Summary of the Poem Shark by E.J.Pratt

 

Shark

-E.J. Pratt

The ‘Shark’ is a poem written by the Canadian Poet E.J.Pratt. He is a confederation poet. E.J Pratt claims that ‘a poem can be written only by someone who knows how to write'. His poem is filled with images and history. The poem ‘Shark’ gives us a vivid picture of the shark.

In this poem a shark swims leisurely, without stirring a bubble. This killer fish seems to know the 

harbor as he is familiar with the sea. The poet compares its fin to a piece of sheet; iron which is three

 

cornered and sharp-edged like a knife.

The shape of the shark is too strange, and the body is tubular and tapered. The color of the shark is smoke blue. When he passed the landing stage, he turns and snaps at a dead flat fish which is floating on the water. When it opens its mouth, the poet sees the white throat and a double row of white teeth. This fish has metallic grey eyes which are narrow, hard and slit. After having its prey, it swims out of the harbor in the same way as he enters it. He swims very slowly and serenely without disturbing the smooth surface of the water.

This strange fish resembles partly like a vulture and partly like a wolf, because it feeds upon other small fish in the sea. On the other side it is neither a vulture nor a wolf because it seems to be very calm, mild and its blood is cold.

The shark can be compared to a man who seems to be very calm and serene, unassuming gentle outwardly. But inwardly, he may be a venomous and cruel person. He may be a killer like the ‘Killer Shark’. As Shakespeare claims ‘Appearances are always deceptive’. In this modern world people are cunning like a vulture or a wolf. This is what the poem ‘Shark’ conveys to the reader.