Hello, Poet! Getting to Know Emily Dickinson
Welcome to the world of Emily Dickinson! Get ready to explore three of her most famous poems. At first, her style might seem a little strange – with all those dashes and capital letters – but don't worry! Think of it like learning the rules of a new game. Once you get the hang of it, you'll discover a powerful and deeply personal voice that looks at nature, life, and feelings in a completely unique way.
In these notes, we'll break down each poem line by line, uncover the literary techniques she uses, and figure out the big ideas she's exploring. This will help you understand her work and feel confident analysing it in your exams.
Did you know? Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was a very private person. She lived most of her life in her family home and only a handful of her poems were published while she was alive. After her death, her family found nearly 1,800 poems in her room, tied into little handmade booklets!
Dickinson's Unique Style: The Key Ingredients
Before we dive into the poems, let's look at Dickinson's special writing style. If you can spot these features, you're already halfway to a great analysis! These are her signature moves.
- The Dash (–): You'll see dashes everywhere! Dickinson uses them instead of commas or full stops.
Analogy: Think of the dash as a pause for thought. It can connect ideas, create a sudden break, or make you, the reader, stop and think. It makes her poetry feel breathless and full of emotion. - Unusual Capitalisation: Dickinson often capitalises common nouns, like 'Wind' or 'Light'.
Analogy: It's like she's putting a spotlight on these words. By capitalising them, she gives them special importance, turning them into powerful concepts or characters in the poem. - Slant Rhyme: Sometimes her rhymes don't quite match perfectly (like rhyming ‘Gate’ with ‘Mat’). This is called slant rhyme or near rhyme. It can create a feeling of unease or imperfection, suggesting that things in the world aren't always neat and tidy.
- Common Themes: She loves to write about a few key topics. Keep an eye out for these:
- Nature: Storms, animals, seasons, light.
- Emotion: Despair, love, awe, grief.
- Death & Mortality: What happens after we die?
- Spirituality & Doubt: Questions about God and faith.
Quick Review Box
Dickinson's Toolkit:
- Dashes = Pauses, connections, emphasis.
- Capitals = Important words, big ideas.
- Slant Rhyme = Imperfect rhymes for an unsettled feeling.
- Themes = Nature, Death, Emotion, Faith.
Poem 1: ‘Like Rain it sounded till it curved’
First, let's read the poem
Like Rain it sounded till it curved
And then I new ’twas Wind –
It walked as wet as any Wave
But swept as dry as Sand –
It tapped upon the Barn – it slaps
Upon the Window Pane –
It broke a Branch (it was not War –)
It filled the Wells, it pleats the Dust
And puts it back again –
It was a Scare to feel it sigh
And be without a Face –
To walk abroad and find it gallop
And not to have a Trace –
(Note: Some versions of this poem have slightly different wording or line breaks. The version in your exam will be the one you should analyse.)
What's this poem about? (The Gist)
This poem describes the speaker’s experience of a powerful windstorm. It starts with the speaker trying to identify the sound, mistaking it for rain. The poem then describes the wind's confusing and contradictory actions – it’s both wet and dry, powerful yet faceless. It's a poem about the mysterious and unsettling power of nature.
Let's Break It Down
Stanza 1: Sound and Confusion
"Like Rain it sounded till it curved / And then I new ’twas Wind –"
The poem starts with a sensory experience: a sound. The speaker uses a simile ("Like Rain") to describe it. The moment of realisation comes when the sound "curved" – sound doesn't curve, but wind does. This shows the speaker trying to make sense of the experience.
"It walked as wet as any Wave / But swept as dry as Sand –"
Here, Dickinson uses two more similes to describe the wind's contradictory nature. How can something be both wet and dry? This isn't logical; it's about how the wind *feels*. It has the force of water ("Wave") but the texture of "Sand". This builds the sense of mystery.
Stanza 2: Actions and Impact
"It tapped upon the Barn – it slaps / Upon the Window Pane –"
The wind is personified – given human actions. It "tapped" (gently) and then it "slaps" (violently). This contrast shows its unpredictable power.
"It broke a Branch (it was not War –)"
The wind's power is destructive, but the speaker clarifies it's not a human conflict ("War"). This highlights that nature's power is different – it has no motive or enemy.
"It filled the Wells, it pleats the Dust / And puts it back again –"
More strange actions. How can wind fill wells? Perhaps with rain or debris. It messes up the dust ("pleats it") and then tidies it ("puts it back"). This creates a sense of a chaotic, powerful force that does things for its own unknowable reasons.
