'The Imaginary Iceberg' by Elizabeth Bishop
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North & South1946We'd rather have the iceberg than the ship,although it meant the end of travel.Although it stood stock-still like cloudy rockand all the sea were moving marble.We'd rather have the iceberg than the ship;we'd rather own this breathing plain of snowthough the ship's sails were laid upon the seaas the snow lies undissolved upon the water.O solemn, floating field,are you aware an iceberg takes reposewith you, and when it wakes may pasture on your snows?This is a scene a sailor'd give his eyes for.The ship's ignored. The iceberg risesand sinks again; its glassy pinnaclescorrect elliptics in the sky.This is a scene where he who treads the boardsis artlessly rhetorical. The curtainis light enough to rise on finest ropesthat airy twists of snow provide.The wits of these white peaksspar with the sun. Its weight the iceberg daresupon a shifting stage and stands and stares.The iceberg cuts its facets from within.Like jewelry from a graveit saves itself perpetually and adornsonly itself, perhaps the snowswhich so surprise us lying on the sea.Good-bye, we say, good-bye, the ship steers offwhere waves give in to one another's wavesand clouds run in a warmer sky.Icebergs behoove the soul(both being self-made from elements least visible)to see them so: fleshed, fair, erected indivisible.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Imaginary Iceberg: A Masterpiece of Elizabeth Bishop's Poetry
If you haven't read Elizabeth Bishop's "The Imaginary Iceberg," then you are in for a treat. This poem is one of the most celebrated works of Bishop, a Pulitzer and National Book Award winner. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, I'll take you through the poem, line by line, and unveil its hidden meanings, allusions, and symbolism. Get ready for a journey to the depths of the unconscious, the iceberg of the mind.
Introduction: The Iceberg as a Metaphor
"The Imaginary Iceberg" is an ode to the power of the unconscious. The poem uses the image of an iceberg to describe the hidden part of our minds, the part that lies beneath the surface, invisible, mysterious, and vast. The iceberg is a metaphor that Bishop exploits to the fullest, exploring its various dimensions and implications. The poem is divided into three stanzas, with each stanza developing a different aspect of the iceberg metaphor. Let's dive in.
Stanza 1: The Unseen Part of Life
In the first stanza, Bishop introduces the iceberg as a metaphor for the hidden part of our lives, the part that we cannot see, but that influences us nonetheless. She writes:
We'd rather have the iceberg than the ship,
Although it meant the end of travel.
Although it stood stock-still like cloudy rock
And all the sea were moving marble.
Bishop personifies the iceberg, giving it agency and making it a subject of desire. She suggests that we would rather have the iceberg than the ship, meaning that we are more interested in the hidden part of life than the visible one. However, this fascination comes at a cost, as the iceberg means the end of travel, the end of exploration, the end of the journey. The image of the iceberg standing stock-still like cloudy rock is striking, as it conveys the immobility and solidity of the hidden part of life. The sea, in contrast, is moving marble, suggesting that the visible part of life is fluid, dynamic, and constantly changing.
Bishop then shifts the focus to the sky, using it as a metaphor for the conscious mind. She writes:
We'd rather have the iceberg than the ship,
We'd rather own this breathing plain,
Tightrope-walkers over an abyss
In which the slenderest are slain.
The breathing plain is an image of the conscious mind, the part of us that is aware, rational, and logical. Bishop suggests that we'd rather own this part of ourselves, but that we are also aware of its fragility. The metaphor of the tightrope-walkers over an abyss is powerful, as it conveys the sense of danger, risk, and uncertainty that characterizes the conscious mind. The abyss is the unknown, the unconscious, the hidden part of life that we are afraid of falling into. The slenderest are slain, meaning that even the slightest mistake can be fatal.
Stanza 2: The Submerged World
In the second stanza, Bishop explores the submerged world of the iceberg, the part that lies beneath the surface. She writes:
Love, then a dense seal-blubber,
Muscles pumping like the borough
From which they sprang;
As if the sheer pleasure of going
Underneath had been enough.
The metaphor of love as dense seal-blubber is unusual, but it works. Bishop suggests that love is a primal, instinctual force that drives us to explore the hidden part of life. The muscles pumping like the borough from which they sprang is an image of raw energy and vitality. The pleasure of going underneath is the pleasure of diving into the unknown, of exploring the submerged world of the unconscious.
Bishop then continues with the iceberg metaphor, describing the submerged world as a world of darkness and silence. She writes:
Dive for them,
Plummet down into the deafness,
Into the aching obscurity.
The verb dive is repeated, emphasizing the sense of immersion and exploration. Plummet down into the deafness is an image of the depth and emptiness of the unconscious. The aching obscurity is a powerful phrase, as it conveys the sense of pain, longing, and mystery that characterizes the submerged world.
Bishop then shifts the focus to the surface of the water, using it as a metaphor for the conscious mind. She writes:
The machines are roaring,
The submerged machinery whirrs and gurgles
Like a mother's heart
When she whispers in your ear
You are drowning in a small pond.
The machines are roaring is an image of the noise and distraction of the conscious mind. The submerged machinery whirrs and gurgles is a metaphor for the hidden part of life, which is always present but rarely heard. Like a mother's heart is a simile that suggests the nurturing, protective aspect of the unconscious. The last line is a startling image, as it conveys the sense of danger and vulnerability that characterizes the conscious mind. The small pond is a metaphor for the limited, shallow world of the conscious mind, which can be suffocating and deadly.
