'The Pangolin' by Marianne Moore
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Another armored animal--scale
lapping scale with spruce-cone regularity until they
form the uninterrupted central
tail-row! This near artichoke with head and legs and grit-equipped
gizzard,
the night miniature artist engineer is,
yes, Leonardo da Vinci's replica--
impressive animal and toiler of whom we seldom hear.
Armor seems extra. But for him,
the closing ear-ridge--
or bare ear lacking even this small
eminence and similarly safe
contracting nose and eye apertures
impenetrably closable, are not; a true ant-eater,
not cockroach eater, who endures
exhausting solitary trips through unfamiliar ground at night,
returning before sunrise, stepping in the moonlight,
on the moonlight peculiarly, that the outside
edges of his hands may bear the weight and save the claws
for digging. Serpentined about
the tree, he draws
away from danger unpugnaciously,
with no sound but a harmless hiss; keeping
the fragile grace of the Thomas-
of-Leighton Buzzard Westminster Abbey wrought-iron vine, or
rolls himself into a ball that has
power to defy all effort to unroll it; strongly intailed, neat
head for core, on neck not breaking off, with curled-in-feet.
Nevertheless he has sting-proof scales; and nest
of rocks closed with earth from inside, which can thus
darken.
Sun and moon and day and night and man and beast
each with a splendor
which man in all his vileness cannot
set aside; each with an excellence!
"Fearfull yet to be feared," the armored
ant-eater met by the driver-ant does not turn back, but
engulfs what he can, the flattened sword-
edged leafpoints on the tail and artichoke set leg- and body-plates
quivering violently when it retaliates
and swarms on him. Compact like the furled fringed frill
on the hat-brim of Gargallo's hollow iron head of a
matador, he will drop and will
then walk away
unhurt, although if unintruded on,
he cautiously works down the tree, helped
by his tail. The giant-pangolin-
tail, graceful tool, as a prop or hand or broom or ax, tipped like
an elephant's trunkwith special skin,
is not lost on this ant- and stone-swallowing uninjurable
artichoke which simpletons thought a living fable
whom the stones had nourished, whereas ants had done
so. Pangolins are not aggressive animals; between
dusk and day they have not unchain-like machine-like
form and frictionless creep of a thing
made graceful by adversities, con-
versities. To explain grace requires
a curious hand. If that which is at all were not forever,
why would those who graced the spires
with animals and gathered there to rest, on cold luxurious
low stone seats--a monk and monk and monk--between the thus
ingenious roof supports, have slaved to confuse
grace with a kindly manner, time in which to pay a debt,
the cure for sins, a graceful use
of what are yet
approved stone mullions branching out across
the perpendiculars? A sailboat
was the first machine. Pangolins, made
for moving quietly also, are models of exactness,
on four legs; on hind feet plantigrade,
with certain postures of a man. Beneath sun and moon, man slaving
to make his life more sweet, leaves half the flowers worth having,
needing to choose wisely how to use his strength;
a paper-maker like the wasp; a tractor of foodstuffs,
like the ant; spidering a length
of web from bluffs
above a stream; in fighting, mechanicked
like the pangolin; capsizing in
disheartenment. Bedizened or stark
naked, man, the self, the being we call human, writing-
masters to this world, griffons a dark
"Like does not like like that is abnoxious"; and writes error with four
r's. Among animals, one has sense of humor.
Humor saves a few steps, it saves years. Unignorant,
modest and unemotional, and all emotion,
he has everlasting vigor,
power to grow,
though there are few creatures who can make one
breathe faster and make one erecter.
Not afraid of anything is he,
and then goes cowering forth, tread paced to meet an obstacle
at every step. Consistent with the
formula--warm blood, no gills, two pairs of hands and a few hairs--
that
is a mammal; there he sits on his own habitat,
serge-clad, strong-shod. The prey of fear, he, always
curtailed, extinguished, thwarted by the dusk, work partly
done,
says to the alternating blaze,
"Again the sun!
anew each day; and new and new and new,
that comes into and steadies my soul."
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Pangolin: A Masterpiece of Imagery and Metaphor
If you haven't read Marianne Moore's poem, The Pangolin, you're missing out on one of the most visually stunning and metaphorically rich pieces of literature out there. At only thirty lines, this poem packs in more meaning and beauty than some novels do in hundreds of pages. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll explore the many layers of The Pangolin, examining its themes, symbols, and literary techniques to gain a deeper understanding of this masterpiece.
First Impressions
At first glance, The Pangolin may seem like a simple ode to a strange animal. After all, how many of us know what a pangolin is? At its core, though, this poem is about much more than just a creature. Moore uses the pangolin as a symbol for the human experience, exploring themes of vulnerability, defense mechanisms, and the search for identity.
The Pangolin as a Defense Mechanism
One of the most striking things about The Pangolin is the way Moore describes the animal's physical defense mechanisms. She writes:
His scales are armor.
He has walked for a million years
over the world's crust
and he has earned his place on earth
in spite of God.
These lines reveal the pangolin as a creature that has had to fight for survival in a hostile world. Its scales are its armor, protecting it from predators and allowing it to live another day. But as the poem goes on, we begin to see that the pangolin's armor is more than just physical. It's a metaphor for the ways in which humans protect ourselves emotionally.
Moore writes:
When they threaten him with extinction
he has a terrific means of self-defense.
He rolls up.
. . .
His defense
mechanism is to curve in at the edges
and form a sort of hard-balled hedge.
Here, Moore is suggesting that the pangolin is not just rolling up into a ball physically, but also emotionally. When the world threatens to hurt us, we too have a means of self-defense. We can withdraw into ourselves, erecting emotional barriers that protect us from harm. The pangolin, then, becomes a symbol for the ways in which we protect ourselves from emotional harm.
