A Jelly-Fish

As something that changes its form and even seems to disappear depending on the angle of observation, the jellyfish symbolizes mutability. This was a subject of fascination for modernists, as expressed by Joyce in Ulysses’ memorable phrase, “the ineluctable modality of the visible,” meaning vision is limited because it is only one mode of perception. Moore uses the jellyfish to highlight the human tendency to see their desires reflected back at them, referring to the creature as “A fluctuating charm / An amber-colored amethyst” (Lines 2-3). In these lines, the jellyfish becomes something very different—a precious stone bringing good fortune—yet, as the subsequent lines reveal, this is an illusion. It is almost as if the jellyfish toys with its human observer, and Murphy suggests a parallel between the jellyfish and the monstrous, alien-like creatures of the novelist H. P. Lovecraft (Murphy, Sean. “Poetry Spotlight: ‘A Jelly-Fish’ and ‘The Fish’ by Marianne Moore,” Pulitzer, 2021). While this comparison may be a stretch (the poem’s jellyfish harms no one), the creature has a menacing quality that suggests it deserves respect.