Stanza 3: The Feeling of Fear
"It was a Scare to feel it sigh / And be without a Face –"
The speaker moves from describing the wind's actions to their own feelings: fear ("a Scare"). The most terrifying thing is that this powerful force is invisible ("without a Face"). You can feel its breath ("sigh") but can't see what's causing it.
"To walk abroad and find it gallop / And not to have a Trace –"
The wind is now described as galloping like a horse – another image of powerful, untamed energy. But after it passes, there is no footprint, no "Trace". This reinforces its ghostly, untouchable nature.
Key Literary Devices & Techniques
- Simile: Comparing the wind to other things to help us understand it. Examples: "Like Rain", "as wet as any Wave", "as dry as Sand".
- Personification: Giving the wind human (or animal) qualities. Examples: "It walked", "It tapped", "it slaps", "it sigh", "it gallop".
- Sensory Imagery: The poem is full of sounds ("sounded", "tapped", "slaps", "sigh") and feelings ("wet", "dry", "Scare").
- Contradiction/Oxymoron: The wind is both "wet" and "dry". This confusion helps the reader feel what the speaker feels.
Themes in this Poem
- The Power and Mystery of Nature: Nature is presented as a powerful, unpredictable, and unknowable force that humans struggle to understand.
- Perception vs. Reality: The speaker is constantly trying to define the wind, but it defies easy definition.
Key Takeaway for 'Like Rain...'
This poem uses similes and personification to capture the confusing and frightening experience of a windstorm. Dickinson shows nature as a powerful, invisible force that is both destructive and mysterious, leaving the human observer in a state of awe and fear.
Poem 2: ‘There came a Wind like a Bugle’
First, let's read the poem
There came a Wind like a Bugle –
It quivered through the Grass
And a Green Chill upon the Heat
So ominous did pass
The Trees unhooked their Fingers
From out the Tangles of the Road –
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands
And throw itself abroad.
The Fences hurried on behind
The Wagons opened wide –
A Farm-yard spoke unto itself –
"A Mob runs out," it said.
The Dust did rise – and Neighbor leaned
Upon his Fence to see –
And then a Grandeur in the Air
Withdrew, and all was Peace –
(Note: This poem also has different versions. We will focus on this common version, but always refer to the text provided in your exam.)
What's this poem about? (The Gist)
Like the previous poem, this one is about a powerful wind. However, the tone is different. This wind is described with military and majestic imagery. It arrives like a grand announcement, throws the world into a brief, chaotic frenzy, and then departs, leaving a sense of peace and awe. It's about the sublime power of nature to command attention and transform the ordinary world.
Let's Break It Down
Stanza 1: The Grand Arrival
"There came a Wind like a Bugle –"
The poem opens with a powerful simile. A bugle is a loud, brass instrument used in the military to announce something important (like a charge or the arrival of a general). This tells us the wind is not gentle; it's an official, important, and loud arrival.
"It quivered through the Grass / And a Green Chill upon the Heat / So ominous did pass"
The wind has an immediate physical effect. The grass "quivered" (shook with fear or excitement). The "Green Chill" is a fantastic image – the color of the grass seems to become a cold feeling. The word "ominous" suggests this powerful arrival is also slightly threatening or foreboding.
Stanza 2 & 3: The World's Reaction
"The Trees unhooked their Fingers"
Here, the trees are personified. They seem to be letting go, preparing for the wind's force.
"The Dust did scoop itself like Hands / And throw itself abroad."
The dust is also personified, acting with intention. It's as if the wind inspires everything in the landscape to become wild and active.
"The Fences hurried on behind / The Wagons opened wide –"
More personification. The inanimate objects (fences, wagons) seem to be moving and reacting to the chaos. The world is thrown into a panic.
"A Farm-yard spoke unto itself – / 'A Mob runs out,' it said."
Dickinson even gives the farmyard a voice! It describes the scene as a "Mob" – a chaotic, unruly crowd. This perfectly captures the frenzied energy created by the wind.
Stanza 4: The Departure and Aftermath
"The Dust did rise – and Neighbor leaned / Upon his Fence to see –"
The scene has a human witness. The neighbor stops what he's doing to watch the spectacle, showing how nature's power can interrupt human life and command our attention.
