Search results
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University) ‘Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes’ is, along with his ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’ and his ‘Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College’, the most famous poem by Thomas Gray (1716-71). The poem was occasioned by a real-life…
- Ode on The Death of A Favourite Cat Drowned in A Tub of Gold Fishes Analysis
- Critical Appreciation
- Imagery Used in The Poem
Stanzas One and Two
A female cat, having the name of Selima, sat leaning against a tall vessel that had been painted richly and brightly by a Chinese Craftsman, with blue-coloured flowers blooming on it. Selima was in a thoughtful mood, and in that mood she sat, gazing at the water in the large vessel which had the shape of a vase. Selima looked at the water as if she were the most modest and the meekest of all the female cats. Selima’s tail swayed from side to side, indicating that she was quite happy. This cat...
Stanzas Three and Four
Selima would have continued to stare at the water if she had not observed two angelic figures moving about effortlessly and without the least difficulty in the water. These figures seemed to be the spirits that controlled all the waters, and which were in charge of this water also. Actually, these figures were goldfish having thick skins which served as their defence against any possible attack just as a knight’s armour serves as his protective coat. These fish were of a deep red colour remin...
Stanza Five
Selima proved to be an over-confident female cat. With eyes looking at the fish fixedly and purposefully, she once again stretched a whisker and a claw towards the fish, not realizing that a huge quantity of water stood between her and her intended prey. Fate was at this time hostile to her, and Fate smiled with amusement to see what Selima was doing. (Fate smiled because Selima’s life was about to end and thus fulfil Fate’s spiteful intention). Selima was betrayed by the slippery brim on the...
The poem, ‘Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes’, by Thomas Gray, is a remarkable poem in several ways. Though described as an ode, the poem tells a story. Besides, an ode is generally a serious poem while this poem is written in a satiricalvein. The poem, we are told by biographers and commentators, is based on an ac...
The poem contains a number of pictures that bear witness to Gray’s imaginative faculty. The lofty vase, with blue flowers in full bloom painted on its outer surface; the pensive Selima reclining by the vase’s side; two “angel forms” gliding in the water; and “their scaly armour’s Tyrian hue” are examples of vivid and realistic imagery. The physical...
Dive deep into Thomas Gray's Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion Select an area of the website to search
Aug 15, 2024 · SOURCE: "Gray's Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes," in Augustan Studies, The Athlone Press, 1961, pp. 216-23. [In the following essay, Tillotson explains some of ...
This poem by Thomas Gray is a cautionary tale about a cat who, unable to resist the lure of goldfish who were not a "lawful" prize for her to take, falls into the water and is drowned. The poem is ...
Analysis (ai): This ode by Thomas Gray mournfully explores the demise of a beloved feline. The poem employs a playful yet poignant tone to convey the cat's vanity and ensuing downfall. In contrast to Gray's other elegiac works, such as the famous "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," this ode presents a more lighthearted approach to mourning.
People also ask
What are the features of Ode on the death of a favorite cat?
What is the most famous poem by Thomas Gray?
Is Ode on the death of a favorite Cat Drowned in a tub?
Was Thomas Gray based on a true story?
What saves 'Ode on the death of a favourite cat' from misogyny?
Is gray's cat a real story?
This is an analysis of the poem Ode On The Death Of A Favourite Cat Drowned In A Tub Of Goldfishes that begins with: 'Twas on a lofty vase's side, Where China's gayest art had dy'd...
