Rainer Maria Rilke - "The Panther"

The Panther saddened me and reinforced my dislike of zoos. I hate to see an animal that has "grown so weary that it cannot hold anything else." I also hate to see them behind "a thousand bars." I believe that animals deserve to be in the wild where they can use their God-given abilities. While I believe it is sometimes necessary in order to save a species, I don't like to see an animal with "a mighty will (that) stands paralyzed." This poem evoked a feeling of sadness and despair for the poor panther. The ending was the final erasure of all hope. The animal seemed to have caught a spark in something, but the near attempt at normality is crushed through his surroundings. I find that this poem serves as a good, strong message towards the bad side effects of zoos.