Introduction: “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
“The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop first appeared in her 1946 collection North & South‘ marking her debut in the literary world. This narrative poem captures an intricate and empathetic observation of a caught fish’ showcasing Bishop’s hallmark qualities of vivid imagery’ meticulous attention to detail’ and a deep connection with the natural world. Through the speaker’s evolving perception of the fish’ the poem explores themes of respect’ resilience’ and the interconnectedness of life. It remains a popular choice in literature textbooks due to its accessibility’ rich use of descriptive language’ and the way it encourages readers to reflect on ethical relationships between humans and nature. The layered symbolism and emotional depth make it an enduring work for analysis and discussion in academic settings.
Text: “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
I caught a tremendous fish
and held him beside the boat
half out of water’ with my hook
fast in a corner of his mouth.
He didn’t fight.
He hadn’t fought at all.
He hung a grunting weight’
battered and venerable
and homely. Here and there
his brown skin hung in strips
like ancient wallpaper’
and its pattern of darker brown
was like wallpaper:
shapes like full-blown roses
stained and lost through age.
He was speckled with barnacles’
fine rosettes of lime’
and infested
with tiny white sea-lice’
and underneath two or three
rags of green weed hung down.
While his gills were breathing in
the terrible oxygen
—the frightening gills’
fresh and crisp with blood’
that can cut so badly—
I thought of the coarse white flesh
packed in like feathers’
the big bones and the little bones’
the dramatic reds and blacks
of his shiny entrails’
and the pink swim-bladder
like a big peony.
I looked into his eyes
which were far larger than mine
but shallower’ and yellowed’
the irises backed and packed
with tarnished tinfoil
seen through the lenses
of old scratched isinglass.
They shifted a little’ but not
to return my stare.
—It was more like the tipping
of an object toward the light.
I admired his sullen face’
the mechanism of his jaw’
and then I saw
that from his lower lip
—if you could call it a lip—
grim’ wet’ and weaponlike’
hung five old pieces of fish-line’
or four and a wire leader
with the swivel still attached’
with all their five big hooks
grown firmly in his mouth.
A green line’ frayed at the end
where he broke it’ two heavier lines’
and a fine black thread
still crimped from the strain and snap
when it broke and he got away.
Like medals with their ribbons
frayed and wavering’
a five-haired beard of wisdom
trailing from his aching jaw.
I stared and stared
and victory filled up
the little rented boat’
from the pool of bilge
where oil had spread a rainbow
around the rusted engine
to the bailer rusted orange’
the sun-cracked thwarts’
the oarlocks on their strings’
the gunnels—until everything
was rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow!
And I let the fish go.
Annotations: “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Section | Lines/Excerpt | Annotation/Analysis |
| Introduction of the Fish | “I caught a tremendous fish and held him beside the boat…” | The speaker begins with a straightforward narrative of catching the fish’ emphasizing its size and strength through the word “tremendous.” The calm demeanor of the fish contrasts with the usual struggle expected in fishing. |
| Physical Description | “His brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper…” | Bishop uses detailed and vivid imagery to describe the fish’ comparing its peeling skin to “ancient wallpaper.” This metaphor evokes a sense of age and wear’ portraying the fish as venerable and weathered by life. |
| Symbolism of Age and Resilience | “Speckled with barnacles’ fine rosettes of lime…” | The barnacles and sea-lice represent the passage of time and the fish’s survival despite hardships. The “rosettes of lime” create a delicate’ almost artistic image’ adding dignity to the fish’s battered appearance. |
| The Frightening Gills | “The frightening gills’ fresh and crisp with blood…” | The gills’ description emphasizes the fish’s vitality and biological complexity. The juxtaposition of “terrible oxygen” and “frightening gills” suggests the fish’s struggle to survive out of water’ reinforcing its vulnerability. |
