Emily Dickinson's Poems - Themes of Death

8/13/2019 Emily Dickinson's Poems - Themes of Death

1/15

Milan Pupezin

dr Aleksandra Izgarjan

Amerika knjievnost 19. veka

8. April 2011

mil! "i#kinson$s Poems% &'eme o( "eat'

&'e developer o( poeti# t'oug't and e)pression and !et so s!non!mous *it' t'e retira#!

and in*ardness o( 'er native +e* ngland, t'e dou-le e)isten#e o( mil! "i#kinson

en#ompasses one o( t'e most #ele-rated lega#ies in Ameri#an literature. aving re#eived

e)#ellent edu#ation and taug't to appre#iate art, t'e poet seemed to 'ave le(t most o( t'e prosai#

realit! -e'ind 'er, #rossing over into a poeti# and intensel! intelle#tual state. &o t'e despair o(

'er -iograp'ers, t'e onl! monuments t'at tell o( 'er mark on t'e *orld are 'er letters and 'er

poetr!, all #oded in t'e distin#tl! personal /uill o( 'er isolated mind. et, in spite o( 'er so#ial

se#lusion, mil! "i#kinson t'rived in 'er e)perien#e o( li(e as is evident in t'e dept' o( insig't

present in 'er poetr!. I (ind e#stas! in living t'e mere sense o( living is jo! enoug'.3

4"i#kinson, letter, 18506

Among 'er most nota-le #ontri-utions to *orld literature is t'e development o( an artist7s

per#eption. "i#kinson possessed a remarka-l! a#ute a-ilit! to dete#t t'e most pe#uliar details o(-ot' natural p'enomena and t'e *orkings o( t'e soul and e)press t'em in a language *'i#' s'e

#are(ull! suited to #onve! a parti#ular e((e#t. A parti#ularl! nota-le (eature o( mil! "i#kinson7s

poetr! is 'er a-ilit! to o-serve realit! (rom a point o( almost s#ienti(i# deta#'ment. 4prague 6

:'ile man! poets o##upied t'emselves *it' t'e e)ploration o( t'e 'uman emotional or

intelle#tual rea#tion to t'e (a#tors o( t'e e)ternal *orld, "i#kinson *ent (urt'er -! su-jugating

t'e mind to its e)perien#e, as t'e #'ie( su-je#t o( 'er poems. s'e sa!s t'at t'e mind t'inks o(

realit! in one *a!, *'ile e)perien#e is o(ten /uite t'e opposite. ;ealit! is a t*isting, di((i#ult

road t'at is (inall! pre(erred over t'e mind -e#ause it is #loser to t'e trut'.3 4Pi#kard 9


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anguis' and loss. er (irst en#ounter *it' deat' #ame in 18==, *'en one o( 'er #losest (riends,

op'ia olland died o( t!p'us. &'e event grieved 'er immensel! -ut also prompted 'er to

e)amine 'er religion and t'e e)panse o( immortalit!. 4prague 106 :'en in 18eonard

ump're!, *'o 'ad -een -ot' t'e prin#ipal o( Am'erst A#adem! and a (amil! (riend, died o(

-rain (ever, 'is deat' le(t mil! *it'out a mentor and a sour#e o( artisti# in(luen#e. oon a(ter

mil! *rote to one o( 'er (riends I don7t t'ink t'at t'ere *ill -e an! suns'ine or an! -irds

singing in t'e spring t'at7s #oming.3 4"i#kinson, prague 116 &'e same !ear one o( 'er

Pre#eptors3, ?enjamin @ranklin +e*ton, su##um-ed to tu-er#ulosis. It *as (rom 'im t'at

mil! "i#kinson re#eived en#ouragement to *rite 'er o*n poetr! *'ile 'e also introdu#ed 'er

to t'e *ritings o( ;alp' :aldo merson. &'e magnitude o( 'is in(luen#e on "i#kinson is

re(le#ted -! a remark in one o( 'er letters #on#erning 'is deat'% +e*tonB 'as taug't me

Immortalit! -ut venturing too near 'imsel( 'e never returned.3 4"i#kinson, /td. prague 126

