The Rhinoceros

The Rhinoceros - meaning Summary

Mocking a Homely Beast

This short comic poem presents a speaker’s candid dismissal of a rhinoceros as unattractive and unappealing. The tone is breezy and mocking; the speaker says farewell and resolves to look elsewhere. Economy of language and rapid rhyme give the piece a jokey, conversational feel rather than serious reflection. It reads as a lighthearted quip about aesthetic distaste and the speaker’s decision to disengage from something they find disagreeable.