Structure & Background Flashcards
How is the theme of evolution referenced in the poem?
The encounter the poet faces sparks in him a reflection on the comparative paths of evolution such differing species took:
Basking sharks on the one hand, are relatively unchanged for millions of years.
Humans on the other, have vastly changed since the days when marine life first crawled ashore and adapted to life on land.
How does the poet explore the question of ‘Who is the monster?’ in the poem?
The poet’s train of thought during this encounter leads to a disturbing question: who is the monster?
Is it the shark, literally monstrous in size and aspect to human;
Or is it the poet himself, representative of the human race and all the dark, monstrous deeds of which our race is capable of?
Describe the structure of the poem, and how the rhythmic qualities relate to it.
Bonus: What does the tightness of the structure convey?
The poem is set out in five stanzas. Each stanza is three lines. Each line is end-rhymed with the others in the stanza.
The poem follows a rhythm which matches the rhythmic quality of the rise and the fall of the sea itself.
The tightness of the structure encapsulates the uniqueness of the experience.
What is a basking shark?
A basking shark is a harmless ‘filter feeder’, it has no teeth, and poses no real danger to humans.
Basking sharks can reach sizes excess of ten metres and weigh several tonnes.
This shark’s physical appearance in no doubt struck fear in McCaig.
