The Armadillo - Elizabeth Bishop

context behind the poem

• setting is Rio de Janeiro on 24th June - St John’s day in Brazil

• the locals light lanterns and release them into the sky.

• Bishop explores her reactions to this custom, shifting from admiration and wonder at first to outraged horror as the poem progresses.

Title

• Armadillos symbolise defence and self preservation

• Armadillos are native to Brazil and other South American countries.

• Their armour in the form of their shell resembles mail armour worn by medieval warriors.

• The last lines are printed in Italics, the poet is giving voice to the armadillo.

“when almost every night/the frail,illegal fire balloons appear”

• Bishop, a keen observer has been observing the patterns of the fire lanterns, taking note of where and they they fly.

• She observes the custom rather than participating in it.

“the paper chambers flush and fill with light/ that comes and goes like hearts”

• comparison of light to the hearts - the unpredictability of human feelings and life itself.

“With a wind/ they flare and falter, wobble and toss”

• the “frail” and fragile balloons can be moved by a small wind.

• their movement becomes erratic and unpredictable, as they are tossed around by the wind.

• such gusts of winds can carry the balloon dangerously close to people and buildings.

“Solemnly/ and steadily forsaking us”

“suddenly turning dangerous”

• the poet is foreshadowing the disaster yet to come

• As the balloon moves further away, they abandon the watchers; “forsaking us”

“last night another big one fell/ It splattered like an egg on fire”

“the pair/ of owls who nest there…shrieked up and out of sight”

“The ancient owl’s nest must have burned”

• Bishop has been observing the flight patters of the lanterns.

• She has noticed the nest behind a house where two owls lived.

• Like Bishop, the owls have become displaced.

“Too pretty, dreamlike mimicry”

“piercing cry/ and panic”

“a weak mailed fist/ clenched ignorant against the sky”

• final stanza is printed in italics, Bishop is giving voice to the armadillo

• articulating the poor animals reaction to the human carelessness that has destroyed its home - holding his fist up as a gesture of anger.

• the speaker rails against unfairness of this unnessecary suffering

• The balloons prettiness has deceived her when in reality they have wrought destruction and doom.