The Jaguar By Ted Hughes

This poem 'The Jaguar' was written by Ted Hughes, he tries to capture the mood of a post war, 1950's zoo. He depicts the animals as hot, lazy and lethargic. This is because they have been captive for a long stretch of time. The animals are not lively but are dull and lifeless. He uses the expression 'stinks of sleepers from the breathing straw' to show this. He then unveils the jaguar as being live …

…This poem is quite strong and it relates to the way zoos used to be run and the cruelty there was. Some say it is still cruel even though they are in larger, life-like enclosures. I feel the Jaguar is depicted as being new to the zoo and is still alive. It also has a sense of hostility to human beings. Hughes captures the zoo very well and I found this poem uses brilliant imagery.