Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Parable of the Beast," Louise Gluck delves into the tension between the primal and the moral, encapsulated in the figure of a cat that has killed a bird. The poem's simplicity belies its intricate themes, exposing the inherent conflicts between ethical constructs and natural instincts. It probes the question of whether morality, as humans understand it, can be imposed upon the animal world, thus engaging in a dialogue not just about ethical standards but also about the assumptions humans make regarding their "civilized" behaviors.

The cat, with "its new possession," symbolizes nature's inherent brutality and unreflective actions. It's "deep in the flesh of another animal," enacting a fundamental survival mechanism. Here, the cat is not "evil"; it's simply an animal, following an instinct that has been honed over millennia of evolution. This presents a conundrum for the human observer in the house who suggests that "we do not experience / will in this manner."

The disconnect between the human ethical framework and the animal's instinctual behavior illuminates the limitations of imposing human morality on the natural world. The notion that "someone should discuss / ethics with the cat" is rendered absurd when considering the cat's primal nature. It's an illustration of the human tendency to anthropomorphize, to impose our complexities of thought and action upon creatures that operate on a different set of principles. The line "in this house" subtly indicates that moral codes are essentially constructs limited to human society; they are not universal laws that govern all beings.

The poem complicates the reader's emotional response to the act. While the killing of the bird may stir feelings of discomfort or horror, it also forces us to question the foundation of those reactions. Is it ethically problematic, or is it a manifestation of the animal's nature, devoid of human ethical constraints? The query "Tell that to the animal" highlights the futility of translating human ethical notions into the context of an animal's actions.

Moreover, by focusing on a domestic setting - "the kitchen" and "this house" - the poem also plays on the tension between domestication and wildness. While the cat lives in the human-made environment of the house, it retains its instinctual, wild behaviors, serving as a reminder of the untamed forces that lurk even within our most controlled spaces.

In sum, "Parable of the Beast" functions as an ethical thought experiment. It challenges our anthropocentric view of morality, asking us to contemplate the complexities and limitations of applying human ethical constructs to the broader natural world. It raises questions rather than offering answers, compelling the reader to grapple with the uncomfortable intersection of instinct, morality, and the often arbitrary boundaries we draw between the civilized and the wild.

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