A Comparative Essay between two

poems: "The jaguar" and "The

Domescity of Giraffes".
Essay by sdixit, High School, 11th grade, A, July 2007
http://www.writework.com/essay/comparative-essay-between-two-poems-jaguar-anddomescity-g
Good morning/afternoon and class. I present myself here to talk to you
about how many poets use the world of nature to comment on the world of man. To
accomplish this, I will refer to two poems called The domesticity of Giraffes by Judith
Beveridge and The Jaguar by Ted Hughes. Mans relationship with nature is portrayed
by Judith .1. Beveridge and Ted Hughes in their poems, The Domesticity of Giraffes
and The Jaguar. They both express their views in their poems about 2 animals in a
zoo. The two of them also have a negative opinion which creates a link between their
poems. A link is also produced by the devices used by both poets which are similes,
metaphors, personification, imagery .2.Oxymorons, repetitions, onomatopoeia,
figurative and descriptive language.
In Judith Beveridge's poem, The Domesticity of Giraffes, she clearly expresses her
point of view on man's relationship with nature.

Her point of view is that she disagrees with the captivity of animals. In this poem she
explores the uncomfortable prospects of an animal cont .3.
Being held captive in a zoo. "Bruised-apple eyed she ruminates towards the tall
building she mistakes for a herd". This quote from stanza one uses imagery and
descriptive language to depict the giraffes misery in the captivity of a zoo. The effect
of these devices on the quote exposes the suffering of the giraffe. Suffering is a theme
that is used in both poems. .4.The theme of suffering is also present in Ted Hughes'
poem The Jaguar. Just like Beveridge, his point of view is also a pessimistic one. In
this case it a Jaguar that is held captive in a zoo. The Jaguar is a poem that displays
suffering by the jaguar's confusion. "Cage after cage seems empty". This quote
displays the suffering not only for the jaguar, but for the .5. other zoo animals as well.
This quote also uses a repetition, which emphasizes the purpose of the quote which is
to reveal the emptiness of the zoo which is the cause of suffering.

There are many other themes in these poems. One of them is Isolation.
Isolation in these poems is exposed by the loneliness shown by the two animals. .6.

In the Domesticity of Giraffes, isolation is a large issue. Even though the giraffe is
with a bull, it is still lonely. Judith Beveridge takes advantage of this loneliness in her
poem and uses this against the world of man. "Her gaze has the loneliness of smoke".
This particular quote clearly displays her loneliness. .7. This quote portrays the
giraffe's isolation by relating her loneliness to smoke.
In The Jaguar, it is presented that the jaguar is by itself in the cage. Even though the
common jaguar is used to this, this jaguar is still angry because of the attention it's
creating. Also the quote "Cage after cage seems empty" displays the theme of
isolation. .8.Again this quote uses repetition to, this time, emphasize the jaguar's
loneliness. Also this quote places an image in people's mind of a row of empty cages
which is a type of imagery.
The next theme I am going to discuss is freedom.
Of their freedom. They also reveal a flicker of hope for these two animals. Judith
Beveridge has executed this in a clever way. "In the distance running she could be a
big slim bird just before flight". The derivation of this quote is that the giraffe could
be free and that there is still some hope for the giraffe. But throughout the poem,
Judith Beveridge stresses what little hope the giraffe has. .10.This quote uses an
alliteration which creates a link in the sentence.
Ted Hughes has waited for the very last stanza in his poem to expose a little light of
freedom. He informs the reader that man has done many wrong things but there is still
a little hope for man to redeem itself. "Over the cage floor the horizons come". This is
the last line of the poem. And this line bears .11.Witness to the flicker of hope the
jaguar has.
I thank you for your time and hope that you have learnt from my speech.
.12.
Bibliographywww.alchemyit.com.au/users/paula/TheDomesticityofGiraffes.htmwww.
wright.edu/~alex.macleod/summer05/300/jaguar.pdf
Jaguar front
English: Painting on Canvas
English: Ted Hughes Plaque Ted Hughes, Poet Laurea...

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A Comparative Essay between two poems: "The jaguar" and "The Domescity of
Giraffes".. (2007, July 30). In WriteWork.com. Retrieved 11:26, September 07, 2014,
from http://www.writework.com/essay/comparative-essay-between-two-poemsjaguar-and-domescity-g