Language In Elizabeth Bishop Poetry

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While studying Elizabeth Bishop's poetry, it was remarkably clear that Bishop's carefully judged use of language aids the reader to uncover the intensity of feeling in her poetry. In the six poems in which I studied by this poet, we can see how Bishop used the languages to her advantage in a way that helped the reader to uncover the intensity of feeling in her work. We can see the emotions in her poetry through a mix of language types and techniques within "The Fish", "The Prodigal", “In the Filling Station", "In the Waiting Room", "Sestina" and "First Death in Nova Scotia". Throughout my answer, I will discuss her language types and techniques within her poetry. The first poem I studied by Elizabeth Bishop was "The Fish". It is apparent from…show more content…
Bishop realises that beauty can be found in even the tedious and mundane things – which uncovers the intensity of feeling in her poetry. Bishop uses precise and carefully judged language to portray the filth of the filling station. When she looks at the filling station, it is as if everything is shiny and black. The oil has created a glistening sheen over everything; she even adds that this excess oil is ‘disturbing’. After observing the details of the filling station, she wonders about the family who lives in such dirt, and begins to notice small attempts to create a sense of home amidst the filth - ‘a set of crushed and grease- impregnated wickerwork; on the wicker sofa a dirty dog, quite comfy’. Bishop realises that ‘somebody’ is trying to make a more ordered life for themselves. In the midst of the dirt and untidiness, ‘somebody’ tries to create order and beauty. ‘Why the extraneous plant? Why the taboret? Why, oh why, the doily?’. She ends the poem with a proverb – that in spite of our failings ‘somebody loves us all’. Personally, for me as the reader, through Bishops uncovering of the intensity of feeling, this is a comforting thought. I believe that this poem can be interpreted on a symbolic level. For example, the filling station represents the world and life in general; the grease and oil represent the disorder and chaos in our lives; the doily and plant represent our attempt to create beauty and order. As a result of Bishop’s carefully judged use of language and symbols this aids the reader to uncover the intensity of feeling throughout her poetry. Similarly to the Prodigal, Bishop emphasizes the fact that love and beauty can be found even in the midst of filth and ugliness, as a consequence of her intensity of feeling throughout the

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