Introduction: “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
“Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray was first published in 1748 in Volume II of Dodsley’s Collection of Poems. The poem, written in mock-heroic style, recounts the tragic demise of Horace Walpole’s cat Selima, who drowns while attempting to catch goldfish from a china vase. The poem is notable for its vivid imagery, clever use of classical allusions, and gentle satire of human vanity and materialism. While lamenting the cat’s death, Gray also uses the poem to explore themes of temptation, greed, and the fleeting nature of beauty.
Text: “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
’Twas on a lofty vase’s side,
Where China’s gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima, reclined,
Gazed on the lake below.
Her conscious tail her joy declared;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purred applause.
Still had she gazed; but ’midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,
The genii of the stream;
Their scaly armour’s Tyrian hue
Through richest purple to the view
Betrayed a golden gleam.
The hapless nymph with wonder saw;
A whisker first and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish,
She stretched in vain to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat’s averse to fish?
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch’d, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between.
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled)
The slippery verge her feet beguiled,
She tumbled headlong in.
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mewed to every watery god,
Some speedy aid to send.
No dolphin came, no Nereid stirred;
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard;
A Favourite has no friend!
From hence, ye beauties, undeceived,
Know, one false step is ne’er retrieved,
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
Nor all that glisters, gold.
Annotations: “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
| Stanza | Annotation |
| 1 | Introduction to the cat, Selima, who is gazing at her reflection in a vase, admiring her own beauty. |
| 2 | Description of Selima’s beauty and her fascination with her own reflection. |
| 3 | Introduction of the goldfish, which Selima sees and desires to catch. |
| 4 | Selima’s failed attempts to reach the goldfish, despite her ardent wishes. |
| 5 | Selima’s tragic fall into the water, despite her caution, and her realization that she has no friends to help her. |
| 6 | Conclusion and moral of the poem, warning against taking false steps and being cautious in pursuit of desires. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
| Literary/Poetic Device | Example from the Poem | Explanation |
| Allusion | “Two angel forms were seen to glide, The genii of the stream” | Reference to supernatural beings (genii) from classical mythology. |
| Apostrophe | “From hence, ye beauties, undeceived” | Direct address to an absent or imaginary person (the “beauties”). |
| Assonance | “The azure flowers that blow” | Repetition of vowel sounds (the “o” sound) within words. |
| Caesura | “Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,” | A pause or break within a line of verse, often marked by punctuation. |
| Consonance | “A whisker first and then a claw” | Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words. |
| Diction | “Demurest of the tabby kind” | The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing (here, elevated language). |
| Enjambment | “With many an ardent wish, She stretched in vain to reach the prize.” | The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. |
| Hyperbole | “Eight times emerging from the flood She mewed to every watery god” | Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. |
| Imagery | “The fair round face, the snowy beard, The velvet of her paws” | Visually descriptive or figurative language. |
| Irony | “A Favourite has no friend!” | The expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. |
| Metaphor | “Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled” | A figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two unrelated things. |
| Metonymy | “What female heart can gold despise?” | A figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept (gold representing material wealth). |
| Onomatopoeia | “She tumbled headlong in” | The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named. |
| Personification | “Her conscious tail her joy declared” | The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman. |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABAB CDCD, etc. | The ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse. |
| Simile | “Her coat, that with the tortoise vies” | A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (using “like” or “as”). |
| Symbolism | The goldfish and the china vase | The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. |
| Tone | Mock-heroic, satirical | The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc. |
Themes: “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
- Vanity and Pride: Gray satirizes the cat’s vanity through descriptions of her admiring her reflection and “purring applause.” This self-absorption ultimately blinds Selima to the danger of the goldfish, leading to her demise. The lines “Her conscious tail her joy declared; The fair round face, the snowy beard” highlight her narcissistic tendencies.
- Greed and Temptation: The goldfish, gleaming through the water, symbolize material temptation. Selima’s desire for the fish overrides her caution and good sense. The lines “What female heart can gold despise? What cat’s averse to fish?” emphasize the irresistible allure of material possessions.
- The Deceptive Nature of Appearances: The goldfish, appearing beautiful and tempting, ultimately lead to Selima’s downfall. This illustrates the deceptive nature of appearances, where not all that glitters is gold. The final lines of the poem, “Not all that tempts your wandering eyes and heedless hearts, is lawful prize; Nor all that glisters, gold,” explicitly address this theme.
- The Inevitability of Fate: While Selima’s actions contribute to her death, the poem also suggests an element of fate in her demise. The line “Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled” implies that Selima’s destiny was predetermined. The poem, therefore, explores the interplay between individual choices and the forces of fate.
Literary Theories and “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
| Literary Theory | Reference from the Poem | Analysis |
| Feminist Theory | “What female heart can gold despise? / What cat’s averse to fish?” (Stanza 4) | The poem highlights the gendered nature of desire and temptation, suggesting that females are inherently drawn to shiny objects (gold) and prey (fish). |
| Psychoanalytic Theory | “Her conscious tail her joy declared; / The fair round face, the snowy beard, / The velvet of her paws, / Her coat, that with the tortoise vies, / Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes, / She saw; and purred applause.” (Stanza 2) | The poem showcases Selima’s narcissism and self-admiration, reflecting the psychoanalytic concept of the “mirror stage” where the self is formed through self-reflection. |
| Marxist Theory | “Nor all that glisters, gold.” (Stanza 6) | The poem critiques the idea that material wealth (gold) is the ultimate goal, suggesting that true value lies elsewhere. This reflects Marxist ideas about the dangers of commodity fetishism and the illusion of wealth. |
Critical Questions about “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
- Question 1: How does the poem’s use of anthropomorphism affect our understanding of Selima’s character and her tragic fate?
