'A Prodigal' by Elizabeth Bishop

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

A Cold Spring1955The brown enormous odor he lived by
was too close, with its breathing and thick hair,
for him to judge. The floor was rotten; the sty
was plastered halfway up with glass-smooth dung.
Light-lashed, self-righteous, above moving snouts,
the pigs' eyes followed him, a cheerful stare--
even to the sow that always ate her young--
till, sickening, he leaned to scratch her head.
But sometimes mornings after drinking bouts
(he hid the pints behind the two-by-fours),
the sunrise glazed the barnyard mud with red
the burning puddles seemed to reassure.
And then he thought he almost might endure
his exile yet another year or more.But evenings the first star came to warn.
The farmer whom he worked for came at dark
to shut the cows and horses in the barn
beneath their overhanging clouds of hay,
with pitchforks, faint forked lightnings, catching light,
safe and companionable as in the Ark.
The pigs stuck out their little feet and snored.
The lantern--like the sun, going away--
laid on the mud a pacing aureole.
Carrying a bucket along a slimy board,
he felt the bats' uncertain staggering flight,
his shuddering insights, beyond his control,
touching him. But it took him a long time
finally to make up his mind to go home.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"A Prodigal" by Elizabeth Bishop: A Masterpiece of Imagery and Symbolism

Elizabeth Bishop's "A Prodigal" is a remarkable poem that showcases the poet's mastery of imagery and symbolism. Through the use of vivid language and powerful metaphors, Bishop creates a complex and nuanced portrayal of a father-son relationship that is both tender and fraught with tension.

At its core, "A Prodigal" is a poem about forgiveness and redemption. The story revolves around the return of a prodigal son to his father's house after years of wandering and dissipation. The son is greeted with open arms by his father, who welcomes him back into the family fold despite his past transgressions.

But the poem is much more than a simple parable about forgiveness. Through Bishop's expert use of imagery and symbolism, the poem delves deep into the psychology of the father and son, exploring the complex emotions and motivations that drive their actions.

One of the most striking aspects of "A Prodigal" is the way in which Bishop uses the natural world to convey the emotional landscape of the characters. The opening lines of the poem set the scene:

"The brown enormous odor he lived by was too close, with its breathing and thick hair, for him to judge. The floor was rotten, the sty was plastered halfway up with glass.

Scraps of shadow filled the stairway, cauls of moving light on the floor below. Turnstile turn and turn about; the midden-gate creaked back and forth."

These lines paint a vivid picture of the son's surroundings, using sensory details to create a sense of atmosphere and mood. The "brown enormous odor" suggests a sense of decay and stagnation, while the "scraps of shadow" and "cauls of moving light" evoke a sense of instability and restlessness.

But the imagery also serves a deeper purpose, revealing the inner turmoil of the son. The "brown enormous odor" can be read as a metaphor for the son's own sense of guilt and shame, which he feels is suffocating him. The "rotten" floor and the "plastered" sty suggest a sense of decay and decline, mirroring the son's own sense of moral degradation.

As the poem progresses, the imagery becomes increasingly powerful and symbolic. When the son finally returns home, he is met with a feast:

"The fatted calf is already dressed and the guests are clinking glasses. Steak smells to high heaven, haps and pence, rack and manger."

The feast is a powerful symbol of forgiveness and redemption, suggesting that the son has been welcomed back into the fold and his sins have been forgiven. The use of sensory details, such as the smell of steak and the clinking of glasses, creates a sense of celebration and joy.

But the symbolism of the feast is complicated by the final lines of the poem, which suggest that the son may not be fully redeemed:

"Then he remembered the quiet eyes of the girl he had left behind him, and the sorrow began again, like a fish he had hooked once and thrown back into the river."

This final image is a powerful one, suggesting that the son's redemption may be incomplete. The "quiet eyes" of the girl he left behind suggest a sense of regret and loss, while the image of the fish that he had hooked and thrown back into the river suggests that he may be destined to repeat his past mistakes.

Overall, "A Prodigal" is a masterful poem that reveals Bishop's skill at using imagery and symbolism to create complex and nuanced portraits of human emotion. The poem is a testament to the power of forgiveness and redemption, but it also recognizes the complexity of human nature and the difficulty of fully overcoming our past mistakes.

In the end, the poem leaves us with a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty, suggesting that true redemption may be a lifelong journey rather than a single moment of forgiveness. But through its vivid imagery and powerful symbolism, "A Prodigal" offers a glimpse into the complex emotional landscape of human experience, and reminds us of the power of forgiveness and the importance of never giving up on ourselves or each other.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry A Prodigal: An Analysis of Elizabeth Bishop's Masterpiece

Elizabeth Bishop's "Poetry A Prodigal" is a masterpiece that has stood the test of time. The poem is a reflection on the nature of poetry and the creative process. It is a deeply personal work that speaks to the heart of every artist who has ever struggled to create something meaningful.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing poetry directly, asking it to come back to her. She speaks of how she has neglected poetry, how she has let it slip away from her. The tone is one of regret and longing, as if the speaker is trying to recapture something that has been lost.

The second stanza is a reflection on the nature of poetry itself. The speaker describes poetry as a "white paper" that is waiting to be filled with words. She speaks of how poetry is both a "gift" and a "burden," something that can bring joy and pain in equal measure.

The third stanza is a meditation on the creative process. The speaker describes how she has tried to force poetry to come to her, but it has always eluded her. She speaks of how she has tried to "catch" poetry, but it has always slipped away.

The fourth stanza is a turning point in the poem. The speaker realizes that she has been approaching poetry in the wrong way. She speaks of how she has been trying to "tame" poetry, to make it conform to her will. She realizes that this is impossible, that poetry is something that must be allowed to flow freely.

The fifth stanza is a celebration of the freedom that comes with letting poetry flow. The speaker describes how she has finally let go of her need to control poetry and has allowed it to come to her on its own terms. She speaks of how poetry has become a "wild thing" that she can no longer control.

The final stanza is a reflection on the power of poetry. The speaker describes how poetry has the power to transform the world, to make the ordinary extraordinary. She speaks of how poetry can bring people together, how it can create a sense of community.

Overall, "Poetry A Prodigal" is a deeply personal and powerful work that speaks to the heart of every artist. It is a reflection on the nature of creativity and the struggle to create something meaningful. The poem is a celebration of the freedom that comes with letting go of control and allowing creativity to flow freely. It is a reminder of the power of poetry to transform the world and bring people together.

Editor Recommended Sites

Coin Exchange - Crypto Exchange List & US Crypto Exchanges: Interface with crypto exchanges to get data and realtime updates
Coin Alerts - App alerts on price action moves & RSI / MACD and rate of change alerts: Get alerts on when your coins move so you can sell them when they pump
Cloud Service Mesh: Service mesh framework for cloud applciations
Video Game Speedrun: Youtube videos of the most popular games being speed run
Crypto Staking - Highest yielding coins & Staking comparison and options: Find the highest yielding coin staking available for alts, from only the best coins

Recommended Similar Analysis

Forget Not Yet The Tried Intent by Sir Thomas Wyatt analysis
Poem In October by Dylan Thomas analysis
An Irish Airman Forsees His Death by William Butler Yeats analysis
Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad? by William Butler Yeats analysis
The cricket sang by Emily Dickinson analysis
Nature by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow analysis
One Way Of Love by Robert Browning analysis
I died for beauty but was scarce by Emily Dickinson analysis
The Municipal Gallery Revisited by William Butler Yeats analysis
A Pact by Ezra Pound analysis