&'e *orks o( 'er earl! period *ere o(ten #omposed *it' t'e purpose o( relieving anguis'

and pain, 'o*ever, as 'er poeti# skill evolved so did 'er vie* o( t'ese -e#ome more

sop'isti#ated, and 'er st!le -e#ome more deta#'ed and #al#ulated. ?et*een 18C0 and 18C2

mil! "i#kinson is #ommonl! -elieved to 'ave e)perien#ed a ps!#'i# #atastrop'e, *'i#' drove

'er into poetr! instead o( out o( 'er mind. A##ording to 'er e)planation, s'e *as 'aunted -!

some m!sterious (rig't, and 'er (ear, or *'atever it *as opened t'e (loodgates o( 'er poetr!. ?ut

despite t'eir over*'elming num-er, t'e poems s'e produ#ed under t'ese #onditions are not an

amorp'ous over(lo* (rom a distraug't mindD t'e! are in(ormed and *ellE*roug't, t'e #reations

o( #ontrolled artistr!.3 4Manle! 126

mil! "i#kinson #onsidered deat' and su((ering a legitimate part o( t'e natural *orld.

&'is #ons#iousness led 'er to appre#iate pain as a -ridge to t'e dept's o( t'e 'uman soul. In 'er

poem I like t'e look o( Agon!3 "i#kinson anal!zes t'e e)perien#e o( pain in t'e e)pression o(

t'e a((li#ted. 4Pi#kard 9


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Impossi-le to (eign 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

&'e look o( agon!3 'ere denotes not t'e summar! o( possi-le #auses and (orms o(

anguis' -ut rat'er a mani(estation o( pain in t'e e)pression o( t'e su((erer. "i#kinson admires

t'e arti#ulation o( su((ering due to its dou-tless sin#erit!. &'e pain visi-le to 'er appears as t'e

s!mptom o( an illness 4Men do not s'am Gonvulsion, H +or stimulate a &'roe 4"i#kinson n.

pag.66 and as a portent o( deat' 4&'e !es glaze on#e and t'at is "eat'6. &'e line ?e#ause I

kno* it7s true 4"i#kinson n. pag.6 also implies t'e poet 'as 'er o*n, /uite personal,

e)perien#e o( agon!. :'at "i#kinson intended *as to s'o* 'o* agon! is onl! true i(

e)perien#ed. &'e (a#t t'at it #annot -e repli#ated arti(i#iall! arti#ulates t'e ina-ilit! o( t'e living

to (at'om deat'. Pain and deat' in I like t'e look o( agon!3 are rendered as sour#es o(

kno*ledge t'at provide a momentar! glare into t'e nature o( trut', *'i#' is o(( limits to t'e

living. pain 'as value sin#e it provides t'e vi#tim *it' enlig'tenment to a larger Pain.3 &'at is,

(rom personal e)perien#e o( grie( one #omes to t'e realization o( its universal 'uman #ondition.3

4Pi#kard 9C6

&'e ?eads upon t'e @ore'ead

?! 'omel! Anguis' strung. 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

&'e last t*o lines o( poem 2=1 #ontain parti#ularl! po*er(ul imager!. &'e ?eads upon

t'e @ore'ead3 t'at is t'e -eads o( s*eat #aused -! #onvulsion are #ompara-le to a 'alo,

signi(!ing t'e person7s approa#'ing deat'. +evert'eless, it is also analogous to t'e pearls o( a

#ro*n or again a 'alo o( a saintl! image and appears as a signi(ier o( t'e as#ension o( t'e soul

(rom its original state o( ignoran#e onto a superior station o( #ompre'ension. ?! t'e s!nt'esis o(

t'e moti( o( t'e !es3 at t'e -eginning o( t'e se#ond stanza and t'e -eads (rom line seven, *e

#ould image t'e e!es 4in t'is #ase a metap'or (or uno-stru#ted sig't, as is t'at o( a look o(

agon!36 as a gi(t (rom 'omel! Anguis'3 in(erring on#e more t'at pain is a sour#e o( trut'. In

t'e (irst and last lines mil! "i#kinson uses e)pressions -ased on #ontrast 4I like t'e look o(

Agon!D ?! 'omel! Anguis' strung6 in an attempt to #onve! an opinion t'at t'e material o(

realit! and li(e itsel( is a mi)ture o( agon! and e#stas!.

