the hawk but forgotten by humans, illustrating nature’s impartiality toward life and death. |
| Tone | Melancholic, Reflective | The tone reflects sorrow for the hawk’s suffering and contemplation of nature’s harsh realities, creating an emotional resonance with readers. |
| Visual Detail | “The wing that trailed under his talons when he moved” | Vivid description of the hawk’s injury highlights the brokenness of its body, evoking empathy and capturing the physical toll of its suffering. |
| Word Choice (Diction) | “Intemperate and savage” | Words like “intemperate” and “savage” create a rugged, intense atmosphere, suggesting the relentless brutality inherent in nature. |
| Zoomorphism | “The curs of the day come and torment him” | Calling scavengers “curs” (dogs) attributes canine qualities to these animals, emphasizing their role in further tormenting the hawk and adding a layer of disdain for these scavengers that prey on the vulnerable. |
Themes: “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
- Suffering and Resilience: Jeffers delves deeply into the theme of suffering through the hawk’s physical and existential plight. The hawk, with its “broken pillar of the wing” that “jags from the clotted shoulder,” is stripped of its former freedom and reduced to helplessness. However, the hawk endures with resilience, facing pain and incapacity with an undaunted spirit. Jeffers remarks that “pain is worse to the strong,” emphasizing that the hawk’s inherent strength intensifies its suffering. This juxtaposition between strength and suffering underscores the poem’s exploration of resilience in the face of unavoidable hardship. The hawk’s quiet endurance without succumbing to self-pity or submission highlights Jeffers’ admiration for resilience as an inherent aspect of wild, untamed nature.
- Nature’s Indifference and Cruelty: Another key theme is nature’s impartiality and, at times, cruelty. Jeffers presents nature as an “intemperate and savage” force, indifferent to individual suffering. The “wild God of the world” mentioned in the poem represents a deity of nature that is merciless and unfaltering, granting mercy only selectively. The hawk’s prolonged suffering—its inability to hunt or evade predators—reflects nature’s cold impartiality, where strength and survival do not guarantee protection from suffering. The hawk, once a symbol of freedom and power, becomes a testament to nature’s indifferent harshness. Jeffers uses the hawk’s fate to illustrate a worldview in which nature is both awe-inspiring and relentlessly unforgiving.
- The Dignity in Facing Death: Jeffers also explores the dignity in accepting and facing death. The hawk, though injured and in pain, maintains a fierce pride and “implacable arrogance.” Unlike a “beggar,” it approaches death with unwavering dignity, symbolizing a noble acceptance of life’s end. Jeffers describes how the hawk “returned in the evening, asking for death,” yet its gaze remains proud and unyielding. By giving the hawk the “lead gift in the twilight,” the speaker offers a mercy that the hawk accepts not as a victim but with dignity. This theme speaks to the power of facing death on one’s own terms, a notion that aligns with Jeffers’ appreciation for the inherent nobility in wild creatures.
- The Disconnect Between Humans and Nature: A theme that permeates Hurt Hawks is the contrast between humans and the natural world. Jeffers criticizes the “communal people” who have “forgotten” the fierce “wild God” that the hawk instinctively recognizes. The poem underscores the hawk’s deeper connection to nature’s primal forces, a connection that modern humans lack or ignore. Jeffers suggests that humans are insulated from the raw realities of survival and death that are evident in the hawk’s experience. This disconnect is symbolized by the speaker’s lament that he would “sooner, except the penalties, kill a man than a hawk,” highlighting a respect for wild creatures that are closer to the true, unmediated forces of nature than most humans ever experience. Jeffers uses this theme to emphasize the hawk’s connection to the brutal beauty of the world, contrasting it with human society’s detachment from nature’s realities.
