Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop

1. Beautiful/Well crafted poetry

   • Eye for detail/Appreciation of tone and contrast very evident in her poetry
   • Beautifully crafted langauge
     • "At the fishhouses" - Poem creates atmosphere of sea through language "Indifferentely swinging above the stones, nicely free above the stones"
       • Poetic prowess is also seen through her mastery of form - "Sestina"
         • Despite the emotional intensity of such a personal issue - Remain rigid poetic structure gives opportunity ti remain disconnected from the emotions that these memories recall
           • No overwhelming emotion hearing of the grandmother "Laughing and talking to hide the tears"
             • Exceptional hallmark of Bishops poetry as she is capable of writing about past pain with exact precision without faulting highlighting unbelieavable mastery of form

2. Unique poetic style - Confessional style - Draws from past painful memories

   • Attention to artistic detail/Philosophical nature/ Mastery of form/ Exploration of personal subject matter

3. ARTISTIC EYE FOR DETAIL

   • "At the fishhouses"
     • "Cold evening"
       • Only place that has resembled home
   • Mesmerised by power and forensic accuracy of description of her poetry
     • Through images such as a wheelbarrow plastered with "Creamy iridescent coats of mail with small iridescent flies crawling on them" and "Small old buildings with an emerald mass glowing on their showered walls
       • Reinforce philosophical thoughts/ Unique attention to detail

4. Issues from the past/ Home and Identity

   • "Sestina"
     • Tries to deal with pain of her childhood/depicts young girl suffered tragic loss
     • Innocence under constant attack like "The rain that beats on the roof of the house"
       • Childlike tone - Through repetition and rhythm - "I know what I know, says the almanac"
         • This gives way to a melancholy under event- A mastif of tears runs throughout "Teakettles small hard tears" "Dark brown tears" "To plant tears"
           • Enhances the tone of sadness
             • Clear from poem issues of family filled Bishop with much sadness since childhood - Creates a sense of intimacy with reader

5. Theme of identity - "The Fish"

   • "Tremendous fish" - transfixed by the appearance
     • Forsenic description - "looked into his eyes" and "Admired his sullen face" - humanizes fish
       • Fish - "lower lip.. grim and wet and weaponlike/hung five old pieces of fish like" - Fishes life full of turmoil = Bishop too
         • Microscopic investigation of Fishes appearance makes Bishop think otherwise of killing the fish
           • The "Vulnerable" fish beauty is in its ability to survive..
             • Emotional intensity + leap of conscience makes Bishop realise that the fish is symbolic representitive of Human suffering/Her past pains