What is hope?

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul…

This is an extract taken from Emily Dickinson’s poem composed during her ‘writing years’, 1855 – 1865.
The interpretation generally applied to this poem, tells of the survival of hope, no matter what.

But what is ‘hope’ and why is it so important?

Online research, a place that is becoming less appealing or reliable, is weighted down with religious connotations, which is why I prefer to leaf through my books.

Anglo Saxon hopa

The Anglo Saxons are responsible for the English language, and the word they used to describe a desired outcome was ‘hopa’.

Known as the ‘dark ages’, this era was a time of war between the kingdoms and huge social change, and whilst there is no evidence of great philosophers, or religious cohesion (until later), the Anglo Saxons used lucky charms to protect themselves, and they honoured their gods in the ‘hopa’ they would win the battle, have a good harvest, or the rains would fall when needed.

From the very start of our pagan roots, there has been an emotional incentive of hope to keep us going.

By the 16th century, Shakespeare and other playwrights often cited this desirable state of mind in their stories. Whether it was to gain the attention of a lover, or win a battle, the common theme was hope. Shakespeare described it as having ‘confidence in a future event; or in the future conduct of any body’.

The Age of Enlightenment

The highly regarded 17 th century philosopher and political theorist, John Locke, defined hope as an ‘expectation of some good; an expectation indulged with pleasure’.

Locke was an integral part of The Age of Enlightenment that occurred around 1680 – 1820, when science and reasoning came to dominate the previously religiously suppressed populace, and he strongly  believed in the liberation and choice of the individual.

The promotion and expansion of personal liberty and freedom of choice led to an increase in the level of hope. Suddenly people were equipped with an emotion they hadn’t previously indulged.

Hope drives us, it keeps us going in the face of adversity, it helps us to maintain our ambition, whether that is achieving a work target, winning the London Marathon, or helping someone in need.

That’s why ‘hope’ is so huge. It incentivises us to continue, to keep trying.

Hopeful or Hopeless

But what happens when you lose hope, and become ‘hopeless’?

Would we, in fact, be better off without hope, go back to the days when our expectations and desires were less ambitious? With the way things are in the world now, it comes as no surprise that there’s quite a bit of hopelessness around.

‘The miserable have no medicine, but only hope.’
Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard’s (1813-55) theory was that hopelessness is due to our overemphasis on getting results, that we have lost our passion for human experiences which is what hope feeds. His viewpoints, and his behaviour, seemed contradictory at times, but the premise of what he says rings true.

Perhaps we need another Age of Enlightenment, but instead of promoting the sciences and reasoning, we should revert to the Arts and poetry for our salvation.

Over a thousand years before the Anglo Saxons, Aristotle described a tragic drama he watched as a ‘purging of emotions of pity and fear’.

Perhaps that’s it; it is fear that supresses our hope, and if we faced and defeated our fears, hope would return.

Hope is brightest when it dawns from fears.
Sir Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake.

---