Download The Cod Head 2A

C
The Cod Head
A
Miscellaneous weed
strands, stems, debris—
firmament
fathom—the bottom skids
a mottle of green
sands backward—
to fishes—
where the yellow feet
of gulls dabble
amorphous waver
ing rocks—three fathom
the vitreous
oars whip
ships churn to bubbles—
at night wildly
body through which—
small scudding fish deep
down—and
agitate phosporescent midges—but by day
flaccid
now a lulling lift
and fall—
red stars—a severed codhead
moons in whose
discs sometimes a red cross
lives—four
between two
green stones—lifting
falling
CC
 Firmament- the vault of heaven; sky
 Midges- Small Diseased Fly
 Flaccid- lacking force; weak
 Fathom- a unit of length equal to six feet
 Amorphous- lacking definite form; Shapeless
 Mottle-to mark or diversify with spots or
blotches of a different color or shade.
 Skids-a low mobile platform on which goods are
placed for ease in handling
 Vitreous- resembling glass, as in transparency
 Lulling- to put to sleep or rest by soothing means
C
 Life is average and in ways the same.
“Miscellaneous weed
strands, stems, debris—
firmament
to fishes—
where the yellow feet
of gulls dabble”
 The ocean images are used to show repetition.
“body through which—
small scudding fish deep
down—and
now a lulling lift
and fall—“
 We all get stuck in a cycle that we should get away from
“now a lulling lift
and fall—
red stars—a severed codhead”
A
 Point of View: Third person (detached)
 Mood: Calm
 Tone: “The Cod Head” has a relaxed and
calming tone. The poem flows in stanzas of 3
lines that are short and have little climax. The
words come together to create a poem that is
like water.
“now a lulling lift
and fall—” Brings upon a sense of calmness
“between two
green stones—lifting
falling” Constant image that seems to be relaxing.
Williams wants the
reader to understand
that life is a flow of
events that are often
quite similar to each
other and apart from
some crises we flow in
the same way.
He uses a detached
third person point of
view to show similarity
because this person is
observing at a distance
thus being able to see
the events affecting
some and all. The poem
flows in a specific way
that gives it a peaceful
and calming vibe.
 Allegory: It uses the constant idea of the
CC
ocean to reflect the constant idea of life.
“oars whip
ships churn to bubbles” Reoccurring event that
is always going on in the ocean, there will always
be boats moving about causing a stir in the water
which could be a symbol showing how our daily
life gets “churned” and that not everything is
smooth sailing.
“to fishes—
where the yellow feet
of gulls dabble” Another event that reoccurs daily.
Fish will always be there and the seagulls will
always be there as well, always interacting. This can
be how people interact with nature, the people
like fish “swim” along with their daily lives as
nature interacts with us like the gulls.
Williams wants the
reader to understand
that life is a flow of
events that are often
quite similar to each
other and apart from
some crises we flow in
the same way.
He uses a detached
third person point of
view to show similarity
because this person is
observing at a distance
thus being able to see
the events affecting
some and all. The poem
flows in a specific way
that gives it a peaceful
and calming vibe.
 Allegory: It uses the constant idea of the
CC
ocean to reflect the constant idea of life.
“moons in whose
discs sometimes a red cross
lives” This could relate to how being hurt or sick is
a part of life although it doesn’t occur all the time.
This quote also relates to the midges (diseased
flies) which could be used to symbolize things that
we are plagued by in life which can be more than
being hurt or sick.
“—a severed codhead
between two
green stones—lifting
falling” This could be an allegory to how we may
lose ourselves in the daily life cycle that we all go
through. The fish head is in a constant motion that
remains the same which shows the way we get
stuck in repetitions that drag us back and forth.
Williams wants the
reader to understand
that life is a flow of
events that are often
quite similar to each
other and apart from
some crises we flow in
the same way.
He uses a detached
third person point of
view to show similarity
because this person is
observing at a distance
thus being able to see
the events affecting
some and all. The poem
flows in a specific way
that gives it a peaceful
and calming vibe.
 Imagery:
A/C
 Ocean Imagery is used throughout the poem:
Fish, Gulls, Oars, Ships, Fathom, Skids, Sand and
Water
 Symbolism:
 Water: The flow of daily life that we follow.