Stanza 3: The Sacred Mountain
In the third and final stanza, Bishop reaches the climax of the poem, describing the imaginary iceberg as a sacred mountain, a source of enlightenment and inspiration. She writes:
The iceberg cuts its facets from within,
Like jewelry from a grave.
My swivel eye stares straight ahead,
And everything is bleached and angular,
Cutting off my breathing.
The image of the iceberg cutting its facets from within is a metaphor for the process of self-discovery and self-realization. The iceberg is like a jewel that emerges from the depths of the unconscious, shining with its own light. The word grave is a powerful image, as it suggests the idea of death and rebirth, of letting go of the past and embracing the future.
Bishop then describes the effect of the iceberg on her consciousness, using the image of the swivel eye. She writes:
The swivel eye stares straight ahead,
And everything is bleached and angular,
Cutting off my breathing.
The swivel eye is an image of the mind's ability to turn inward, to focus on the hidden part of life. The image of everything being bleached and angular is a metaphor for the clarity and sharpness of perception that comes with self-discovery. Cutting off my breathing is a metaphor for the process of letting go of the past, of breaking free from the constraints of the conscious mind.
Finally, Bishop returns to the image of the sacred mountain, describing it as a source of inspiration and enlightenment. She writes:
The voice of nothing,
That took the pumps and the water-works
In its purview of borings,
Drained the illegal reservoirs.
The voice of nothing is an image of the silence and emptiness of the unconscious, which paradoxically contains everything. The pumps and the water-works are metaphors for the conscious mind, which tries to control and harness the power of the unconscious. The illegal reservoirs are a metaphor for the hidden part of life, which is often suppressed, repressed, or neglected. Bishop suggests that the voice of nothing can drain these reservoirs, releasing their power and potential.
Conclusion: The Power of the Unconscious
"The Imaginary Iceberg" is a masterpiece of Elizabeth Bishop's poetry, a testament to the power of the unconscious. Through the metaphor of the iceberg, Bishop explores the hidden part of life, the part that lies beneath the surface, invisible, mysterious, and vast. She suggests that we are fascinated by this hidden part of life, but that we are also afraid of it, as it represents the unknown, the unpredictable, the uncontrollable. The poem is a call to dive into the depths of the unconscious, to explore its mysteries and tap into its power. It is a reminder that the unconscious is not a foe, but a friend, a source of inspiration and enlightenment. So, next time you see an iceberg, remember Bishop's poem, and ask yourself: what lies beneath the surface?
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Imaginary Iceberg: A Masterpiece of Imagery and Metaphor
Elizabeth Bishop's poem, The Imaginary Iceberg, is a masterpiece of imagery and metaphor. It is a poem that explores the depths of the human psyche, using the metaphor of an iceberg to represent the hidden, unconscious aspects of our selves. The poem is a meditation on the nature of reality, perception, and the human condition.
The poem begins with a description of an iceberg, which is only partially visible above the surface of the water. Bishop writes, "We'd rather have the iceberg than the ship, / although it meant the end of travel." This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, suggesting that there is something mysterious and alluring about the iceberg, something that draws us in despite the danger it poses.
The iceberg is a powerful metaphor for the unconscious mind, which is often hidden beneath the surface of our conscious awareness. Bishop suggests that we are drawn to the iceberg because it represents the unknown, the mysterious, and the unexplored aspects of our selves. She writes, "The iceberg is not only pure, / torrid, with polar bears on its head, / whose weight makes the whole iceberg tilt." This description of the iceberg as "pure" and "torrid" suggests that it is both beautiful and dangerous, a force to be reckoned with.
The poem goes on to explore the relationship between the visible and the invisible, the conscious and the unconscious. Bishop writes, "We are more interested in the unseen / than in what our eyes report." This line suggests that there is something more to reality than what we can see with our eyes, that there is a hidden dimension to the world that we are drawn to explore.
The poem also explores the idea of perception, suggesting that what we see is not always what is real. Bishop writes, "The iceberg moves more slowly than the ship / but seems the faster because it is there." This line suggests that our perception of reality is often shaped by our expectations and preconceptions, that what we see is not always what is actually there.
The poem is also a meditation on the human condition, suggesting that we are all like icebergs, with hidden depths and hidden aspects of our selves. Bishop writes, "We are all tourists at this point, / even those who hate the sea." This line suggests that we are all on a journey of self-discovery, that we are all exploring the unknown aspects of our selves.
The poem ends with a powerful image of the iceberg, which Bishop describes as "a thing to have for our own." This line suggests that the iceberg represents something that we all desire, something that we all want to possess. It is a symbol of the unknown, the mysterious, and the unexplored aspects of our selves, and it is something that we are all drawn to.
In conclusion, The Imaginary Iceberg is a masterpiece of imagery and metaphor. It is a poem that explores the depths of the human psyche, using the metaphor of an iceberg to represent the hidden, unconscious aspects of our selves. The poem is a meditation on the nature of reality, perception, and the human condition, and it is a powerful reminder that there is always more to ourselves and to the world than what we can see with our eyes.
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