The Dolphins

Discuss "The Dolphins" by Carol Anne Duffy as a poem that reflects on the themes of oppression,
control and confinement of animals by man.

One of Duff's powerful poems against entrapment, isolation, animal cruelty and oppression, The Dolphin
remains outstanding for its presentation of the dreadful condition of dolphins when dislocated from ocean
to a limited aquatic space. The speaker employed is a dolphin, describing his plight of being cruelly used
for human entertainment. The dolphin's voice however gives a credible picture to the poem which
vehemently protests against the use of animals as objects of sport and entertainment.

Dumped in the confined pool, a dolphin bemoans that life there is not like vivacious oceanic life. This
limited aquatic space is shared with him by his other comrades, who often discuss about their pains and
sufferings. His freedom is highly restricted and it seems as if life there is awfully meaningless all because
of being dreadfully trained for human entertainment. The narrow pool does not give these dolphins new
experiences. It does not offer them freedom and enjoyment. It is monotonous and tiring. Amid this
captivity, they do not feel blessed. Earlier they had everything they wanted, but now they are in a world
that does not even let them dream. There were times when they were free in the vast expanse of the ocean
and the rays of the sun used to fall on them making their skins appear slivery. But all these things are a
memory of the distant past. The reality which was so close to them once has now become "somewhere
else."In the confined pool the moon has disappeared and their heart sings music of loss and they are
devoid of any hope of freedom. The dolphins , confined within the barricades of a man-made environment
have realised that their end is nearing.

There is a plastic toy. There is no hope. We sink

to the limits of this pool until the whistle blows.

There is a man and our mind knows we will die here.

Man for his own monetary purpose forces the dolphins to perform tricks with hoops and each day they are
forced to balance themselves on a coloured ball. Their life is monotonous, circling the "grooves of water
on a single note." They are trapped and transported from their home. They are confined and socially
isolated from other dolphins. They have to follow man's order and are tediously whirling in the same
space losing their rhythm of life. In this confined world, which denies their freedom and needs, their
hearts got hardened like stones. They feel forever entrapped under severe human oppression. The dolphin
speaker is now afraid to see "a man" up before him. This however indicated how the denial of liberty
strongly affects their mind which pathetically warns about their impending death. The poem thus reflects
the themes of oppression, control and confinement of animals by man.
 We Are The Music Makers

Q. Why does O' Shaughnessy describe artists as "movers and shakers"? Do you
agree with his view?

O' Shaughnessy's poem, written in the 19 century favours the idea of art for life's
sake. A work of art be it music, painting, or writing , can help one deal with life's
challenges. Even though , artists, according to the poet occupy a peripheral and
lonely space outside the society, they can move and shake the world. The poem
celebrates the artists and their timeless creations. The poet speaks through the
collective "we" of all the musicians, poets, painters and creative writers- of how in
spite being "losers" and "forsakers" , they are the movers and shakers of the
world.

In the poem, "We the Music Makers" , the poet has depicted the artists as an
integral part of society rejecting the central tenet of aestheticism that art's
relationship is to itself , the idea of 'art for art's sake' . The poem presents artists
as innovative creators whose vision can transform society. They are the
"dreamers of dream". Music has the ability to transfer one from mundane
realities to a world full of dreams. They are capable of creating dream like utopian
world.

The artists are said to be escapists who prefer to live detached from the society.
They find solace in the arms of Nature. They sit beside the streams to watch its
ever flowing beauty and decipher its meaning. This aloofness is necessary for the
creation of art. They are thus mistaken by the world as losers and forsakers. Even
though artists occupy a lonely space outside the society their powerful art rebels
against the status quo to bring about a change. For example, consider The Gift of
India by Sarojini Naidu. It is a poem, a work of art that encouraged feelings of
patriotism and national pride during India's freedom struggle and still continues
to admire the role of the Indian soldiers, who laid down their lives in the First
World War for the cause of the British.

Grand empires rise and fall as a result of what the artists create. A poet or a
musician can" build up the world's great cities" in his wonderful everlasting songs.
Similarly a writer's story can fabulously give shape to an empire and its glory.
Through his writings, a writer can give man the liberty to dream at pleasure and
to move forward to conquer a crown. At the same time a songwriter can give man
the freedom to bring about a revolution and bring downfall of an empire. In
contrast to the first stanza, the verbs used in the second stanza are strong and
active, "build", "fashion"," conquer" and "trample". They can "build up world's
greatest cities with their songs and writings and at the same time can also tumble
them down. Art is a vehicle for social change. The artists shape public opinion and
thus guide society to a better future.

The artists keep away from any physical action but address burning issues
through their art. They move, shake and stir the world by their radical thoughts,
feelings and realizations. They have the power to influence the revolutionaries
who can demolish an empire down. So if not directly, indirectly they are the real
leaders of the world.

The references to the two biblical cities of Babel and Nineveh leads to the idea
that the artists can produce a work of art in each era and destroy it with a
prophesy of a new and better era. Artists contribution to their society is thus
commendable and praiseworthy. Moreover art is immortal and the lasting effect
of art outlives civilizations. It is ultimately art which is left in the world. Their
immortal art makes them "movers and shakers".