 Fish: People
 Gulls: Nature
 Oars/Ships: Things that affect you
 Midges: Things that plague people
 Cod Head: Being stuck in the same repetition
The images come
together to create a
picture of water and
how it is constantly
flowing and things are
always happening
which applies to the
deeper meaning of the
poem. These common
interactions between
these images relate to
the interactions that
we face in our lives. So
in the way the water
flows is similar to the
way our lives flow and
follow a certain
pattern that is
occasionally stirred by
situations we face.
 Satire:
The way the poem ends is unlike the rest of the
poem and that adds to the way life can get you
stuck. The poem for the most part is relaxing
and smooth, and it seems ironic how this dark
image pops up and finishes the poem. This
overall interaction between calm and startling
images relates to the overall deeper message
of the poem.
“body through which—
small scudding fish deep
down—and
now a lulling lift
and fall—
red stars—a severed codhead
between two
green stones—lifting
falling”
C
The use of satire sets up
a shock to the reader
because throughout the
poem there is a peaceful
tone that doesn’t have
much climax until it
reaches the end of the
poem. This creates an
emphasis on this part of
the poem which can
serve as a lesson on
how no to get stuck in a
cycle. So by making this
part completely
different from the rest
of the story it gives the
criticism of being in a
repetition.
CC
 End-Stopped: Many lines in the poem
contain or end in dashes.
“Miscellaneous weed
strands, stems, debris—
firmament”
“to fishes—
where the yellow feet
of gulls dabble”
 Syntax: The lines are put in a similar pattern
(vary slightly) from stanza to stanza.
“fathom—the bottom skids
a mottle of green
sands backward—
amorphous waver
ing rocks—three fathom
the vitreous
body through which—
small scudding fish deep
down—and
Structure
Purpose: The poem is
set up like this to give
more depth to the idea
of water. The poem
flows in a way that
looks similar to waves
so it exemplifies the
deeper meaning. The
poem sets up a
constant repetition of
structure because each
set stanza is almost the
same length.
falling
green stones—lifting
between two
red stars—a severed codhead
•Pattern/Stanza: Each stanza is
3 lines long, and the lines
contain a pattern that looks like
waves in the way they vary.
and fall—
now a lulling lift
down—and
small scudding fish deep
body through which—
the vitreous
ing rocks—three fathom
amorphous waver
sands backward—
a mottle of green
fathom—the bottom skids
lives—four
discs sometimes a red cross
moons in whose
flaccid
cent midges—but by day
agitate phospores-
at night wildly
ships churn to bubbles—
oars whip
of gulls dabble
where the yellow feet
to fishes—
firmament
strands, stems, debris—
Miscellaneous weed
A
Structure
Purpose: The poem is
set up like this to give
more depth to the idea
of water. The poem
flows in a way that
looks similar to waves
so it exemplifies the
deeper meaning. The
poem sets up a
constant repetition of
structure because each
set stanza is almost the
same length.
CC
 Consonance:
 Repetition of the “s” sound
“Miscellaneous weed
strands, stems, debris—
firmament”
Sound
Williams does this to
further extend the
idea of water and the
flow of life. At points
it picks up and other
 The sound of “bble”
“to fishes—
where the yellow feet
of gulls dabble
oars whip
ships churn to bubbles—
at night wildly”
drops and this
constant rise and fall
could be similar to
the way life is seen.
C
 Rhythm:
 Like the structure the poem flows and
sounds the way water does. It picks up at
certain lines and draws down in others. It
also has lines that are a little longer than
others which symbolizes the climax of the
wave.
“fathom—the bottom skids
a mottle of green
sands backward—
amorphous waver
ing rocks—three fathom
the vitreous
body through which—
small scudding fish deep
down—and”
Sound
Williams does this to
further extend the
idea of water and the
flow of life. At points
it picks up and other
drops and this
constant rise and fall
could be similar to
the way life is seen.
CC
 Use of Nature to reference life
 “The Widow’s Lament in Springtime”
 “Spring and All”
 “Seafarer”
 Strong use of imagery
 “A Woman in Front of a Bank”
 “The Eyeglasses”
 “The Mind Hesitant”
 Historical Context:
 Published in “Collected Poems 1921-1931” in 1934
A
Each group is going to be given
one stanza and in your group you
will draw a picture according to
that stanza. After everyone is
done we will put them together
to form the poem.
C
 The poem ends in a way that seems to say that you
eventually get stuck in repetition and that you need to get
away from this. And the constant flow of life takes a toll
unless you can get out of the cycle. And break out of the
lift and fall like the cod head eventually will.