- The poem’s anthropomorphism creates a sense of familiarity and empathy with Selima, making her tragic fate more poignant. By attributing human-like qualities to Selima, such as a “conscious tail” (Stanza 2) and “pensive” nature (Stanza 1), Gray invites the reader to identify with her. This identification heightens the emotional impact of her downfall, underscoring the universal theme of the dangers of unchecked desire. As a result, Selima’s demise serves as a cautionary tale, warning against the perils of succumbing to one’s baser instincts.
- Question 2: What commentary does the poem offer on the nature of desire and temptation?
- The poem suggests that desire and temptation are universal and overwhelming forces, capable of driving even the most refined creatures to destruction. Selima’s obsessive pursuit of the goldfish, despite her refined appearance and graceful nature, demonstrates the power of desire to consume and destroy. Gray’s use of rhetorical questions, “What female heart can gold despise? / What cat’s averse to fish?” (Stanza 4), highlights the idea that desire is a fundamental aspect of nature, impossible to resist. This commentary serves as a warning, cautioning against the dangers of unchecked desire and the devastating consequences that may follow.
- Question 3: How does the poem’s use of irony and satire contribute to its themes and tone?
- The poem’s use of irony and satire underscores its themes of luxury, materialism, and the dangers of unchecked desire. The title’s emphasis on the cat’s “favourite” status and the final line’s warning that “not all that glisters, gold” (Stanza 6) are ironic, as Selima’s pursuit of gold leads to her demise. This irony is satirical, critiquing the excesses of luxury and materialism. Gray’s use of irony and satire creates a tone that is both playful and cautionary, highlighting the absurdity of succumbing to desire while warning against its dangers.
- Question 4: What role does the poem’s use of symbolism play in conveying its themes and ideas?
- The poem’s symbols, such as the goldfish, vase, and water, convey its themes and ideas through their associations and connotations. The goldfish represent luxury, beauty, and temptation, while the vase symbolizes refinement, beauty, and the fragility of life. The water, meanwhile, represents the dangers of unchecked desire and the fragility of life. Selima’s reflection in the vase serves as a symbol of her vanity and self-absorption. Through these symbols, Gray conveys the idea that desire and luxury can lead to destruction, emphasizing the importance of balance and moderation in life.
Literary Works Similar to “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
- “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard“ by Thomas Gray: This poem also explores the theme of mortality, albeit on a grander scale, contemplating the lives of the unknown dead in a rural cemetery.
- “The Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope: This mock-heroic poem uses satire and humor to critique the trivialities of high society, much like Gray’s poem satirizes Selima’s vanity.
- “The Vanity of Human Wishes” by Samuel Johnson: This poem reflects on the futility of human desires and ambitions, echoing the theme of temptation and greed found in Gray’s ode.
- “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns: This poem, though not mock-heroic, also focuses on the death of a small creature and uses it to draw wider philosophical conclusions about life and fate.
- “The Nymph Complaining for the Death of Her Fawn” by Andrew Marvell: This poem, like Gray’s, employs an elevated style and classical allusions to lament the death of an animal, exploring themes of innocence and loss.
Suggested Readings: “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
- Books:
- Cecil, Lord David. The Stricken Deer: Or, the Life of Cowper. Constable, 1929.
- Mack, Robert L. Thomas Gray: A Life. Yale University Press, 2000.
- Gray, Thomas. The poetical works of Thomas Gray. Pickering, 1841.
- Web Links/URLs:
- Poetry Foundation: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44302/ode-on-the-death-of-a-favourite-cat-drowned-in-a-tub-of-goldfishes (Provides the full text of the poem and some background information.)
- The Thomas Gray Archive: https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/poems/odfc (Offers the poem’s text, notes, and a brief introduction.)
Representative Quotations of “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes” by Thomas Gray
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “Her conscious tail her joy declared; The fair round face, the snowy beard, The velvet of her paws,” | This description of Selima emphasizes her vanity and pride, showcasing her as a creature obsessed with her own beauty. | Feminist Theory: This passage can be interpreted as a critique of societal expectations placed on women to focus on their appearance, leading to potentially harmful consequences. |
| “What female heart can gold despise? What cat’s averse to fish?” | This rhetorical question highlights the universal nature of temptation, suggesting that both humans and animals are susceptible to desire and greed. | Psychological Criticism: This passage reflects the Freudian concept of the id, the part of the psyche that is driven by instinctual desires and pleasure-seeking. |
| “Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled” | This line introduces the theme of fate and suggests that Selima’s demise was predetermined, despite her own actions. | New Historicism: This passage can be viewed in the context of 18th-century beliefs about fate and predestination, which were often used to explain tragic events. |
| “Eight times emerging from the flood She mewed to every watery god, Some speedy aid to send.” | This depiction of Selima’s desperate pleas for help adds a touch of pathos to the poem, highlighting the tragedy of her death. | Reader-Response Criticism: This passage evokes an emotional response in the reader, prompting empathy for Selima and her plight. |
| “Not all that tempts your wandering eyes And heedless hearts, is lawful prize; Nor all that glisters, gold.” | This concluding moral of the poem warns against the dangers of temptation and the deceptive nature of appearances. | Moral Criticism: This passage emphasizes the poem’s didactic purpose, offering a cautionary message about the pursuit of material wealth and pleasure. |