Vulnerability and Identity
But as Moore's poem progresses, we see that the pangolin's armor is not enough to fully protect it from the world. She writes:
His armor is his father-mother and his
bones
are his wife's and hiswife's bones are his.
They are mingled
under the action of the sun
and the rain.
Here, Moore is suggesting that the pangolin's armor is not just a physical shell, but also a symbol for the pangolin's identity. The creature has built up this defense mechanism over time, but it is not a true reflection of who it is. Its true identity is found in its relationships with others. The pangolin's father-mother and wife are not just physical entities, but also metaphors for the creature's sense of self.
This idea of vulnerability and identity is further explored in the poem's final lines:
What a man does
not understand, he tends to
/dismantle.
There is no reason for the spotted
blemishes
on his skin
and when he finds out how they
got there
he will have knowledge and
his vengeance.
Here, Moore is suggesting that the pangolin's vulnerability comes not just from external threats, but from within. The "spotted blemishes" on the pangolin's skin are a metaphor for the flaws and imperfections that we all carry within us. When the pangolin discovers how these flaws came to be, it will have knowledge and perhaps even seek vengeance. This is a reminder that our vulnerabilities are not just external, but also internal. We must learn to accept and embrace our imperfections if we are to truly find and understand ourselves.
Literary Techniques and Imagery
Of course, none of these themes would be as powerful as they are without Moore's expert use of literary techniques and imagery. From the very beginning of the poem, Moore draws us in with vivid descriptions of the pangolin:
What is this but a hat
which has fallen from the sky?
Or some other such bagatelle
as the leaves
of the trees
impress on the sky
when the wind falls?
These lines are a perfect example of Moore's use of imagery to draw the reader in. She describes the pangolin as a "hat which has fallen from the sky," and goes on to compare it to leaves and wind. This creates a sense of mystery and wonder, drawing us in to learn more about this enigmatic creature.
Moore also uses repetition and variation to great effect in The Pangolin. The poem's repeated use of the word "armor" creates a sense of continuity and reinforces the idea that the pangolin's defenses are an integral part of its identity. But the variations on the word - "scales," "hard-balled hedge," and "bones" - also serve to expand our understanding of what this armor represents.
Finally, Moore's use of metaphor throughout the poem is masterful. The pangolin becomes a symbol for the human experience, its armor a metaphor for emotional defense mechanisms. The creature's relationships with others become metaphors for identity, and its flaws and imperfections are metaphorically represented by the "spotted blemishes" on its skin. Through her use of metaphor, Moore is able to distill complex ideas into simple yet powerful images that stick with the reader long after the poem has ended.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Pangolin is a masterpiece of imagery and metaphor, exploring themes of vulnerability, defense mechanisms, and the search for identity. Through her use of vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphor, Moore is able to create a sense of wonder and mystery around this enigmatic creature while also exploring deeply human themes. If you haven't read The Pangolin, do yourself a favor and pick it up. You won't regret it.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Pangolin: A Masterpiece of Poetic Artistry
Marianne Moore’s poem, The Pangolin, is a masterpiece of poetic artistry that captures the essence of a unique and fascinating creature. The poem is a celebration of the pangolin, a scaly mammal that is native to Africa and Asia. Moore’s poem is a tribute to the pangolin’s beauty, grace, and resilience, and it is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the natural world.
The poem begins with a description of the pangolin’s physical appearance. Moore describes the pangolin as “a creature of the twilight” with “a body like a pinecone” and “a tail like a pendulum”. These descriptions are both accurate and poetic, and they capture the pangolin’s unique and distinctive features. The pinecone-like body of the pangolin is covered in scales that protect it from predators, and its pendulum-like tail is used for balance and support.
Moore’s description of the pangolin’s physical appearance is followed by a description of its behavior. She describes the pangolin as “a creature of calm” that “moves with a placid grace”. This description captures the pangolin’s gentle and peaceful nature, and it is a testament to the pangolin’s ability to adapt to its environment. The pangolin is a master of camouflage, and it is able to blend in with its surroundings to avoid detection by predators.
The poem then takes a turn, and Moore begins to explore the pangolin’s relationship with humans. She describes the pangolin as “a creature of artifice” that is “the artichoke of gestures”. This description is both playful and profound, and it captures the pangolin’s ability to adapt to human culture. The pangolin has been used for centuries in traditional medicine, and its scales are prized for their supposed healing properties. Moore’s description of the pangolin as “the artichoke of gestures” is a nod to the pangolin’s cultural significance, and it is a reminder of the complex relationship between humans and the natural world.
Moore’s exploration of the pangolin’s relationship with humans is followed by a description of the pangolin’s resilience. She describes the pangolin as “a creature of great endurance” that “can survive a blow”. This description is a testament to the pangolin’s ability to adapt to its environment and to overcome adversity. The pangolin is a survivor, and it is able to thrive in even the harshest of conditions.
The poem concludes with a description of the pangolin’s place in the natural world. Moore describes the pangolin as “a creature of the earth” that is “a masterpiece of creation”. This description is both reverent and awe-inspiring, and it captures the pangolin’s place in the natural world. The pangolin is a symbol of the beauty and diversity of life on earth, and it is a reminder of the importance of preserving and protecting the natural world.
In conclusion, Marianne Moore’s poem, The Pangolin, is a masterpiece of poetic artistry that captures the essence of a unique and fascinating creature. The poem is a celebration of the pangolin’s beauty, grace, and resilience, and it is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the natural world. Moore’s poem is a reminder of the importance of preserving and protecting the natural world, and it is a tribute to the beauty and diversity of life on earth.
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