| Internal Imagery | “The big bones and the little bones’ the dramatic reds and blacks of his shiny entrails…” | Bishop’s detailed anatomy of the fish demonstrates her keen observational skill. The comparison of the swim bladder to a “peony” adds a touch of beauty to this visceral description’ blending biology and artistry. |
| The Fish’s Eyes | “I looked into his eyes which were far larger than mine but shallower’ and yellowed…” | The eyes are described as shallow and “backed and packed with tarnished tinfoil'” symbolizing the fish’s endurance but also a sense of detachment’ as if the fish has accepted its fate without resistance. |
| Hooks and Scars | “Hung five old pieces of fish-line…like medals with their ribbons…” | The embedded hooks symbolize the fish’s survival against previous captures’ likened to “medals.” This imagery emphasizes the fish’s resilience and strength’ earning the speaker’s admiration and respect. |
| Shift in Perception | “Victory filled up the little rented boat…” | The tone shifts as the speaker sees the fish not as a prize to be taken but as a symbol of triumph and life’s beauty. The imagery of rainbows created by the oil reflects a moment of epiphany and reverence for the fish and the natural world. |
| Climactic Release | “And I let the fish go.” | The decision to release the fish represents a moral and emotional resolution. The act of letting go is both a gesture of respect for the fish’s resilience and a recognition of shared existence and survival in nature. |
| Symbolism of the Rainbow | “Rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow!” | The repetition of “rainbow” suggests a moment of transcendence and unity’ where the ordinary setting is transformed into a celebration of beauty and life. The rainbow serves as a metaphor for interconnectedness and wonder. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Device | Example | Explanation |
| Alliteration | “The big bones'” “held him beside the boat” | The repetition of initial consonant sounds (b in “big bones'” h in “held him beside”) draws attention to key phrases’ enhancing rhythm and focus on imagery. |
| Assonance | “he hung a grunting weight” | The repetition of vowel sounds (“u” in hung’ grunting) creates a rhythmic and cohesive auditory effect. |
| Caesura | “—if you could call it a lip—” | The pause in the middle of the line reflects the speaker’s reflective tone’ adding to the conversational nature of the poem. |
| Consonance | “frayed and wavering’ a five-haired beard” | The repetition of the “r” and “v” sounds creates a sense of texture and movement in the description. |
| Detail | “like ancient wallpaper’ and its pattern of darker brown” | Bishop’s use of precise and intricate details immerses readers in the scene’ making the fish vivid and tangible. |
| Enjambment | “I caught a tremendous fish / and held him beside the boat” | The continuation of thought across lines without punctuation mirrors the fluidity of the speaker’s observations. |
| Epiphany | “everything was rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow!” | The realization of the interconnected beauty of life is central to the speaker’s transformative moment’ marking an emotional high point in the poem. |
| Imagery | “his brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper” | Vivid sensory descriptions enable readers to visualize the fish’s texture and age’ evoking a sense of respect for its resilience. |
| Irony | “terrible oxygen” | Referring to oxygen as “terrible” is ironic because while essential for humans’ it is life-threatening for a fish out of water. |
| Juxtaposition | “The dramatic reds and blacks of his shiny entrails / and the pink swim-bladder” | Contrasting colors and textures highlight both the beauty and the visceral reality of the fish’s anatomy. |
| Metaphor | “Like medals with their ribbons frayed and wavering” | The old hooks and lines in the fish’s jaw are likened to medals’ symbolizing the fish’s hard-won survival and endurance. |
| Onomatopoeia | “He hung a grunting weight” | The use of “grunting” mimics the sound associated with the fish’ adding auditory texture to the scene. |
| Paradox | “terrible oxygen” | Oxygen’ necessary for life’ is described as terrible’ reflecting the fish’s struggle to survive out of its natural habitat. |