:'ereas in poems su#' as I like t'e look o( agon!3 "i#kinson attempts to dedu#t t'e

nature o( pain (rom its out*ard e)pression, in later pain and deat'Et'emed *orks, in#luding t'e


4/15

poem A(ter a great pain, a (ormal (eeling #omesE, t'e poet delves deeper into t'e 'uman

ps!#'e in an attempt to stud! t'e e((e#t o( pain on t'e mind (rom *it'in. In A(ter a great pain a

(ormal (eeling #omesE "i#kinson uses t'e imager! o( deat' to repli#ate t'e state #aused -!

emotional distraug't -ut also e)plores t'e e((e#t t'e a-sen#e o( pain instills in t'e mind. 4Manle!

12, Pi#kard 1006

A(ter great pain a (ormal (eeling #omesEE

&'e nerves sit #eremonious like tom-sD

&'e sti(( eart /uestionsEE*as it e t'at -ore

And !esterda!EEor #enturies -e(ore

&'e (eet, me#'ani#al, go roundA *ooden *a!

J( ground, or air, or oug't,

;egardless gro*n,

A /uartz #ontentment, like a stone. 4"i#kinson n, pag6

@rom t'e soul7s num-ed state *'i#' permeates t'e poem *e are meant to #ompre'end

t'e trans(ormative e((e#t o( anguis'. "i#kinson addresses t'is state as a (ormal (eeling3

impl!ing t'e deat'like sti((ness o( t'e su-je#t7s mind and -od! in #ontrast to t'e presumed

intensit! o( great pain3. &'e de#orum o( t'e personi(ied nerves, t'e 'earts dilemma and t'e

*ooden *alk o( t'e (eet all e#'o t'e num-ness o( t'e mind to t'e devastating e((e#ts o( pain

4?rooks K Penn :arren 116 -ut also paint an image o( a disassem-led -od! and a mind *'i#'

seems paral!zed and d!s(un#tional 4Manle! 126. &'e personi(i#ation o( nerves *'i#' sit

#eremoniousl! like tom-s3 #onjures t'e imager! o( a (uneral -ut also implies a (eeling o(

#ontentment and irresponsiveness to*ards t'e #ause o( anguis'. &'e #omparison o( nerves to

mourners introdu#es t'e (ormalit! and sti((ness o( #eremonial proto#ol *'i#' e)empli(! t'e

mood o( t'e (irst stanza 4?rooks K Penn :arren 116 &'e e3 o( t'e t'ird line is a possi-le

re(eren#e to G'rist and t'e ver- -ore3 serves as a #onte)t o( G'rist7s -earing o( t'e #ross. &'e

#ross is a s!m-ol o( t'e su((ering o( G'rist (or t'e redemption o( mankind, in(lating t'e 'eart7s

anguis' to t'e proportion o( universal pain. 4Melani n. pag.6 &'e #onne#tion -et*een t'e t*o is


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also prompted -! t'e alliteration o( 3 as *ell as its #apitalization in -ot' e3 and eart3.

4Melani n. pag.6 &'e sti(( 'eart3, 'o*ever, is una-le to tell -et*een t'e #ru#i(i)ion and its o*n

ordeal, impl!ing t'e ine)ora-leness and devastating inevita-ilit! o( su((ering. &'e (eet appear

me#'ani#al and move *it'out an! #on#ern o( dire#tion 4go roundH Jn Lround, or Air, or

Jug'tE6 4"i#kinson n. pag.6, adding to t'e (eeling o( a-andonment o( purpose triggered -! t'e

e((e#t o( pain. 4Manle! 16

&'ese images are uni(ied -! a uartz #ontentment, like a stoneE3 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

