Poem Analysis: The Fish By Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop, poet of “The Fish” illustrates in her writing of hardship, strength, and respect. This poem shows its readers that nature also goes through the battles of hardship for survival, as well as it open the eyes of others to treat nature with care and respect. Such qualities of respect and sense of care highlight the importance that having both can make a difference to another. This poem is about a vulnerable and battered yet resilient fish, who overcame challenges from his previous attempted capture by fishermen. Portrays of strength illustrates the fish’s fight and victory; however later on the batters of life challenges come at a cost where energy is lost and defeat becomes the only option. The eyes of defeat becomes heartbreaking because of the struggle it faces, as a result sympathy and respect encourages freedom to life. …show more content…
The battle wounds the fish encountered were the five hooks connected to its lip. The poet describes this imagery as “hung five old pieces of fish-line, or four and a wire leader, with the swivel still attached, with all their five big hooks, grown firmly in his mouth” (51-55). This shows the challenges and the number of times the fish was able to fight off other fishermen. The speaker created an in depth imagery that the fish was elderly due its markings on its body. The speaker illustrated “…his brown skin hung in strips like wallpaper” (10-11) and “stained and lost through the age” (15). This symbolizes the age of the fish and his journey in life which he faces hardship of batter and struggle to stay alive. . The speaker labels the fish as a male (line 2) has significance because it shows that males have instincts to always be brave, strong, and protect which is what the fish went

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