Liquid reflections: water imagery and the poetic self in Elizabeth Bishop's work
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25094/rtp.2026n47a1237Keywords:
Elizabeth Bishop, Poetry, Water, Symbolism, Dream-like atmosphereAbstract
ln Elizabeth Bishop's poetry, the pervasive sense of non-belonging - marked by the absence of a fixed home and the poet's positioning between places - is expressed through distinctive strategies. Among these, water imagery stands out, particularly in poems with a dream-like atmosphere, serving as a symbolically rich vehicle for self-revelation. This study examines Bishop's use of aquatic imagery across her work, highlighting its shifting representations, interpretive possibilities, and contribution to an oneiric ambiance. The analysis considers water's significance within individual poems and its broader role as a medium through which aspects of the poet's innermost self are projected and refracted.
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