17 pages • 34 minutes read
Elizabeth BishopThe Moose
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1976A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
“The Armadillo” by Elizabeth Bishop (1957)
Like “The Moose,” the titular armadillo does not appear until later in the poem, and the reader is left to understand its importance on one’s own. The poem is dedicated to Bishop’s close friend and colleague Robert Lowell, who previously dedicated his poem “Skunk Hour” to her. The two poems set up a subtle discourse about the threat of nuclear war.
“Skunk Hour” by Robert Lowell (1959)
Though a Confessional poet and dedicated to the movement, Lowell based this poem on Bishop’s “The Armadillo,” believing that she had opened his eyes to a new, nuanced way to construct and compose his poetry. Though much darker than Bishop’s work, Lowell describes the landscape with the emotional power that Bishop captures in her poem, and he dedicates the poem to her.
“A Jelly-Fish” by Marianne Moore (1909)
This poem by Bishop’s friend and mentor shows her influence upon Bishop’s work. The poem conveys an emotional weight through one of nature’s creatures. Common characteristics between Moore’s work and Bishop’s work are attention to detail, attention to structure, and finding the sublime in the mundane.
Further Literary Resources
“New, Tender, Quick: A Visit to the Elizabeth Bishop House” by Henri Cole (2021)
This article includes several pictures and details about Bishop’s childhood home in Great Village, Nova Scotia that inspired “The Moose.”
Words in Air: The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell by Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell, Edited by Thomas Travisano with Saskia Hamilton (2008)
This book collects over 400 letters between Bishop and Lowell from when they met in 1947 to Lowell’s death in 1977, two years before Bishop’s death. The letters discuss poetry and critiques of each other’s work as well as intimate personal conversations and gossip about other poets.
“Efforts of Affection: A Memoir of Marianne Moore” by Elizabeth Bishop (1983)
This is an article in Vanity Fair written by Bishop about her personal experiences as Marianne Moore’s friend and mentee. The essay was published posthumously when it was found in Bishop’s papers after her death. The essay illustrates the impact Moore had on Bishop’s life as well as Bishop’s wit and intelligence in prose.
Listen to Poem
Though “The Moose” is not a poem that was recorded, in this audio-only video, you can hear Bishop herself recite six of her other poems, including “In the Waiting Room,” one of her more popular poems.
Related Titles
By Elizabeth Bishop
