The Kangaroo, a poem by Barron Field, is by far more than a poem about an animal. In contrast to the photographic panorama, Field creates the picture of Australia as the land of the fascinatingly contrasting mysteries and wonders by depicting it striking imagery, amusing contradictions, and allusions to the natural history and the mythology. Field creates this motif of place, focusing on the importance of the kangaroo itself as a symbol and the overall tone of playful but deep kind of meditation of the poem.
The poem creates inspires both wonder and puzzlement regarding the kangaroo. It is considered the ‘’Spirit of Australia’’ and it saves the land from ‘‘complete failure’’ and gives the land justification and justification of its existence in the first place. This bold statement immediately places the kangaroo above and beyond the role of an animal, it becomes the embodiment, not simply representative, of the land and in so doing defies classification.
Field compares the kangaroo to several previously mentioned characters, establishing paradoxical nature of it. It is likened to mythical creatures like the sphinx and centaur, highlighting its seemingly impossible combination of features: massive rear legs in opposition to graceful forelimbs having a deer appearance yet having an obvious predator look. This contradiction is further reinforced with the reference to the term “divine mistake,” implying that the kangaroo is as wondrous anomaly beyond the usual compromises of conventional accounts of creation.
Meanwhile, instead of depicting the kangaroo as monstrous or aberration, Field revels in it. He seems to find beauty in the “discord well resolved” and more to the kangaroo, whose grace and agility he sees nowhere so well as precisely in its uncouthness. This recognition is not limited to the ordinary Australian scene, however, for in the poem, it is a place where “sooty swans” and “duck-moles” find their resting places, which is a further indication that though the scene may seem strange and even a bit grotesque, it is captivating nonetheless.
This construction of place enunciated in the iconic, playful tone of the poem. The usage of the exclamation marks and apostrophe within the text has a feeling of wonder and known. Field apparently cherishes the character of the kangaroo and begs at us to savor both: his delight and the strangeness of the kangaroo. This light-heartedness but does not make the poem less serious in its implicit significance. Additionally, playful language’s ability to subversively choose minor forms that invert the standard European ideal of beauty and organization leads to subtly pointing out that Australia’s unique personality should be appreciated, not disgraced.
The poem ends on a triumphant note with the kangaroo’s immortality. Field proclaims it as the “Happiest Work of the finest Hand”, through this Field suggests that the very fact of its existence is some sort of attestation to the creative and playful spirit of the Author of Heaven. This statement not only makes the kangaroo great but makes Australia a land full of uncanny wonders to be praised and visited.
Playful and profound, Field’s TheKangaroo builds a sense of place. By way of the paradoxical figure of the kangaroo, and through the underlying tone of wonder, the author portrays Australia as a land distinct from any other. He revels in the uncommon ugliness and invites the reader to view the world in a new light with each wondrous sight to be found in the routine. In the process, the poem possibilities a singular representation of Australia but also elicits a more general reflection on the magnificence and intricate nature of living nature.
Work Cited
Field, B. The Kangaroo. Allpoetry.com. (1819) https://allpoetry.com/The-Kangaroo
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