| Personification | “victory filled up the little rented boat” | Victory is given human-like qualities’ embodying the speaker’s emotional transformation and triumph. |
| Repetition | “rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow!” | The repeated word emphasizes the speaker’s awe and the climactic moment of realization’ imbuing the scene with a sense of transcendence. |
| Simile | “His brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper” | The fish’s peeling skin is compared to wallpaper’ emphasizing its aged’ weathered condition. |
| Symbolism | “five old pieces of fish-line…like medals” | The hooks symbolize the fish’s survival and resilience’ elevating it as a figure of wisdom and experience. |
| Synesthesia | “terrible oxygen” | The description merges sensory experiences (smell/taste and fear)’ adding complexity to the fish’s distress. |
| Tone | “I admired his sullen face’ the mechanism of his jaw” | The tone of admiration and respect underscores the speaker’s growing empathy and understanding of the fish. |
| Visual Imagery | “the dramatic reds and blacks of his shiny entrails / and the pink swim-bladder” | Vivid colors and textures create striking visual imagery’ allowing readers to imagine the fish’s anatomy in detail. |
Themes: “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
1. Resilience and Survival
Elizabeth Bishop’s “The Fish” explores the theme of resilience through the portrayal of the fish as a survivor of countless battles. The speaker’s discovery of the “five old pieces of fish-line” hanging from its jaw’ described as “like medals with their ribbons frayed and wavering'” elevates the fish to a symbol of enduring struggle. This imagery transforms the fish from a simple catch to a representation of life’s tenacity. The hooks’ firmly embedded yet carried with dignity’ reflect how hardships shape but do not define the creature. The speaker’s growing respect for the fish mirrors a universal admiration for perseverance in the face of adversity’ connecting the fish’s survival to broader human experiences.
2. Connection with Nature
The poem emphasizes humanity’s connection with the natural world’ revealing a moment of profound empathy between the speaker and the fish. Initially’ the fish is presented as a captured object’ “held beside the boat'” but as the speaker observes its “venerable” and “homely” appearance’ they begin to appreciate its unique existence. Through intricate details’ such as its “brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper” and the “barnacles’ fine rosettes of lime'” Bishop blurs the line between the fish and the human world. This shift in perspective encourages the reader to consider the shared vulnerabilities of all living beings’ culminating in the speaker’s decision to release the fish. The act of letting it go signifies a recognition of the interconnectedness and mutual respect required in human-nature relationships.
3. Beauty in the Ordinary
Bishop finds extraordinary beauty in the mundane’ transforming the fish into a canvas for artistic and metaphorical exploration. The speaker’s initial focus on the fish’s imperfections’ such as its “grunting weight” and peeling skin’ evolves into an appreciation of its intricate details. The fish’s anatomy’ from “the dramatic reds and blacks of his shiny entrails” to the “pink swim-bladder like a big peony'” is described with a painterly attention that elevates its status. Even the oil-slicked water in the “little rented boat'” forming a “rainbow'” becomes a symbol of unexpected beauty. This celebration of the ordinary challenges readers to reevaluate their surroundings and discover aesthetic value in everyday life.
4. Transformation and Redemption
At its core’ “The Fish” is a narrative of transformation’ both for the speaker and the fish. The act of catching the fish initially represents domination and victory’ but as the speaker observes the fish’s scars and endurance’ the narrative shifts. The moment “victory filled up the little rented boat” marks a climactic transformation where the speaker gains a deeper understanding of life’s struggles. This epiphany is underscored by the repeated word “rainbow'” symbolizing renewal and hope. The release of the fish at the poem’s conclusion serves as a gesture of redemption’ signaling the speaker’s moral and emotional growth. Through this act’ Bishop conveys the transformative power of empathy and the capacity for humans to change their perspective.
