Essay on Pike by Ted Hughes

The poem “Pike” describes the fish of the same name and the poet’s feelings about them, fishing and the brutality of some little ones he had as pets, which later grew out of control, “indeed they spare nobody”. The poem seems to be about nature, “ponds” and “lily pads”, but this is not a truly pastoral poem as it is not only about the beauty and innocence of nature; the tone is dark, “deep as England” and even terrifying, “the hair frozen on my head for what might move”. The structure of the poem seems regular; each verse has four lines.

However, the line length, though at first it looks regular, is in fact irregular, ranging from five syllables to thirteen syllables. This difference adds to the uneasy tone of the poem, creating an aural sensation of something hiding within the longer lines, mirroring the way in which the “pike” lurks under the water?s surface, “logged on last year?s black leaves, watching upwards. The first two stanzas finish with a full stop, which creates the sensation of control control.

This suggests that the poet has control of the dangerous fish, “killers from the egg”, at this stage, when the “pike” he describes are “three inches long, perfect”. However, by the fifth stanza, when the poet retells his anecdote about the “pike” “we kept behind glass”, at first there are “three”, then “suddenly there were two” and “finally one”, (as it has eaten the others), and this ruthless, cannibal fish, unlike any traditional pet, moves directly into the next stanza, “with a sag belly and the grin it was born with”.

In this next stanza, the sixth, the poet warns the reader that the “pike” “spare nobody”. The fish?s brutality is echoed by the poem?s form at this point – the vicious “pike” has dominated the fish tank and now dominates the poem, refusing to follow the previous, neat form and escapes from one stanza to the next.

Later in the poem the stanzas continue to run seamlessly into each other with enjambement, “dead in the willow-herb- one jammed past its gills down the other?s gullet”, implying that the poet is losing control of the carnivorous fish and its “submarine delicacy and horror”. This is a rather long poem, with eleven stanzas, and the poet uses the extended description that runs throughout the whole poem, to emphasise the size of the “pike” “six pounds each, over two feet long” and their “old” age, thereby evoking his sense of being in awe of the fish?s “submarine delicacy and horror”.

This poem focuses on the “pike”, describing them in close detail, “green tigering the gold”, and only in the fifth person does the poet introduce the first person, “we”, (and in the eighth stanza, “I”). However, from the start, the poet?s choice of language makes clear his feelings about the fish; he shows awe through the use of positive language such as “perfect”, and “gold” and “emerald”, which have connotations of precious wealth.

He describes “pike” as “stunned by their own grandeur”, implying that he thinks the fish are self-aware and even arrogant, his use of the verb “stunned” here is almost personification, as if the poet thinks the fish can have the same self-awareness as a human. On the other hand, positive language such as “dance” and “grandeur” is juxtaposed against an underlying mood of darkness and evil, which enters the poem in its third line when the fish are presented as “killers from the egg” and “malevolent”.

Therefore in the first three stanzas, the poet?s attitude is contrasting, seeing both “delicacy and horror” in the “pike”. However, in the fourth stanza the poet admits that “the jaws? hooked clamp and fangs” are “not to be changed at this date” and this marks a turning point in the poem, with the mood changing to wholly negative, and finally, fearful, with the simile “as a vice locks” and talking of “iron” “instrument” and, explicitly, “death”.

By the ninth stanza the poet says directly that he is afraid, “I dared not cast”. He describes also “the hair frozen on my head” and the sensation of something “that rose slowly toward me, watching”, he presents this as a “dream”, but the experience conveyed to the reader is more of a nightmare. The poet?s feeling of fear is highlighted by his description of “the dark pond” coupled with the repetition of “darkness”.

Calculate the price
Make an order in advance and get the best price
Pages (550 words)
$0.00
*Price with a welcome 15% discount applied.
Pro tip: If you want to save more money and pay the lowest price, you need to set a more extended deadline.
We know how difficult it is to be a student these days. That's why our prices are one of the most affordable on the market, and there are no hidden fees.

Instead, we offer bonuses, discounts, and free services to make your experience outstanding.
How it works
Receive a 100% original paper that will pass Turnitin from a top essay writing service
step 1
Upload your instructions
Fill out the order form and provide paper details. You can even attach screenshots or add additional instructions later. If something is not clear or missing, the writer will contact you for clarification.
Pro service tips
How to get the most out of your experience with MyStudyWriters
One writer throughout the entire course
If you like the writer, you can hire them again. Just copy & paste their ID on the order form ("Preferred Writer's ID" field). This way, your vocabulary will be uniform, and the writer will be aware of your needs.
The same paper from different writers
You can order essay or any other work from two different writers to choose the best one or give another version to a friend. This can be done through the add-on "Same paper from another writer."
Copy of sources used by the writer
Our college essay writers work with ScienceDirect and other databases. They can send you articles or materials used in PDF or through screenshots. Just tick the "Copy of sources" field on the order form.
Testimonials
See why 20k+ students have chosen us as their sole writing assistance provider
Check out the latest reviews and opinions submitted by real customers worldwide and make an informed decision.
History
Don't really see any of sources I provided, but elsewise its great, thank you!
Customer 452697, May 8th, 2021
FIN571
excellent work
Customer 452773, March 1st, 2024
Business and administrative studies
excellent work
Customer 452773, March 12th, 2023
Business and administrative studies
excellent, got a 100
Customer 452773, May 17th, 2023
English 101
IThank you
Customer 452631, April 6th, 2021
DATA565
The support team was late responding , my paper was late because the support team didn't respond in a timely manner. The writer of the paper finally got it right but seems there was a problem getting the revisioin to me.
Customer 452773, April 7th, 2024
BUSINESS LAW
excellent job made a 93
Customer 452773, March 22nd, 2023
Leadership Studies
excellent job
Customer 452773, August 3rd, 2023
Human Resources Management (HRM)
excellent
Customer 452773, July 11th, 2023
Social Work and Human Services
Great work I would love to continue working with this writer thought out the 11 week course.
Customer 452667, May 30th, 2021
Business and administrative studies
excellent job
Customer 452773, March 12th, 2023
Management
Love this writer!!! Great work
Customer 452597, April 5th, 2021
11,595
Customer reviews in total
96%
Current satisfaction rate
3 pages
Average paper length
37%
Customers referred by a friend
OUR GIFT TO YOU
15% OFF your first order
Use a coupon FIRST15 and enjoy expert help with any task at the most affordable price.
Claim my 15% OFF Order in Chat
Close

Sometimes it is hard to do all the work on your own

Let us help you get a good grade on your paper. Get professional help and free up your time for more important courses. Let us handle your;

  • Dissertations and Thesis
  • Essays
  • All Assignments

  • Research papers
  • Terms Papers
  • Online Classes
Live ChatWhatsApp