Basking Shark

Question 1

To stub an oar

Answer 1

Suggests that the boat’s oar has hit on something solid, something that refuses to give even a little. Infinitive of the verb (“To stub”, “To have”) - unusual sentence structure captures our attention immediately and helps provide a dramatic opening to the poem.

Question 2

on a rock

Answer 2

Metaphor - we are led to assume that the shark, like a rock, is bulky, solid, without feeling and, perhaps without intelligence.

Question 3

To have it rise

Answer 3

Tells us that the shark is in charge of the meeting, the shark is carrying out the actions whereas the poet has no choice in what is happening to him.

Question 4

slounge

Answer 4

A clumsy word, again reminding us of the bulk of the shark. Onomatopoeia suggests the noise of the waves as the shark leaves the water.

Question 5

happened once (too often) to me

Answer 5

The poet seems to have been frightened by the encounter. He has not relished the encounter at all but the brackets indicate a slightly humorous aside: the poet was scared but is trying to make light of it now.

Question 6

But not too often - though enough

Answer 6

Initially puzzling: it seems to contradict what he has said in stanza one. Suggests that although the experience was terrifying, it was worthwhile.

Question 7

I count as gain

Answer 7

So important is this meeting to him that he claims “I count as gain” the experience.

Question 8

That once I met

Answer 8

The element of shock has gone and it now sounds almost as if the meeting has been prearranged between equals.

Question 9

tin-tacked

Answer 9

Creates realism in the setting as the rain pieces the smooth surface, disrupting it. The alliteration of “tin-tacked” also reminds us of the noise the raindrops will be making.

Question 10

roomsized monster

Answer 10

Emphasises the sheer size and bulk of the shark. Places the shark very low down in the evolutionary scale; it is reminiscent of dinosaurs which existed millions of years ago.

Question 11

roomsized monster with a matchbox brain

Answer 11

For all his size, the shark has little intelligence. The poet believes he is superior in the evolutionary scale. The elongated vowels of “roomsized” emphasised the size of the shark whilst the clipped, sharp vowels of “matchbox” creates the contrast in size of the two parts of the shark.

Question 12

He displaced more than water

Answer 12

The sharks movements have caused the water to move violently, shifting the poet and his boat from their original position. Suggests the poet’s discomfort as being forced to think that he might be nearer the shark on the ladder of evolution than he likes to acknowledge.

Question 13

He shoggled me

Answer 13

Sounds clumsy, as if the poet is being moved around fairly violently in an ungainly movement over which he has no control over. This also makes him question his position in the evolutionary process which he also has no control over no matter how much he wishes he did.

Question 14

Centuries back

Answer 14

Enjambment of the lines draws our attention to the word “Centuries”, emphasising how long it took humans to evolve but the poet is travelling quickly back in his mind.

Question 15

decadent townee

Answer 15

Someone who lives in the town and they chose to live away from nature (their “roots”) because they prefer it that way. Further suggests someone who has no worthwhile purpose to their life, but lives only for luxury and enjoyment.

Question 16

Shook

Answer 16

Literally and metaphorically shaken by this encounter

Question 17

wrong branch

Answer 17

Could be seen in two ways:
1. Humans refuse to acknowledge or have forgotten that we came from the same ancestors as the shark.
2. Humans have taken the wrong evolutionary path and it is us who are the monsters.

Question 18

family tree

Answer 18

Here, MacCaig is reminding us that the shark too, is part of our “family tree”, that we are related to all of nature in the process of evolution. We are all related.

Question 19

Swish

Answer 19

Onomatopoeia - suggests the noise of moving water.

Question 20

a spring is all the clearer

Answer 20

Symbolic of him being able to suddenly see his position in evolution much more clearly.

Question 21

I saw me, in one fling

Answer 21

Makes his understand that his origins are shared with the shark, as well as all other living creatures. Swift but meaningful encounter.

Question 22

Emerging from the slime of everything

Answer 22

Suggests the idea of growing, of coming from darkness to light. Like the shark, the poet has emerged from “the slime of everything”. Refers to him coming out of the murky, incorrect view he had of his own position in evolution. Emphasises the basicness of our beginnings. Links all species together as coming from the same substance - neither is better or more important than the other.

Question 23

So who’s the monster?

Answer 23

The final stanza begins with a question to cue the reflection. The realization has shaken him and everything he has known or understood about his own position and purpose in life/the world. He is more humble now, not so sure of his own superiority over the rest of nature.

Question 24

For twenty seconds

Answer 24

Failure to use his intelligence is further highlighted when we reaslise that the poet only thinks about the question he has asked for twenty seconds.

Question 25

The tall fin slid away and then the tail/sail after sail

Answer 25

The clumsy, bulky creature of the first stanza has been replaced by an elegant, graceful shark, which the poet holds in higher regard and compares to a ship sailing away.