"And then a Grandeur in the Air / Withdrew, and all was Peace –"
The wind isn't just wind; it's a "Grandeur" – a magnificent, awe-inspiring presence. Its departure is as sudden as its arrival. The chaos is gone, replaced by "Peace". This ending emphasizes the temporary, transformative power of the event. It was a grand show that is now over.
Key Literary Devices & Techniques
- Simile: The opening comparison is key: "like a Bugle" sets a military, majestic tone.
- Personification: This is the main technique used throughout. The Trees, Dust, Fences, Wagons, and even the Farm-yard are given life and agency. This makes the entire world seem like a participant in the event, not just a victim of it.
- Imagery: Strong sound imagery ("Bugle") and visual imagery ("Green Chill", "Dust did rise").
- Tone: The tone is one of awe, grandeur, and excitement, with a hint of danger ("ominous", "Mob").
Themes in this Poem
- The Sublime in Nature: "Sublime" means something that is so beautiful and powerful it's almost terrifying. This poem perfectly captures that feeling of awe in the face of nature's grandeur.
- Order and Chaos: The wind briefly turns the orderly world of a farm into total chaos, before peace and order are restored.
Key Takeaway for 'There came a Wind...'
Dickinson uses a central simile ("like a Bugle") and extensive personification to portray the wind as a majestic, powerful force that commands the attention of the entire world, throwing it into a brief, exciting chaos before leaving behind a sense of peace and awe.
Poem 3: ‘There’s a certain Slant of light’
First, let's read the poem
There’s a certain Slant of light,
Winter Afternoons –
That oppresses, like the Heft
Of Cathedral Tunes –
Heavenly Hurt, it gives us –
We can find no scar,
But internal difference –
Where the Meanings, are –
None may teach it – Any –
’Tis the Seal, Despair –
An imperial affliction
Sent us of the Air –
When it comes, the Landscape listens –
Shadows – hold their breath –
When it goes, ’tis like the Distance
On the look of Death –
What's this poem about? (The Gist)
This poem is very different from the other two. It's not about a big, dramatic storm. Instead, it's about an internal, emotional experience. The speaker describes a specific kind of light on a winter afternoon that creates a deep feeling of despair. This is a poem about a mood, a feeling so profound it feels like a spiritual wound, and it connects this inner feeling to the natural world and the idea of death.
Let's Break It Down
Stanza 1: The Light and its Weight
"There’s a certain Slant of light, / Winter Afternoons –"
The speaker is trying to describe something very specific and hard to pin down: not just any light, but a "certain Slant" of it at a particular time.
"That oppresses, like the Heft / Of Cathedral Tunes –"
This is a brilliant and complex simile. The light doesn't brighten; it "oppresses" (weighs you down). The weight ("Heft") is compared to "Cathedral Tunes". Church music can be beautiful and holy, but it can also be heavy, somber, and make you feel small and sinful. This light brings a heavy, spiritual sadness.
Stanza 2: The Internal Wound
"Heavenly Hurt, it gives us – / We can find no scar,"
This feeling is described with an oxymoron: "Heavenly Hurt". The pain seems to come from a divine or spiritual place, not from a physical cause. Because it's not physical, there is no visible wound ("no scar").
"But internal difference – / Where the Meanings, are –"
The hurt is inside. It changes who you are and how you see the world – it changes "Where the Meanings, are". It's a deep, psychological or spiritual crisis.
Stanza 3: The Nature of Despair
"None may teach it – Any – / ’Tis the Seal, Despair –"
This feeling is personal and isolating; it cannot be taught or explained. The light acts as the "Seal, Despair" – a metaphor suggesting it makes the feeling of despair official and inescapable.
"An imperial affliction / Sent us of the Air –"
The suffering ("affliction") feels grand and powerful, like a command from an emperor ("imperial"). And it comes from nowhere, "of the Air", making it impossible to fight.
Stanza 4: The Departure and its Emptiness
"When it comes, the Landscape listens – / Shadows – hold their breath –"
The speaker uses personification. The whole of nature seems to become still and anxious under this light. This shows that the internal feeling of the speaker is projected onto the world around them.
"When it goes, ’tis like the Distance / On the look of Death –"
This final simile is chilling. The feeling left behind when the light fades is compared to the look in a dead person's eyes – empty, cold, and distant. The despair doesn't just disappear; it leaves a haunting emptiness.
