Class Notes 11EN1

The Jaguar, Ted Hughes

Stanza One
The apes yawn and adore their fleas in the sun.
The parrots shriek as if they were on fire, or strut
Like cheap tarts to attract the stroller with the nut.
Fatigued with indolence, tiger and lion

❑ Which word seems odd here? Why has it been

included? What is the effect?
adore seems odd - the apes are too bored to the point where they have no choice but to 'adore'
their fleas and pay close attention to it.

❑ Which words rhyme? Why? What is the connection

between these two words? What is the effect of the
rhyme in terms of the flow of the lines?
strut and nut- the poet describing them like sex workers who are desperate for 'nuts'. The two
words describe the desperation for attention of the parrot, assuming they already are fed by the
zoo and it isn’t really necessary to be strutting. They ( as in the two lines ) both are meant to be
one full sentence but have been cut into sections, so the poet is able to add a rhyme, it’s meant
to show off each action as something separate ( like the parrots from their natural habitat ).

❑ What is the effect of the simile used?

The poet uses 2 similes describing the parrot’s feelings, they are feeling unhappy. This effect is
created with the use of “shriek” and “fire” like a cry for help.

❑ Why has Hughes included a stanza break through

enjambment? What does it reveal about the tiger and
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the lion?
Having a stanza break through enjambment shows that the tigers and lions are being separated
from their roots ( hunting, their original habitat ) and have been placed in an area where
everything is given to them, essentially the tiger and lion has given up thinking about leaving the
zoo and accepting reality.

❑ What is the effect of the consonance used in line 3?

The constant repetition of the ‘t” sound. It gives off an uncomfortable sound ( when reciting the
poem ), it showcases that the animals are not comfortable being caged up all day.

Extension: what is the effect of using monosyllabic words

here?

Stanza Two
Lie still as the sun. The boa-constrictor’s coil
Is a fossil. Cage after cage seems empty, or
Stinks of sleepers from the breathing straw.
It might be painted on a nursery wall.

● What is the effect of the repeated use of caesura?

The use of the caesura slows down the rhythm of the poem and reflects the current state of
the boa-constrictor, the pauses mimicking the stillness of the snake while it is asleep.

● Why does this stanza end with an end stopped line?

The full stop shows the point in which the tone of the poem changes, when talking about the
jaguar, the poem no longer holds the same tired tone.

● How has personification been used here to create an

atmosphere?
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The personification of the straw creates a contrast from the animals that are seemingly
unalive to the straw that is now breathing (has life). Breathing straw could mean the air the
animals are given, how claustrophobic the atmosphere is they are only breathing from a straw (added
on)

● What is the effect of the simile used?

The simile which compares the stillness of the tiger and the lion to the sun gives us an image
of what they look like in that state, moving so slowly that it doesn't appear to move at all.

● Why has Hughes included a stanza break through

enjambment? What does it reveal about the tiger and
the lion?
The enjambment separates the lion and the tiger from the lethargic tiredness of the next
line, even though it refers to their current nature. This creates a clear displacement and
distinction between the lion and the tiger’s natural state with how they are behaving
currently in captivity.

● What is the effect of the consonance used throughout

this stanza?
The repetition of the ‘S’ sound is repeated throughout the stanza and it creates a
monotonous sound throughout the lines. This follows the poem’s lazy, tranquil mood and the
lines seem to almost be repeated and drone on as the stanza continues.

● What is the effect of the sibilance used throughout

this stanza?
The effect of the sibilance used in the stanza closely mimics the hissing sound of a snake.
This added effect sets an image of the boa constrictor in the minds of the reader as well
as adds an added feeling of life to the stanza which contrasts with the description of
the boa in its unlively and fossil like state.

Extension: what is the effect of juxtaposing the cage with

the image of a nursery?
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The juxtaposition shows how tame the animals have become- they have all lost their natural
instincts since being taken away from their natural habitat. It is almost peaceful- in a manner
where even toddlers wouldn’t fear them; a manner that the intimidating animals within the cages
could simply be there as some peaceful background for a young child.

Stanza Three
But who runs like the rest past these arrives
At a cage where the crowd stands, stares, mesmerized,
As a child at a dream, at a jaguar hurrying enraged
Through prison darkness after the drills of his eyes

● Why does this stanza begin with a conjunction?

To contrast between the jaguar and the rest of the animal.
● What is the effect of the repeated use of caesura in lines 2
and 3?
Avoid monotony, create a more dynamic read to emphasize words and
create emotional effect. Also, it helps to speed up pace.

● There is only one end stopped line in this stanza and this is
a comma instead of the full stops used in stanzas 1 and 2.
Why? What is the effect?
Adds depth, it created a flow throughout the poem. In stanzas 1 and
2 the animals are all in captivity,depressed and their souls have
broken so the poet shows this by using the full stop as an
indication of the animals being trapped and everything has ended.
In stanza 3, the jaguar is still strong-willed, powerful and free-
spirited even though trapped, the poet shows the freedom of the
jaguar through the freedom of his punctuation(using commas)
indicating that things have not ended .
● What is the effect of the consonance created through the ‘c’
sound?
The ‘crowd’ and ‘cage’ shows an intense feeling through the usage of a consecutive
harsh sound of ‘c’
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● What is the effect of the sibilance used throughout this

stanza?
Increase musical quality of words in a group, making them stand out. Encourage readers to
spend more time looking at it. Contrast the intense feeling of the sound of ‘c’ with the soft feeling of the
sound of ‘s’ emphasizing on the change of scenario from loud to quiet and strengthening the effect of the
shock from the visitors.

