Commentary on Elizabeth Bishop’s The Fish.
Introduction
Elizabeth Bishop’s “The Fish” is a majorly close-packed reflective narration of seventy-six free verse lines. It relays the first person narrator’s account of a fisherman who had caught a “ginormous” fish. Upon catching it, they are thrown into an empathetic reflective mood that causes them to become understanding and appreciation. Consequently, the fish is let go off. The poem is full of brilliant imagery and descriptive language, with the poet going broad into the capture and coming up with a remarkably expressive end. The narrator’s unspoken revolutionizing reaction to this catch is conveyed through imagery. In turn, the imagery helps relay the theme of the poem and the underlying external actions of the fisherman. The poem begins with the fish already caught and held half-way in the water to keep it alive. Moreover, the narrator is already aware that the fish offers no resistance. This situation enables the narrator to examine the catch intimately. Although the initial thoughts are conscientiously objective, they are immediately dispelled by the imagery that follows closely after. The poem’s lines that contain lines of scintillating perception and observation to bring to the surface powerful images that will evoke questions for the reader.
What is the poem about?
The poem can be understood to probe three different facets or views. The shallow facet of this poem is the act of fishing. However, the fisherman in this case is drawn to the appearance of the catch. This leads into detailed observation of the fish and using imagery, the theme and inner thoughts of the fisherman is brought to the fore.
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Deeply, the poem presents the poet’s views on nature. The step by step narration evokes various opinions about nature that the fisherperson harbors about nature. The act of fishing, great attention to details about the catch, multifaceted descriptions of the fish and descriptions on the appearance of the fishing ground depict a person who is aware of their surroundings, and his views too.
Problematic development
Through imagery and the diction used to verbalize the narrator’s thoughts, various issues come to the fore in this poem. These matters contextualize the different angles from which the poem is understood. The fishing world and its travails, perseverance in the harsh conditions of life, and the issue of the beauty and borderless quality of nature is insidiously brought to the fore.
The poem questions the great attractiveness and indeterminate nature of nature. Perhaps, the factor that gravitated the fishing escapade was his love for nature, and the gratification it offers from close interaction with it. Moreover, the poet’s diction enkindles the thoughts of a jubilant fisherman upon the catch, through exclaiming that he caught a tremendous fish. However, there is the manifestation of a shift, though impalpable from the initial pride and jubilation, into intense reflection that leads to intense admiration of the catch. This appreciation leads to an inspirational conclusion, as the fisherman lets the fish go. Moreover, the poet begins by ascribing masculinity to the fish through the embodied nature it is given. However, she introduces a domestic version, by speaking of fine rosettes of lime and a big peony. This is suggestive of the feminine. These paradigms point to attraction to the beauty in nature and the belief of a nature with indeterminate nature.
The poem queries the fishing world graphically, as it is described throughout the poem in its full authenticity. The phraseology is multifaceted and textured. Strong attributes are imputed to the fish, such as battered, tarnished sullen, arching and infested with white-sea lice and speckled with barnacles. The multifaceted enunciation is demonstrated by the comparatively beclouded use of words like entrails (innards), swim bladders, bones, blood and flesh. The use of fishing jargon: hooks and fishing lines reinforces the imagery of a world of fishing. It also gives this setting of a fishing expedition legitimacy. The use of seafaring words: a thwart (crosspiece used for a rowing seat), an oarlock, which acts as a metalic retainer for the oar, the gunnel or the top edge of the boat and the bilge which is dirty water pooling on the boat bottom to produce a rainbow. All these nautical terms give the poem its complete authenticity, by creating an image of a maritime environment.
The condition of the ecosystem is probed, as manifest by the narrator’s emotions. This is another indication of their immense appreciation for nature. The boat is an old rental. It spills oil into the water, hence the water attains a rainbow appearance. Also, the descriptive diction of the poet in describing the fish by using words referring to it as ripped and battered reminds one of the ecosystem. These are likely adverse effects of the polluted water. Therefore, the appreciation for the ecosystem by the poet is manifest by the fact that signs of pollution capture her intent reflective mood.
The issue of tenacity in the midst of turbulent living conditions is probed. The poem points to the need for admiration and empathy for survivors of such gruesome situations. At first, the caught fish is embodied into maleness. This ‘male’ fish has all the scars of the battlefield, as manifest by reference to it as battered, venerable and speckled with barnacles. Empathy sets in upon realization of its lack of fight, which is manifest by the shift of embodiment to feminity to and referencing of words like rosettes. The boat itself is rented. In addition to this, it leaks oil that creates rainbows over the water, an indication of agedness. However, the poets states that the boat feels victorious, for despite the age, it is still operational and has been party to catching a tremendous fish. Empathy towards the fish culminates in attractedness and reverence to such perseverance, which makes the fisherman let go of the fish.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ‘The Fish’ is a very enjoyable poem to read. Elizabeth Bishop was a lover of nature. She enjoyed travelling the world and fishing in Florida. This gives the poem genuineness and an allure as it is relatable to a possible life experience. Furthermore, the intense use of imagery and the choice of words evokes thoughtfulness and emotions. This is because it creates vivid images, thus capturing in wholeness the reader’s thoughts and imagination. On the other hand, critics may argue that the imagery is insufficient to decipher the realness of the fish. On the contrary though, such style indulges the reader completely, which is the whole idea of poetry. In real life relation, ‘The Fish’ evokes memories of joining college after enduring a tough education system. Just like the fish was captured, there is entrapment in many difficult situations during life at school. These entanglements include peer pressure, bad grades, drug abuse and the general pressures of growing up. The effects are sometimes so much, that some almost give up the fight, manifest by the fish’s lack of any fight and lying motionless. However, it is those who persevere that get the fisherman’s (the system’s) favor of being ‘let go’ to live life. Interestingly, these indefatigable people will always carry their ‘battle’ marks as signs of unyielding character, just as the fish appeared battered and venerable. This is something that always attracts admiration.
References
Bishop, E., & Ishii, D. (1974). The fish . John Sollid.