Key Literary Devices & Techniques
- Simile: The two key similes structure the poem's meaning: "like the Heft / Of Cathedral Tunes" and "like the Distance / On the look of Death".
- Oxymoron: "Heavenly Hurt" is a classic Dickinson phrase, capturing a complex spiritual pain.
- Personification: "the Landscape listens", "Shadows – hold their breath". Nature shares the speaker's mood.
- Tone: The tone is somber, introspective, and deeply melancholic.
Themes in this Poem
- Despair and Spiritual Doubt: The core of the poem is about a profound sense of hopelessness that feels almost religious in nature.
- Nature and Human Emotion: The external world (winter light) is used as a trigger for, and a reflection of, an internal emotional state.
- Mortality: The poem is framed by images of religion ("Cathedral") and ends with the finality of "Death".
Key Takeaway for 'There's a certain Slant...'
This poem masterfully uses similes and metaphors to explore a deep, internal state of despair. Dickinson shows how a simple, external thing like light can trigger profound spiritual pain, isolating the individual and leaving behind a chilling sense of emptiness.
Putting It All Together: Comparing the Poems
In your exam, you'll likely be asked to compare these poems. Don't just list what happens in each one! The goal is to connect them by looking at their similarities and differences in themes and techniques.
How are these poems SIMILAR?
- Subject of Nature: All three poems use a specific element of nature as their central focus (a storm, a wind, a slant of light).
- Use of Personification: Dickinson gives human or life-like qualities to nature in all three poems. The wind "walks" and "slaps", the trees have "Fingers", and the "Landscape listens". This is a key technique for her.
- Making the Intangible Real: She takes things you can't touch (wind, light, a feeling) and gives them physical qualities and actions. The wind has a sound that "curved", it acts like a "Bugle", and the light has "Heft" (weight).
- Dickinson's Unique Style: All three poems feature her signature dashes and capitalisation to control rhythm and emphasize key ideas.
How are these poems DIFFERENT?
This is where you can show some deep analysis. It's not just that they are about different things, but *how* and *why* they are different.
Focus on the 'Character' of Nature:
- In 'Like Rain it sounded', nature is chaotic and mysterious. It's a confusing force that the speaker tries to figure out.
- In 'There came a Wind like a Bugle', nature is majestic and sublime. It is a grand, powerful force that demands awe and respect, like a king or a general.
- In 'There’s a certain Slant of light', nature is a psychological trigger. It is quiet and subtle, but it causes a deep, internal despair.
Focus on Tone and Mood:
- 'Like Rain...' has a tone of confusion and fear.
- 'There came a Wind...' has a tone of awe and excitement.
- 'There's a certain Slant...' has a tone of depression and despair.
Focus on Internal vs. External:
- 'Like Rain...' and 'There came a Wind...' are primarily about an external event – a storm happening outside the speaker, and its visible effects on the world.
- 'There's a certain Slant...' is about an internal event – a feeling happening inside the speaker. The light is just the cause; the poem's real subject is the feeling of "Despair".
Exam Tip: How to Write a Comparison Essay
- Identify the Link: Start with the common ground. The question will usually give you this (e.g., "Compare how Dickinson presents the power of nature...").
- Integrate, Don't Separate: Avoid writing one paragraph about Poem A, then one about Poem B. Instead, structure your paragraphs by idea. For example:
"Both poems use personification to illustrate nature's power. In 'There came a Wind...', the Trees 'unhooked their Fingers' in preparation, showing a respectful response to a majestic force. In contrast, the personified Landscape in 'There's a certain Slant of light' 'listens' in silent anxiety, reflecting the oppressive nature of the despair the light brings." - Use Connective Words: Use words like 'Similarly', 'In contrast', 'However', 'Likewise' to clearly show you are comparing and contrasting.
- Analyse, Don't Just Describe: Always link the technique back to the meaning. Don't just say, "Dickinson uses a simile". Say, "Dickinson's simile comparing the wind to a 'Bugle' immediately establishes a tone of military grandeur, suggesting that nature's power is not just chaotic but has a purpose and majesty."
Final Words of Encouragement
Emily Dickinson's poetry is like a puzzle – it can be challenging, but it's incredibly rewarding once you start to piece it together. By focusing on her unique style and the way she uses nature to explore deep human feelings, you can unlock the powerful messages in her work.
Read the poems aloud, pay attention to the pauses created by the dashes, and think about why she chose to capitalise certain words. You've got this!