The Pangolin (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Marianne Moore
- First Published: 1936
- Type of Work: Ode
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric poetry, Ode
- Subjects: Self-discovery, Courage, Human race, Fear, Wit or humor, Ethics, Animals, Aesthetics, Mammals
The Poem
“The Pangolin” is a long, unrhymed, syllabic poem of ninety-eight lines in nine stanzas; eight stanzas have eleven lines and one has ten. The title refers to the class of animals known commonly as anteaters.
In the first half of the poem, Moore offers a rich and intense description of the anteater. She is fascinated by the armor plate, comparing the scaly covering to the layers of an artichoke with its tough, spiny leaves that protect a delicate and delectable inner meat. She focuses attention on the animal’s nocturnal habits, its night feeding, its...
[The entire page is 1610 words long]
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