*'i#', a##ording to Pi#kard, possesses -ot' t'e /ualities o( stoneE#old rigidness and a superior

status. @inall!, uartz #ontentment3 des#ri-es t'e -od!7s state, suggesting /uartz7s 'ard,

gloss! (inis' as *ell as its smoot' ta#tile /ualit! t'at is unpleasantl! #old. et t'is is a

#ontentment, sin#e t'is suspended state signi(ies superior rank to *'i#' great pain 'as elevated

t'e soul.3 4Pi#kard 1016

&'is is t'e 'our o( lead

;emem-ered i( outlived,

As (reezing persons re#olle#t t'e sno*EE

@irst #'ill, t'en stupor, t'en t'e letting go. 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

&'e t'ird stanza o( A(ter a great pain a (ormal (eeling #omesE3 summarizes t'e e((e#t o(

t'e previous lines. &'e 'our o( lead3 is t'e strongest in t'e gradation o( imager! re(erring to

li(eless matter. Additionall! t'e gra!ness and *eig't o( lead splendidl! mat#' t'e gravit! o( t'e

ending metap'or. "i#kinson #onsiders pain an e)perien#e as e/uall! pre#arious as deat' -!

(reezing. &'e mental num-ness des#ri-ed in t'e (irst t*o stanzas is a t!pe o( living deat' t'at #an

-e #ompared to t'e sensation o( (reezing to deat'. 4Manle! 16 &'e se#ond line, ;emem-ered i(

outlived3 4"i#kinson n. pag.6 reveals t'e iron! o( "i#kinson7s poem it e)presses a dou-t in t'e

possi-ilit! o( 'aving su#' memories as t'ose *'o e)perien#e deat' #annot give an a##ount o( it

to t'e living. &'e (inal line suggests t'at t'e reason (or pain is not t'e *'ole o( its deadl! po*erD

t'e #'ill3 is onl! t'e -eginning o( a pro#ess t'at is (urt'ered -! su-mission to a stupor3 o( t'e

nerves, 'eart and (eet, t'e loss o( identit!, tra#k o( time, dire#tion and (inall! ended -! a

surrender to t'e not'ingness o( sno*3. 4Gameron 1


6/15

pra#ti#all! t'e #ornerstones o( t'e *ide range o( (eelings s'e studied in 'er poetr!. er

in#lination to*ards introspe#tion made t'e #'oi#e o( su#' solemn su-je#ts /uite natural as

som-erness *as o(ten taken as t'e measure o( t'e dept' o( mind and #'ara#ter. &'e notion o(

pain -eing an edu#ation, a sort o( pain(ul teet'ing o( t'e soul3 *as not original *it' mil!

"i#kinson, as it *as used -! man! artists -e(ore 'er time. o*ever, *'ile *it' ot'er poets it

*as usuall! onl! t'e intensit! o( pain to -e su-je#t to #'ange, "i#kinson implemented a ne*

perspe#tive *'i#' allo*ed (or emotions su#' as pain to evolve -ot' in terms o( /ualit! and

mani(estation. 4Pi#kard 9


7/15

&'e #arriage 'eld -ut just ourselves

And Immortalit!.

:e slo*l! drove, 'e kne* no 'aste,

And I 'ad put a*a!

M! la-or, and m! leisure too,

@or 'is #ivilit!. 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

Poems su#' as 512 4Jr ?e#ause I #ould not stop (or "eat'36 des#ri-e t'e p'!si#al

e)perien#e o( deat' in t'e journe!s o( li(e and immortalit!. &'e (irst t*o lines o( t'e poem

introdu#e t'e personi(i#ation o( deat', *'o takes t'e d!ing person into 'is #arriage. &'e

#ontrasting #apa-ilities o( a mortal and "eat' to stop (or one anot'er implies t'e opposition o(

t'e d!nami#s o( li(e 4as *ell as one7s striving to prolog one7s eart'l! e)isten#e6 to t'e s'ado*ing

