Hughes is known for his poetry about nature and use of animal symbolism. In both “The Jaguar” and “Hawk Roosting,” the animals symbolize different human characteristics while remaining, on the surface, an in-depth and fantastical poem about the animal itself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay “The Jaguar” is written on a literal level about a trip to the zoo. The point of view is third person, apparently that of a zoo visitor. However, on a deeper level, the poem is a statement about man's modern state of existence, where zoo cages are like our compartmentalized lives and trapped animals represent humanity. “Monkeys yawn and love their fleas”: the animals have abandoned their instinctive wild nature and have become not only docile, but also lethargic. The immense boredom of the animals is emphasized by the use of assonance. The repetition of the “a” sound is a bit like a yawn, which helps represent the slowness of animals. “The boa-constrictor is a fossil”: it is as if a living being has become encased and made of stone. The power and majesty of the animal have been taken away. This could also indicate the fact that the animals are kept in cages, trapped and cannot escape. The animals seem suitable for “painting on the wall of a bedroom”. Lions and tigers, snakes and monkeys, all incredibly powerful and threatening animals, have been reduced to entertain and look beautiful on a child's wall. A bedroom wall is thought to be cute and tame, which goes against the very essence of the animal. previous nature. However, in the third stanza, the tone of the poem changes completely. The rhyme scheme is broken and this is a method used by the author to change the attitude of the poem to give it a more alive, more mysterious, more dominant personality. The jaguar is presented as an animal whose "pace is the desert of freedom". He is the anomaly, the rebel, the revolutionary. “There is no cage for him”: this statement is ironic because the jaguar, like all other animals, is found in a zoo cage. However, he didn't let the bars trap him and obscure his true magnificence. His “eye is satisfied with being blind in the fire” because what he sees is beyond, is greater than anything that can be presented to him in the cage. His world is inside his head; and no matter how many physical constraints are placed on him, he cannot be caged. The jaguar is a symbol of rebellion: it indicates all those individuals in society who do not conform to the invisible iron cage that surrounds them. It signifies all artists, poets and thinkers, perhaps even being a symbol for the poet himself. Even though the jaguar and other animals find themselves in the same depressing situation, they reacted in very different ways: and only the jaguar managed to survive captivity and not let the lack of physical freedom limit his mind and vision.Similar a the character of the jaguar, in “Hawk Roosting”, the hawk was represented as completely free, individualistic and powerful. However, the difference is that, just as the jaguar uses his mental freedom positively, using it to protect his dignity from the degradation of those around him, the hawk shows readers the negative side of this complete lack of respect for anyone. other and/or social constraints. The hawk embodies the characteristic of arrogance and pride. He is the living definition of Hubris; which is what the Greeks called a “fatal pride.” In contrast to “The Jaguar,” the poem is in the first person from the hawk's point of viewsame. This further emphasizes the control and independence of the hawk, who speaks for himself, does what he wants, when he wants. “The face of the earth is turned upward for my inspection”: the hawk has the impression that he rules the world, that it is his job to keep an eye on things because he is the supreme being. He states that he has "no falsifying dreams", yet throughout the poem his delusions are prominently displayed by the poet. In his individuality, the hawk has manipulated his own perception to the point of pure illusion, where he sees only what fits his narrow perspective of the world. He acknowledges that he was created by “creation” and then goes on to state that “I hold creation in my feet.” This is a clear reference to his personal importance which seems to continually increase as the poem progresses. He claims to "rotate everything slowly", referring to the earth, and literally states that he is responsible for making the world spin. He ends the poem by stating “my eye has allowed change” and “I will keep things that way.” This is an ironic statement because he has previously entertained the idea of ​​created being and death as reality. There's no way he could live forever, and even if he could, the hawk is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But for him his “eye” will not allow any change. This may refer to his perception, or inner eye, that the way he perceives the world will never change and he will continue to live in his bubble of conceit and self-love. His extreme selfishness is represented throughout the poem through the repetition of the words “I” and “mine.” This poem, through the symbolic dramatic monologue of the falcon, offers us an insight into the mentality of a human being driven by vanity to a state of madness, tyranny, aggression and wickedness. It is a poem about animals, yet it comments on the violence, brutality and self-centeredness of humankind. As the hawk proudly states "My ways are tearing off heads" and describes its flight path "through the bones of the living", it may be a reference to war and genocide where individuals are reduced to "heads" and " bones" as dehumanization is a requirement for committing large-scale atrocities. In addition to diction, symbolism, and imagery, the structure of both poems also supports the themes discussed. In “Hawk Roosting,” the tightly controlled structure of the poem with broken lines and uniform length stanzas adds to the overall effect of the hawk's determination and control. On the contrary, in “Il Giaguaro”, up until the introduction of the jaguar himself, the jokes follow one another, giving a general feeling of laziness and tiredness. Halfway through the poem, the lines begin to become more broken and tighter, once again giving off an aura of control. Both poems use staging, the third stanza of "The Jaguar" connects the two distinct halves of the poem and stages the crowd at the zoo running from the cages of the animals that gave hope, to the jaguar whose spirit is immortal . Hawk Roosting”, the looseness of the verses: “the buoyancy of the air and the sun's rays are to my advantage” shows the hawk flying in the air, the air and the sun supporting and encouraging him. Both poems, however, also have a very literal side. Hughes also comments on the animals as animals rather than purely symbols. In “The Jaguar” the poet offers readers an insight into the absolutely appalling conditions of zoo animals where: “cage after cage seems empty, or smells like sleepers because of the breathing straw.” Not only are the cages incredibly dirty, which can be at odds with the cleanliness and freshness of natural habitats, but they are also.