Comment on the imagery used in “Pike,” assessing it as an animal poem.
Pike is a notable literary work by Ted Hughes. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of Pike.
Answer
Comment on the imagery used in “Pike,” assessing it as an animal poem.
In “Pike” (1960), Ted Hughes (1930-1998) uses vivid and powerful imagery to show the pike as a fierce predator. The poem’s images bring the fish to life in a way that lets readers see, feel, and even fear the pike’s primal nature.
Perfect, Natural Killer: Hughes describes the pike as perfect. He begins the poem with,
Pike, three inches long, perfect
Here, Hughes highlights the pike’s flawless design. The poet describes the pike as “killers from the egg: the malevolent aged grin.” It emphasizes the pike’s power and its role as a natural killer. By using words like “malevolent” and “grin,” Hughes makes the pike seem almost aware of its own fierce nature, as if the pike takes pleasure in its ability to dominate.
Fearful and Dominant: In the later stanzas, Hughes describes the dark and deep pond where ancient, “immense” pike reside. The speaker’s hair on his head becomes frozen in fear while fishing in that pond. He fears something may be lurking in the water, watching him. The poet uses phrases like “darkness beneath night’s darkness.” The image of “darkness” creates a sense of mystery and fear. It suggests the pikes are fearful and dominant in their word.
In short, Hughes creates images with his lines to portray the pike not just as a fish but as a creature perfectly adapted for survival. Hughes’ images make “Pike” a powerful animal poem that explores nature’s wild, dangerous side.