Judith Wright’s “Hunting Snake” – LitChart

Summary
Image: A large black snake gliding through grass, reminiscent of the “great black snake” in Wright’s poem.
Hunting Snake narrates a brief but vivid encounter in the Australian bush. Two people walking on a warm
late-autumn day suddenly freeze in awe as “the great black snake went reeling by” 1 . The poem follows
the snake through the grass—its body “sun glazed…curves of diamond scale” 2 —while the observers
watch silently. Once the snake disappears hunting its unseen prey (“into the grass that hid his prey” 3 ),
the tension breaks: “we took a deeper breath of day, looked at each other, and went on” 4 , profoundly
moved but unharmed.

Themes
Image: Sunlit Australian bushland (Warwick, Qld), evoking the poem’s natural setting. Wright’s poem emphasizes
several key themes drawn from its bushland setting:

• Nature & the Environment: The Australian landscape is central. Wright vividly depicts the warm
“late season’s” day 5 and the wild snake itself, reflecting her deep love of nature as an
environmentalist 6 5 . The snake and setting are described with awe (“sun-warmed… grace”,
“gentlest sky” 5 ), showing nature’s beauty.
• Fear vs. Admiration: Rather than panic, the speakers feel wonder and excitement at the snake’s
appearance. As one analysis notes, “the poet gets thrilled by the snake…not because she is scared;
for her, seeing such a wonderful creature is very exciting” 7 . In other words, the encounter inspires
admiration of the snake’s grace, not fear.
• Power of Nature: The snake symbolizes nature’s power and predatory instincts. It moves
deliberately in pursuit of “small food” with “fierce intent” 8 . The humans are passive observers
(“still as we stood” 9 ) to the snake’s dominance. The natural food chain and survival (snake hunting
its prey) underline nature’s raw power.
• Coexistence and Respect: The poem suggests a respectful coexistence with wildlife. The humans
step aside and watch quietly, allowing the snake space. They do not interfere; once the snake
departs peacefully, the humans calmly resume their walk. This underscores a theme of harmony
with nature, acknowledging the snake’s rightful place in the environment.

Tone and Mood

• Tone: Observant and reverent. Wright’s language remains calm and descriptive even as tension
mounts. The narrator’s tone is respectful and full of wonder – they “froze” at the sight 10 but do not
panic. Commentators note the speaker is “thrilled by the snake… seeing such a wonderful
creature” 7 . This tone of amazement (rather than terror) permeates the poem.
• Mood: Shifts from tranquil to suspenseful to relieved. The opening mood is serene (“Sun-warmed…
we walked” 11 ), reflecting a leisurely nature walk. At the snake’s arrival, the mood becomes tense
and silent – the observers hold their breath (“we lost breath to see him pass” 2 ) as they watch.

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 Finally, when the snake has gone, a sense of calm returns (“we took a deeper breath of day” 4 ).
Overall the mood moves from peaceful to awe-struck quiet back to calm reflection.

Literary Devices
• Imagery: Wright uses vivid visual imagery throughout. Phrases like “Sun-warmed in this late season’s
grace” 5 and “sun glazed his curves of diamond scale” 2 paint a clear picture of the warm day and
the snake’s glittering body. Even the kinetic image of the tongue flickering adds sensory detail. This
rich imagery brings the scene and creature to life for the reader.
• Personification: The poem humanizes the landscape. For example, “autumn’s gentlest sky” is given
“grace,” as if it were a graceful being 5 12 . In fact, one source notes Wright “personifies the warm
autumn day… as having… grace” 12 . This personification of the weather and season adds a serene,
almost living quality to the setting.
• Alliteration: Repeated consonant sounds provide rhythm. For instance, the line “fled living from his
fierce intent” 8 repeats the ‘f’ sound, and the phrase “still as we stood” (s- sound) adds a soft echo.
These subtle alliterations enhance the poem’s musicality as well as its emphasis on certain images.
• Enjambment: Many lines flow into the next without punctuation, which builds suspense. For
example:

“Head down, tongue flickering on the trail / he quested through the parting grass” 13 .
This split over lines prolongs the action of the snake moving, mirroring the characters’
sustained attention. The sentence continues across the break, keeping the reader
moving forward and heightening anticipation.

• Symbolism & Juxtaposition: The snake itself is symbolic of wild nature and danger. Wright
juxtaposes contrasting descriptions to enrich this symbol. Notably, she calls the snake “Cold, dark
and splendid” 3 – pairing ominous words with a word of admiration. Critics observe that this
combination “conveys Wright’s view of the snake as… both graceful and deadly” 14 . In other words,
the snake symbolizes both beauty and threat, underscoring nature’s duality.

Historical & Biographical Context

• Judith Wright (1915–2000): A leading Australian poet and activist 15 , Wright was a passionate
environmentalist and Aboriginal land-rights campaigner 15 . In 1964 (the year “Hunting Snake” was
published), she became founding president of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland 16 .
Her writings often blend lyrical attention to nature with social and ethical concerns. In “Hunting
Snake”, her reverence for wildlife reflects this background: she treats the snake with respect rather
than horror.
• Time and Place: The poem was published in Wright’s 1964 collection Hunting Snake 17 . Its setting –
a sunlit late-autumn bush scene – is likely rural Queensland, typical of Wright’s environment. During
the 1960s, Wright was deeply engaged in conservation, and this era’s emerging ecological
consciousness informs the poem. The reverent, observational style fits mid-20th-century Australian
nature poetry. (In Indigenous Australian culture, snakes are important symbols like the Rainbow
Serpent, but Wright’s poem focuses on the creature’s immediate physical presence rather than
mythological aspects.)
• Australian Setting: The poem’s imagery (autumn sky, grassy bush) evokes the Australian outback.
Wright’s choice of the black snake – a common Australian species – and her focus on the local habitat

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 underscore her national context. Her portrayal of the bush as gentle and life-filled aligns with her
broader view of Australia as a land of wonder and resilience, themes common in her body of work
14 15 .

Sources: Analysis and interpretation are based on Wright’s text 18 19 and critical commentary 20 14 .
Contextual details derive from Wright’s biographies 15 16 and notes on the poem’s publication 17 .

1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 19 20 Hunting Snake - TED ENGLISH LITERATURE

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6 14 ‘Hunting Snake’ by Judith Wright | seeinginmanycolours

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15 Judith Wright - Wikipedia

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16 17 Tuesday Poem: Hunting Snake by Judith Wright

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