Literary Theories and “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Literary Theory | Application to “The Fish” | References from the Poem |
| Ecocriticism | This theory examines the relationship between literature and the natural world. In “The Fish'” Bishop reflects on humanity’s connection with nature and the respect owed to it. | The detailed imagery’ such as the fish’s “brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper'” highlights its weathered beauty and resilience. The release of the fish signifies an ethical stance toward the natural world. |
| Feminist Theory | Although the poem doesn’t explicitly address gender’ a feminist lens might interpret the speaker’s decision to release the fish as rejecting domination and power hierarchies. | The speaker’ rather than asserting dominance’ admires the fish’s “venerable” and “homely” appearance’ recognizing its strength and endurance. |
| New Criticism | This theory focuses on the text itself’ analyzing the use of literary devices’ structure’ and imagery without external context. | The use of metaphors (“like medals with their ribbons”) and repetition (“rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow”) reflects a self-contained symbolic narrative. |
| Existentialism | This interpretation views the poem as a meditation on life’s struggles’ mortality’ and the meaning found in endurance and survival. | The fish’s scars—”five old pieces of fish-line…like medals”—symbolize its confrontation with death and the dignity of surviving repeated challenges. |
Critical Questions about “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
1. How does the speaker’s perception of the fish evolve throughout the poem?
The speaker’s perception of the fish undergoes a profound transformation’ shifting from seeing it as a captured prize to viewing it as a symbol of resilience and life’s interconnectedness. Initially’ the fish is described in a detached manner: “I caught a tremendous fish and held him beside the boat.” This utilitarian depiction gradually gives way to awe and respect as the speaker observes the fish in intricate detail’ noting its “brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper” and the “medals with their ribbons” represented by the old hooks. These observations humanize the fish and evoke a sense of reverence for its survival. The climax of this transformation is captured in the repetition of “rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow'” which signifies the speaker’s emotional shift to seeing beauty and unity in the encounter. The act of releasing the fish becomes an ethical response to this newfound perception.
2. What role does imagery play in conveying the themes of resilience and interconnectedness?
Imagery is central to Bishop’s exploration of resilience and interconnectedness’ as the vivid descriptions of the fish’s physical appearance reflect its struggles and survival. The metaphor comparing the fish’s skin to “ancient wallpaper” evokes a sense of age and history’ while the “barnacles’ fine rosettes of lime” emphasize its enduring connection to its aquatic environment. The “five old pieces of fish-line” lodged in the fish’s jaw are described as “like medals with their ribbons'” symbolizing past battles and victories. These layers of imagery highlight the fish’s journey through life and its deep ties to the natural world. The detailed visual and tactile descriptions create an intimate portrayal that connects the fish to broader themes of survival and respect for life’ culminating in the speaker’s moral decision to let it go.
3. How does Bishop use symbolism to elevate the fish’s role beyond its literal presence?
In “The Fish'” Bishop imbues the fish with symbolic significance that transcends its literal role as a captured creature. The old hooks and fishing lines embedded in its mouth are likened to “medals'” a powerful metaphor that elevates the fish as a symbol of endurance and wisdom. The rainbow formed by the oil in the water’ repeated with the phrase “rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow'” symbolizes unity’ beauty’ and the speaker’s epiphany about the interconnectedness of all life. Even the act of catching and releasing the fish carries symbolic weight’ representing a journey from domination to empathy. Through these symbols’ Bishop transforms the fish into a representation of resilience’ respect’ and the moral complexities of human interactions with nature.
4. What is the significance of the speaker’s decision to release the fish?
The decision to release the fish is a climactic moment that reflects the speaker’s moral growth and recognition of the fish’s dignity. After closely observing the fish’s scars’ such as the “five old pieces of fish-line” and the “frayed” ends of its hooks’ the speaker develops an appreciation for the fish’s struggles and triumphs. The transformation is further emphasized by the speaker’s realization of the “rainbow” around the oil in the boat’ a symbolic moment of enlightenment that connects the fish’s survival to a broader sense of beauty and unity. By letting the fish go’ the speaker rejects the initial intent to claim it as a prize and instead acknowledges its autonomy and resilience. This act signifies a profound respect for life and an ethical choice to value the fish’s existence beyond its immediate utility.
