Analysis of “Jelly-Fish” by Marianne Moore Coursework

“Jelly-Fish” is one of the early works of American poet Marianne Moore written in 1909. Animals were often used as central figures in her poems, and in “Jelly-Fish,” Moore describes this marine creature and attributes some symbolic meaning to it. The poet utilizes various poetic devices to create a vivid image with several possible interpretations and layers of meaning expressed in the annotations below.

1. Moore describes a jellyfish’s unique appearance, which is expressed by the seemingly conflicting antonyms “visible” and “invisible” and the epithet “fluctuating” (Moore, 1909, lines 1-2).
2. The author shows her appreciation of the jellyfish’s beauty using the word “charm,” which has a positive connotation (Moore, 1909, line 2).
3. The poet creates a peculiar rhythmic pattern vividly imitating the natural jellyfish’s movements by using the epithet “fluctuating” and the repetition of “it opens and it closes” (Moore, 1909, lines 2, 6-7, 13-14).
4. The jellyfish might be a symbol of changeable and unpredictable life twists. Interestingly, Moore (1909) utilizes no words with negative connotations to describe how the narrator fails to catch the jellyfish. On the contrary, from this perspective, “fluctuating charm” seems to express the poet’s admiration for the new challenges life offers people every day (Moore, 1909, line 2). Therefore, the author chose a beautiful image to demonstrate her appreciation of the unpredictability of life.
5. The jellyfish might also symbolize independence as it escaped only when it felt threatened for its freedom. Once the narrator “means to catch” the jellyfish and “reaches for it,” it “shrivels” and “floats away” (Moore, 1909, lines 8-10, 15, 19).
6. The jellyfish’s escape might be a metaphor for the consequences of human’s violent and careless interaction with nature. The poem’s last line, “from you,” seems to highlight the fact that the narrator was the reason the jellyfish was scared and decided to flee (Moore, 1909, line 20).

To conclude, “Jelly-Fish” has two main levels of meaning: literal and figurative. On the surface level, Moore expresses admiration for the animal’s exotic beauty. On the metaphorical level, the jellyfish’s image might have several interpretations. It may serve as a symbol for the unpredictable and fluctuating nature of life or independence, free will, and the aftermath of human’s careless attitude towards wildlife, even if it was unintentional.

Reference

Moore, M. (1909). A Jelly-Fish. Poets.org. Web.