Elizabeth Bishop’s “The Fish” is perhaps her best known and most “referred to” poem, in some respects because of the depth with which she is able to characterize the animal. Discuss what you find special, unique, successful in her narrative verse.
I found it unique that Bishop portrayed the fish in a manner in which you almost forget that she is describing a fish, and begin to feel as though she is giving this fish human characteristics and emotions. Her description makes it obvious that she feels a great empathy for, especially after seeing that he had freed himself from at least five other fisherman's lines, which he wore "like medals with their ribbons / frayed and wavering, / a five-haired beard of wisdom / trailing from his aching jaw". Many would think nothing of catching a fish: all they know is that they're going to catch a sizable fish and likely eat it later, whereas Bishop takes note of the texture and coloring of the fish's skin, the patterns in his scales, the barnacles and sea-lice that he carries, and goes as far as to imagine what is going on within him - the size of his bones, his entrails, his flesh. I found it interesting that Bishop was able to portray the fish in this manner, as most people regard fish as dull and brainless creatures.
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