Literary Works Similar to “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
- “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats
Similarity: Like “The Fish'” Keats’s poem explores into the relationship between humans and nature’ blending vivid imagery with deep introspection about life’ mortality’ and beauty. - “To a Skylark” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Similarity: Both poems celebrate the natural world while reflecting on the symbolic significance of an individual creature’ using detailed descriptions to elevate the subject’s role. - “The Moose” by Elizabeth Bishop
Similarity: Another of Bishop’s works’ this poem mirrors “The Fish” in its careful observation of a single animal’ using precise imagery and a meditative tone to explore themes of connection and respect for nature. - “Snake” by D.H. Lawrence
Similarity: Lawrence’s poem’ like “The Fish'” features a speaker who experiences a transformative encounter with a creature’ leading to a reevaluation of human dominance over the natural world. - “The Horses” by Ted Hughes
Similarity: Hughes’s poem shares “The Fish”‘s focus on animals and their symbolic resonance’ with a similarly quiet yet powerful tone that conveys respect for the natural world and its mysteries.
Representative Quotations of “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “I caught a tremendous fish and held him beside the boat” | Introduces the fish as a physical object caught by the speaker’ setting the stage for a narrative of observation and transformation. | New Criticism: Focus on the structural beginning that establishes the narrative arc of the poem. |
| “His brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper” | Describes the fish’s aged and weathered appearance’ evoking its resilience and connection to time. | Ecocriticism: Highlights the fish’s integration into the natural environment and the passage of time. |
| “He hadn’t fought at all. He hung a grunting weight” | Depicts the fish’s resignation’ contrasting the expected struggle of a catch. | Existentialism: Reflects on the fish’s acceptance of its condition’ evoking themes of mortality and struggle. |
| “Like medals with their ribbons frayed and wavering” | The hooks and lines in the fish’s jaw are likened to medals’ symbolizing survival and past victories. | Symbolism: The fish becomes a figure of resilience’ enduring repeated challenges. |
| “A five-haired beard of wisdom trailing from his aching jaw” | Describes the hooks as symbols of wisdom gained through survival’ elevating the fish’s character. | Feminist Theory: Challenges hierarchical power dynamics’ portraying the fish as an equal worthy of respect. |
| “The frightening gills’ fresh and crisp with blood” | Observes the visceral and vulnerable aspects of the fish’ emphasizing its life force. | Phenomenology: Centers on the immediate and embodied experience of encountering the fish. |
| “I admired his sullen face’ the mechanism of his jaw” | Marks the speaker’s growing respect and fascination with the fish as more than a catch. | Humanism: Demonstrates the recognition of dignity and individuality in the fish. |
| “Victory filled up the little rented boat” | A moment of emotional triumph and realization for the speaker’ shifting the narrative toward reverence for the fish. | Reader-Response Theory: Encourages readers to interpret the speaker’s epiphany as their own moment of enlightenment. |
| “Rainbow’ rainbow’ rainbow!” | The oil-slicked water becomes a symbol of beauty and interconnectedness’ transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. | Symbolism: Suggests a moment of transcendence and the unity of all life. |
| “And I let the fish go” | The speaker releases the fish’ signaling a moral resolution and respect for its autonomy. | Ethical Criticism: Explores the moral implications of the speaker’s choice’ emphasizing empathy and respect for nature. |
Suggested Readings: “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop
- Frost’ Carol. “Elizabeth Bishop’s Inner Eye.” New England Review (1990-)‘ vol. 25′ no. 1/2′ 2004’ pp. 250–57. JSTOR‘ http://www.jstor.org/stable/40244395. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.
- Southworth’ James G. “The Poetry of Elizabeth Bishop.” College English‘ vol. 20′ no. 5′ 1959’ pp. 213–17. JSTOR‘ https://doi.org/10.2307/372687. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.
- Edelman’ Lee’ and Elizabeth Bishop. “The Geography of Gender: Elizabeth Bishop’s ‘In the Waiting Room.'” Contemporary Literature‘ vol. 26′ no. 2′ 1985’ pp. 179–96. JSTOR‘ https://doi.org/10.2307/1207932. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.
- Elkins’ Mary J. “Elizabeth Bishop and the Act of Seeing.” South Atlantic Review 48.4 (1983): 43-57.