The Theme of Humanity in the Poem Hawk Roosting

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The Theme of Humanity in the Poem

“Hawk Roosting”

        “Hawk Roosting” is one of Ted Hughes’ many poems which describes nature and animal savagery.  In this particular work, Hughes details the characteristics of a regal hawk, ruling over its domain. Although it may seem to be a simple descriptive piece, “Hawk Roosting” actually maintains a “duality” throughout each verse. Not only is it a vivid description of a living being, the poem is Ted Hughes’ critique on humanity. Beneath its surface is a stark reminder of how our weaknesses are degrading us into common animals.

        The first verse paints a scene of a hawk resting on the treetops:

“I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed

Inaction, no falsifying dream

Between my hooked head and hooked feet:

Or in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat.”

Straight away the poem asserts the dominance of the bird. The words “Top of the wood” suggests the hawk is a predator, high up in the food chain. It is also an animal that lives for hunting as every day it will “rehearse perfect kills and eat” in its dreams. Similarities can be drawn which shows that we are just like the hawk. Humans dominate the world and we constantly invent new ways of simplifying our lives. At the most basic level, we “kill and eat” like all animals do. The writer uses this verse to establish the hawk as a symbol of all humanity. Therefore, when he further illustrates the hawk later on, he is actually pointing out our habits and tendencies.

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        The allegory of the hawk symbolizing humanity continues into the second and third verses:

“...

The air’s buoyancy and the sun’s ray

Are of advantage to me;

And the earth’s face upward for my inspection.

...

It took the whole of Creation

To produce my foot, my each feather:

Now I hold Creation in my foot.”

These verses further develop the idea that the hawk is a supreme creature. It looks down on its realm and controls all the animals. Therefore, it is able to “hold Creation in my foot”. On the other hand, as the hawk actually represents us, ...

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