Pike

Question 1

Meaning

Answer 1

The poem is about pike, and the poet’s feelings about them, fishing, about the brutality of some little ones he had as pets, which later grew out of control. The the beauty and innocence of nature along with the brutality.

Question 2

First Stanza

Answer 2

Born to kill, will never change. Contrast displaying their full glory, glorious and rich, but violent and awful. First part description of pike. Imagery

Question 3

Forth/Fifth Stanza

Answer 3

Whole purpose to kill ‘instrument’. Exaggerations of the mechanisms of its raw power.
Man encouraging their cannibalism, not natural to keep them captive. Brutality of cannibalism.

Question 4

Stanza Six

Answer 4

‘Willow…’ ancient way to bury, shows age, prehistoric. Hughes attempts to reconcile what appears to be awfully violent in nature. Perhaps humans are no better.