Literary Theories and “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
| Literary Theory | Application to “Hurt Hawks” | References from the Poem |
| Ecocriticism | Ecocriticism examines the relationship between literature and the environment, emphasizing how natural elements are portrayed and humanity’s connection to nature. Hurt Hawks portrays the hawk as part of the natural cycle, subject to nature’s harshness and impartiality. Jeffers uses the hawk’s suffering to illustrate nature’s inherent indifference and beauty, critiquing human detachment from these raw realities. | “The wild God of the world is sometimes merciful to those / That ask mercy, not often to the arrogant”; “You do not know him, you communal people, or you have forgotten him.” These lines reveal Jeffers’ emphasis on nature’s power, a theme central to ecocritical analysis. |
| Existentialism | Existentialism explores themes of isolation, suffering, and facing life’s inherent meaninglessness with dignity. In Hurt Hawks, the hawk’s journey reflects existential ideas, as it confronts its pain and impending death with pride and resilience. Despite suffering and incapacitation, the hawk maintains an “implacable arrogance,” symbolizing an existential acceptance of its fate. | “He is strong and pain is worse to the strong”; “Not like a beggar, still eyed with the old / Implacable arrogance.” These lines show the hawk’s existential dignity in the face of suffering, a reflection on resilience and the human (or animal) condition. |
| Romanticism | Romanticism often emphasizes a deep connection to nature, the sublime, and the individual’s emotional response to natural beauty and brutality. Jeffers’ portrayal of the hawk highlights the sublimity of wild creatures and nature’s ruthless beauty. The speaker’s reluctance to harm the hawk suggests reverence, while the hawk’s fierce spirit captures the Romantic idea of nature’s untamed and awe-inspiring aspects. | “Beautiful and wild, the hawks, and men that are dying, remember him”; “I’d sooner, except the penalties, kill a man than a hawk.” These lines reflect the Romantic view of nature’s grandeur and the reverence for untamed life. |
Critical Questions about “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
| Critical Question | Answer |
| 1. How does Jeffers use the hawk as a symbol, and what does it represent about human versus natural resilience? | In “Hurt Hawks”, the hawk serves as a symbol of natural resilience and primal dignity, contrasting with human vulnerability and detachment from nature. The hawk, wounded and grounded, maintains a fierce spirit, symbolizing an unyielding connection to the wild and an acceptance of suffering as part of life’s cycle. Jeffers contrasts this with “communal people,” implying humans have lost this primal strength. The hawk embodies an ideal of resilience and autonomy that Jeffers sees as diminished in human society. |
| 2. How does the poem’s imagery contribute to its themes of suffering and dignity in the face of mortality? | Jeffers’ use of imagery, such as the “broken pillar of the wing” and the “lead gift in the twilight,” evokes the hawk’s suffering and eventual release through death. These images highlight the hawk’s physical pain and the speaker’s difficult choice to end its misery, emphasizing dignity even in suffering. The imagery of the hawk “still eyed with the old implacable arrogance” further enhances this theme, portraying the hawk’s enduring pride as it faces death, adding a sense of solemn beauty to its fate. |
| 3. In what ways does Jeffers critique human society’s detachment from nature in the poem? | Jeffers critiques human society by contrasting it with the hawk’s deep connection to nature. He addresses “communal people” as those who have “forgotten” the “wild God,” implying that modern society has lost its respect for and awareness of nature’s power and impartiality. By respecting the hawk’s strength and dignity, Jeffers highlights a natural wisdom that society has abandoned. The hawk’s direct and honest relationship with nature contrasts sharply with humanity’s often artificial distance from natural forces. |
| 4. What role does mercy play in the poem, and how is it depicted through the hawk’s and the speaker’s perspectives? | Mercy in “Hurt Hawks” is complex, shown as both necessary and painful. The hawk’s suffering could only end through death, which the speaker offers reluctantly with the “lead gift.” This act of mercy reflects a compassionate response to inevitable suffering. However, mercy is also tied to the concept of natural indifference; Jeffers suggests that mercy is rare in nature, granted only in specific moments. The speaker’s decision to end the hawk’s life shows mercy as both an act of compassion and a reconciliation with nature’s harsh laws. |
Literary Works Similar to “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
- “The Windhover” by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Like “Hurt Hawks”, this poem also focuses on a hawk, using vivid imagery to capture its majesty and resilience in nature. - “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns
Burns’ reflection on a field mouse’s vulnerability mirrors Jeffers’ focus on the frailty of animals and humanity’s complex relationship with nature. - “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy
Hardy’s poem shares Jeffers’ themes of nature’s harshness and the resilience of wild creatures in the face of bleak, unyielding environments. - “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Tennyson’s portrayal of the eagle’s strength and solitude is similar to Jeffers’ hawk, emphasizing both the power and isolation of wild creatures. - “Snake” by D.H. Lawrence
Lawrence’s reverence for the snake’s beauty and natural dignity echoes Jeffers’ respect for the hawk, exploring human awe and moral dilemmas when encountering wild animals.
