Basking Shark: Stanza 2

‘Basking Shark: Stanza 2’

Tone and Mood

• MacCaig conveys an undercurrent of unease and fear in this stanza.
• The sudden encounter with the shark triggers a shift in mood from the initial tranquility to surprise and apprehension.

Imagery

• The shark is referred to as a “living-room of a pope”, an extended metaphor likening the size of the shark to that of a large, spacious chamber.
• Further emphasis of the shark’s size is made with the hyperbole “as big as a rock”.

Speaker’s Perspective

• The speaker’s astonishment and fear are clear when he describes being “slapped” by the shark’s tail and his resulting “terrified” response.
• The speaker appears to feel inferior and insignificant in comparison to this superior natural force.

Language

• Words such as “blunders” and “slapped” convey the awkward, unanticipated nature of their encounter.
• The descriptive term “gun-metal blue” creates a strong sensory image that communicates both the shark’s colour and its threatening, intimidating aura.

Themes

• The stanza brings forward themes of man’s insignificence in the face of nature and human fear of the unknown.
• MacCaig again examines the dual aspects of fear and fascination through a confrontation with nature, advancing the poem’s exploration of human’s relationship with nature.

Summary

• In the second stanza of “Basking Shark”, MacCaig skillfully uses language and imagery to capture the surprise and fear provoked by an unexpected encounter with a basking shark. Themes of fear, insignificance, and man’s relationship with nature are underpinned by strong, precise language and effective, evocative imagery.