!et seemingl! passive omnipoten#e o( deat'. 4Melani


8/15

@or onl! gossamer m! go*n,

M! tippet onl! tulle. 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

&'e pat' "eat' and 'is #ompanion take is t'e journe! o( li(e. 4Melani


9/15

:ere to*ard eternit!. 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

&'e poem ?e#ause I #ould not stop (or "eat'E is #entered around "eat' as a state

*'i#' denies time and spa#e. &'e last stanza is t'e (o#us o( t'is (eeling as it #learl! portra!s a

#ondition o( t'e soul, *'ere t'e soul, no* #ompletel! adjusted to eternit!, #annot e)press a sense

o( time, -ot' t'e time *'i#' 'ad passed sin#e deat' and t'e duration o( a da!. Apart (rom t'e

notion o( time, spatial orientation is also o-s#ured to t'e dead. &'e last t*o lines point to t'e last

memor! o( dire#tion noted in t'e #ons#iousness o( t'e d!ing eternit!. 4Melani


10/15

And t'en I 'eard t'em li(t a ?o)

And #reak a#ross m! oul

:it' t'ose same ?oots o( >ead, again,

&'en pa#e -egan to toll, 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

&'e (irst t*o stanzas introdu#e t'e s#ene o( a (uneral *it' mourners gat'ering to pa! last

respe#ts to t'e dead. o*ever, *'ile t'e movement and -e'avior o( t'e mourners is

unmistaka-l! #ontrolled and #eremonious, t'eir a#tions e#'o upon t'e mind *it' #'aos and

noise. 4Pi#kard 10


11/15

least partiall! asso#iated *it' 'eaven and t'ere(ore mark t'e mid*a! in t'e passage -et*een li(e

and deat'. 4Pi#kard 10


12/15

I 'eard a @l! -uzz EE *'en I died EE

&'e tillness in t'e ;oom

:as like t'e tillness in t'e Air EE

?et*een t'e eaves o( torm EE

&'e !es around EE 'ad *rung t'em dr! EE

And ?reat's *ere gat'ering (irm

@or t'at last Jnset EE *'en t'e Oing

?e *itnessed EE in t'e ;oom

I *illed m! Oeepsakes EE igned a*a!

:'at portion o( me -e

Assigna-le EE and t'en it *as

&'ere interposed a @l! EE

:it' ?lue EE un#ertain stum-ling ?uzz EE

?et*een t'e lig't EE and me EE

And t'en t'e :indo*s (ailed EE and t'en

I #ould not see to see 4"i#kinson n. pag.6

@amousl! e)ploiting t'e mind7s #on#ept o( t'e nature o( deat', "i#kinson (o#uses not on

t'e apparent imminen#e o( deat' -ut on *'at appears to -e a distra#tion in t'e #eremon! o( t'e

s#ene. &'e room proje#ts a som-re and stern demeanour, im-ued *it' a /ualit! similar to t'e

(ormal (eeling3 4"i#kinson n. pag.6 (rom 'er earlier poem A(ter great pain a (ormal (eeling

#omesF3. &'e d!ing lies in 'is deat'-ed, surrounded -! mourners *'o, 'aving *rung t'eir

e!es dr!3 4"i#kinson n. pag.6 and -reat'ing 'eavil!, #ontri-ute to t'e solemn silen#e o( t'e

situation. &'e tillness in t'e ;oom3 4"i#kinson n. pag.6 t'at is #ompared to t'e eaves o(

torm3 4"i#kinson n. pag.6 suggesting some great event, *'i#' is in t'e d!ing person7s #ase

deat', is interrupted suddenl! -! t'e entran#e o( a (l!. 4Melani 216

&o t'e person on t'eir deat'-ed t'e appearan#e o( t'e (l! seems not onl! trivial -ut

almost sa#rilegious in t'e 'our o( t'e last onset3. 4Melani 216 &o t'e ver! least t'e sig't o( t'e


13/15

(l! -ears negative #onnotations in t'e minds o( t'e *itnesses. Alt'oug' t'ese are usuall!