Representative Quotations of “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “The broken pillar of the wing jags from the clotted shoulder,” | This line describes the hawk’s physical suffering, with its injured wing likened to a “broken pillar,” symbolizing lost strength and helplessness. | Ecocriticism – Emphasizes nature’s harshness and the inevitable suffering within it. |
| “The wing trails like a banner in defeat,” | Here, the hawk’s wing is compared to a “banner in defeat,” symbolizing its inability to fly and its loss of independence. | Existentialism – Reflects themes of defeat, isolation, and powerlessness in facing fate. |
| “No more to use the sky forever but live with famine” | The hawk, now incapable of flight, faces a life of starvation and pain, deprived of its natural abilities. | Naturalism – Highlights nature’s indifference and the inevitability of death and decay. |
| “He is strong and pain is worse to the strong, incapacity is worse.” | Jeffers suggests that strength intensifies suffering, as the hawk’s pride and vitality make its pain more profound. | Existentialism – Explores the idea that awareness and resilience can amplify suffering. |
| “The wild God of the world is sometimes merciful to those / That ask mercy, not often to the arrogant.” | Jeffers references a “wild God,” a force of nature that occasionally shows mercy but not to the proud, indicating nature’s impartiality. | Ecocriticism – Nature’s indifferent, often brutal force governs the world. |
| “You do not know him, you communal people, or you have forgotten him;” | The speaker criticizes society for losing touch with nature’s raw and primal forces, contrasting humans with wild creatures like the hawk. | Romanticism – Critiques human society for losing its reverence for the power of nature. |
| “I’d sooner, except the penalties, kill a man than a hawk;” | The speaker’s reluctance to harm the hawk reflects his reverence for nature, seeing it as more valuable or dignified than human life. | Transcendentalism – Shows respect for the wild, seeing it as spiritually significant. |
| “Not like a beggar, still eyed with the old / Implacable arrogance.” | Despite its suffering, the hawk retains its fierce pride and dignity, symbolizing resilience and independence in the face of death. | Existentialism – Emphasizes dignity and pride even when facing inevitable demise. |
| “I gave him the lead gift in the twilight.” | The speaker’s act of mercy, killing the hawk with a bullet, represents a compassionate release from suffering and the complexities of mercy in nature. | Moral Philosophy – Examines moral dilemmas about mercy and the ethics of relieving pain. |
| “What soared: the fierce rush: the night-herons by the flooded river cried fear at its rising” | After the hawk’s death, its spirit seems to “soar,” symbolizing transcendence and the beauty of liberation from suffering. | Romanticism – Reflects on the sublime and transcendent power of nature, even in death. |
Suggested Readings: “Hurt Hawks” by Robinson Jeffers
- Boyers, Robert. “A Sovereign Voice: The Poetry of Robinson Jeffers.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 77, no. 3, 1969, pp. 487–507. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27541746. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
- O’LEARY, PETER. “Robinson Jeffers: The Man from Whom God Hid Everything.” Chicago Review, vol. 49/50, 2004, pp. 350–65. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25700025. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
- Jeffers, Robinson. “Hurt Hawks.” The English Journal, vol. 51, no. 6, 1962, pp. 439–439. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/810235. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
- Cokinos, Christopher. “A Hawk in the Margin’s Cage: Robinson Jeffers and the Norton Anthologies.” Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, vol. 1, no. 2, 1993, pp. 25–164. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44087764. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
- Green, Jordan L. “Violence, Violation, and the Limits of Ethics in Robinson Jeffers’ ‘Hurt Hawks.’” Rocky Mountain Review, vol. 63, no. 1, 2009, pp. 13–25. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27670838. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
- Fallon, Katie. “With Hurt Hawks.” Fourth Genre: Explorations in Nonfiction, vol. 8, no. 1, 2006, pp. 85–88. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41938848. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
- LEAMON, WARREN. “Two for Robinson Jeffers.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 123, no. 1, 2015, pp. 33–33. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43662976. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.