Bseng6 A Question:The Use of Animal Imagery in Ted Hughes'S Poetry Answer

Name: Uswa Hameed
Roll Number:MF-18052
Subject: Modern Poetry
Submitted to:Mam Fareeha
BS Eng 6th A
Question:The use of Animal Imagery in Ted Hughes’s poetry
Answer:
Ted Hughes is considered as a famous modern poet. He is most profoundly
concerned with the subject matter of his poetry. The major theme of his poetry as
well as short stories is existence of man in relation to the universe. However, he’s
also famous for his use of animal imagery in his poetry such as in one his poem
“Thought Fox”. The poetic style of Ted Hughes is influenced by Sylvia Plath,
Hopkins.
If talk about the significance of his animal imagery, that are highly symbolic.
These animal poems are the best collection of his poetry. The use of imagery has
its own appeal and highlights the enormous power of Hughes’ keen observation.
The emphasis in the imagery is on the vitality of animals concerned and also about
the violence and cruelty of such animals.
Ted Hughes uses animal imagery in his poetry for following purposes:
 Symbolism
 Show violence
 Portraying themes and
 Metaphors
Every image conveys a unique message to the readers. Ted closely observes
animals and depicts a truthful and vivid picture. Every poem reveals his close
connection with them. Ted’s biography reveals that he very closely experienced
animal’s nature. It is, therefore, he has the largest collection of animal images. He
starts a poem by illustrating simple image of an animal and then thematically
explains his subject through technique of symbolism. He also uses animals as
metaphors in order to make his subject clear. Every poem of Ted Hughes is a
skillful interpretation of animal imagery with the combination of symbolism.
Animal Imagery in “The Jaguar”
Almost every poem of Hughes has a vivid picture of particular animal. Similarly,
in the poem The Jaguar, the concerned animal is depicted as brimming with energy
which gives us contrast to other animals. The eyes of Jaguar are sharp and
penetrating, he is deaf of ear because of “bang of blood in the brain”. He whirls in
his cage which is no cage for him. This stride is indicative of the feelings that he is
absolutely free even though he is in cage. Here, the imagination of Hughes is so
strong and full of energy that no other poet has ever used in this context: “by the
bang of blood in the brain”.
Animal Imagery in “The Hawk in the Rain” and “Hawk Roosting”
The two poems of Ted Hughes depict hawk as perched effortlessly at a height with
his still eye and in his wings, all creation is weightless. This hawk, in “The Hawk
in the Rain” is steady as “a hallucination in the streaming air”. In the final stanza
of this poem the ultimate fate of hawk is described in different kind of language:
“the ponderous shires crash on him.”
In the second poem, “Hawk Roosting”, the hawk can kill where he pleases because
the world is now in his domain. He is an arbiter of death and life as in, “The
allotment of death” is his privilege. The one path of his flight is now directly
through the bones of living.
The symbolic significance of the Animal Imagery:
The symbolism in the imagery cannot be ignored and for Hughes, certain qualities
are found linked to human life. Hughes believed that animals have strength which
lies in their instincts. Animals are more adaptable to environment than humans.
Thus the hawk of the poem “The Hawk in the Rain”, sits effortlessly at a height
and where the poet cannot bear the strong winds like the hawk and the rain hacks
his head to the bone. Hughes also believed that animals were not, like man’s false
morality. A hawk will be always in his own element even when it dies an
elemental death.
Similarly, in the poem, The Jaguar, it is represented as an instinct who is in prison

by the humans but its spirit and energy cannot be imprisoned. Like the jaguar
remains energetic in the poem. For Hughes, human beings are more imprisoned in
their domestic and social environment.
The Thought Fox also presents the animal imagery of fox where the poet’s
inspiration is compared to a fox making a sudden and silent entry into his head.
Here it replaces the instinct with intellect. Similarly, in the poem The Horses, the
ten horses are timeless who inhabit in their own environment. The speaker presents
his inability to cope with those elements which are capable to horses. In Hawk
Roosting, the hawk is seen as vastly superior to man who is unable to accept nature
for what it is.
Conclusion:
By analyzing the use of animal imagery in Ted Hughes poetry, we can simply say
that his unique observation makes it superficial in the modernist English Literature.
Ted Hughes, through his animal imagery, has compared animals with men through
former’s instinct as well as intellect. He considered animals the best in this regard
and concluded that men cannot reach at this instinct, like in the poem The Jaguar.

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Name: Uswa Hameed

Subject: Modern Poetry

Submitted to:Mam Fareeha

Animal Imagery in “The Jaguar”

Animal Imagery in “The Hawk in the Rain” and “Hawk Roosting”

The symbolic significance of the Animal Imagery:

Similarly, in the poem, The Jaguar, it is represented as an instinct who is in prison

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