dis#arded, to t'e d!ing man, t'is seemingl! a##idental presen#e at so important a moment, 'as

ver! di((erent, even gruesome impli#ations. 4Melani 216 Most prominentl!, t'e (l! is, despite is

small size, #learl! distinguis'ed (rom its surroundings -ot' -! sound and movement, making it a

natural (o#us in su#' an am-ient. :'at is parti#ularl! un#ann! a-out t'e (l! is t'at it7s sudden

appearan#e #oin#ides *it' t'e e)pe#ted #oming o( t'e Oing3, *'i#' immediatel! links it to

religious #onte)ts 4i.e. t'e -i-li#al or miltonian ?eelze-u-6, e)ploiting t'e rising dou-ts t'e

d!ing person mig't 'ave #on#erning 'is or 'er a(terli(e. 4Melani 216

&'e t'ird stanza pursues t'e soul in its preparation (or deat'. &'e assignment o( one7s

eart'l! possessions, similarl! to t'e situation in ?e#ause I #ould not stop (or "eat'3, e#'oes t'e

insigni(i#an#e o( t'e *orldl! in sig'ts o( deat'. &'e pun in igned7 and Assigna-le3 ironi#all!

illustrates deat'7s supreme po*er, (or onl! *ort'less do#uments, empt! p'rases, #urious

mementos and a #orrupting -od! #an -e le(t -e'ind.3 4Pi#kard 10


14/15

mil! "i#kinson7s poetr!. 4Pi#kard 1016 'e is (ar (rom t'e (irst to attempt to #'art t'e ever

elusive dimensions o( 'uman e)perien#e, 'o*ever 'er met'od sets 'er apart as one o( t'e most

innovative poets o( deat'. Alt'oug' 'er approa#' is unmistaka-l! t'at o( a poet, s'e o-serves

realit! *it' a deta#'ment *'i#' seems not'ing s'ort o( s#ienti(i#. 'e im-ued deat' *it' a

#ons#iousness 4Pi#kard 1026, allo*ing (or a deeper perspe#tive o( all p'enomena related to it,

anal!zed t'e sensations o( t'e painEstri#ken, t'e d!ing and t'e de#eased in an e((ort to e)tra#t

artisti# stru#ture (rom t'eir e)perien#e. "i#kinson o(ten ju)taposed t'e inner and outer realit! o(

'uman per#eption under t'e guise o( a Qi#torian poet, s'e implemented a modernist

disso#iation o( t'e realities o( t'e mind and t'e outer *orld. Mu#' like t'e #'ara#ters o( 'er

poems, mil! "i#kinson died onl! to (a#e t'e o-s#urit! and disappointment in deat'. o*ever

'er innovations and insig'ts into t'e *orkings o( t'e soul *on 'er glor! in t'e (orm o( in(luen#e

'er poetr! e)erts even in t'e present.


15/15

:orks Gited

?rooks, Gleant' and :arren, ;o-ert Penn On 341. Availa-le at%

'ttp%HH***.englis'.illinois.eduHmapsHpoetsHaR(Hdi#kinsonH=1.'tm >ast visited% 15t'April 2011

Gameron, 'aron. Lyric Time: Dickinson and the Limits of Genre?altimore% &'e So'ns

opkins Nniversit! Press 1959. Print

"i#kinson, mil!.Poems: Three Series, CompleteProje#t Luten-erg, Ma! , 200=.

:e-. 15 April, 2011. T'ttp%HH***.guten-erg.orgH(ilesH122=2H122=2E'H122=2E'.'tmU

Lelpi, Al-ert S.!mily Dickinson: The "ind of the Poet Gam-ridge% arvard Nniversit!

Press, 19Cilia.Department of !n#lish Lilia "elani ?rookl!n Gollege, +e* ork. :e-.

15 April 2011. T'ttp%HHa#ademi#.-rookl!n.#un!.eduHenglis'HmelaniHinde).'tmU

Pi#kard, So'n ?.!mily Dickinson: $n %ntrod&ction and %nterpretation+e* ork% olt,

;ein'art and :inston, 19C5. Print.

prague, ;osemar!.%ma#inary Gardens, a St&dy of 'i(e $merican Poets P'iladelp'ia%

G'ilton ?ook Gompan!, 19C9. E=8. Print.

Documents

Emily Dickinson's Poems - Themes of Death