● Why has Hughes included a stanza break through

enjambment? What does it reveal about the jaguar?
Pull the reader along from one line to the next with fast pace. Create a sense of
anticipation in the poem. The jaguar is strong-willed, fierce and ambitious.

● How has Hughes contrasted the child and the jaguar? Why?
Child is curious, innocent, pure, and naive. Jaguar is fierce, ambitious, and scary.

● What is the effect of the negative imagery used throughout

this stanza? What does it reflect?
The negative imagery is used to show a contrast with the jaguar to emphasize on
the power and the strong will of the jaguar. The negative imagery shows that
animals should not be in captivity.

● What does the rhyme in lines 1 and 2 show about the visitors
to the zoo?
It shows the visitors to the zoo are captivated by the jaguar, but are not by the
other animals

Extension: can you compare the different effects of enjambment

in stanza 1 and 3?

Stanza Four
On a short fierce fuse. Not in boredom –
The eye satisfied to be blind in fire,
By the bang of blood in the brain deaf the ear –
He spins from the bars, but there’s no cage to him

❑ What is the effect of the use of caesura in lines 1 and

4?To show emphasis on the power the jaguar holds and the intensity of the
situation. Short phrases create more impact towards the reader
❑ What is the effect of the alliteration of the ‘b’ sound?It
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provides an emotive and lyrical effect to the writing. The repetitive sound of
consonant ‘b’ creates a sense of powerful, rhythmic and constant movement.
❑ What is the effect of the sibilance used throughout this
stanza? In this poem, it is used to illustrate a negative atmosphere by the
hissing sounds
❑ Why has Hughes included a stanza break through
enjambment? What does it reveal about the jaguar?He
uses enjambment to carry the intensity of the jaguar to the second lines and speed
up the pace of the poem or to create a sense of urgency and tension.
❑ What is the effect of the negative imagery used
throughout this stanza? What does it reflect? By using
negative imagery, it depicts the ferocity and anger of the jaguars feeling of the
captivity it is being put through. By using negative imagery, it depicts the ferocity
and anger of the jaguars feeling of the captivity it is being put through.
❑ How is the wildness of the jaguar highlighted in this
stanza? The wilderness is highlighted with the purposeful use of alliteration,
caesura, sibilance and enjambment.
❑ What does the metaphor in line 2 show about the
temperament of the jaguar? ‘The eye satisfied to be blind in fire.’
emphasizes the passion of the jaguar. It shows that he has no fear of the cage that
traps him, and highlights how ‘alive’ he is as compared to the other animals in the
zoo, despite being put in the same predicament.

Extension: how is the alliteration enhanced by the use of

monosyllabic words in line 3?

Stanza Five
More than to the visionary his cell:
His stride is wildernesses of freedom:
The world rolls under the long thrust of his heel.
Over the cage floor the horizons come.

Stanza 5:
● Why is the jaguar described as a ‘visionary’?
Ans: It sees beyond the cell, even when behind the bars, it doesn’t let
the situation define it.
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● Why is each line end stopped? Why include this feature in

the final stanza?
Ans: To signify that the description of the Jaguar is final and it will
never change even when imprisoned and limited by the walls that
prevent it from shining.
● What is the effect of the different metaphors used here?
Why has Hughes used so many metaphors to describe the
jaguar?
Ans: To reference the Jaguar with things that people can understand
like “his stride is wildernesses of freedom”, this metaphor showcases
the Jaguar’s power by saying that its stride is the wilderness of
freedom, it is the embodiment of freedom, a concept that many
understand and value.
● How is the jaguar’s power suggested in this stanza?
Ans: ”The world rolls under the long thrust of his heel”, the poet is
suggesting that the Jaguar’s thrusts of its heels makes the world roll
like a ball, since the Earth is a sphere, the entire Earth is rolling as the
Jaguar thrusts its heels.
● What is the effect of the monosyllabic phrase ‘long thrust of
his heel’?
Ans: To make the statement direct to make it stick in the reader’s mind
to convey to the reader the majesty of the Jaguar’s long thrust of its
heel.
● What is the effect of the juxtaposition in lines 1 and 2
Ans: Highlights the contrast by putting them close to each other to let
readers comprehend and compare them easily and also to show that
the Jaguar kept its identity and pushed through adversity as it was
imprisoned but its strides were still wildernesses of freedom.

Extension: The ending gives the Jaguar more power while the
beginning makes the animals and the Jaguar seem insignificant as the
words “cheap”, “indolence” and “fatigued” suggest that the animals are
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lazy and aren’t august like how Ted Hughes puts the Jaguar as awe-
inspiring and defiant.

Extension: how does this stanza compare to stanza 1?

Why does Hughes begin and end he poem in this way?