Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known
during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry.
Dickinson was born in Massachusetts, into a prominent family with strong ties to its community.
Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an peculiar by locals,
she developed a liking for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to greet guests or, later in
life, even to leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most friendships between her and others
depended entirely upon correspondence.
While Dickinson was a prolific writer, her only publications during her lifetime were 10 of her nearly
1,800 poems, and one letter. The poems published then were usually edited significantly to fit
conventional poetic rules. Her poems were unique for her era; they contain short lines, typically lack
titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her
poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends, and also
explore aesthetics, society, nature, and spirituality.
Although Dickinson's acquaintances were most likely aware of her writing, it was not until after her
death in 1886—when Lavinia, Dickinson's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that her
work became public.

Success is counted sweetest

BY EMILY D ICK INSON

Success is counted sweetest

By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host

Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of victory

As he defeated – dying –
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear!
 Analysis
The poem “Success is counted sweetest” is a short “Definition Poem” that defines success and
beautifully illustrates its importance. A great theme is explained in a small number of words. In the
beginning, a general idea of success and its importance is given. Then the poem is confined to a
battlefield, to give an example of the importance of success but this concept of winning and losing is not
confined to a battlefield field only, it can be applied to any situation of success and failure.

It says that success is something that is considered valuable by those who have never achieved it. Those
who have always failed in achieving success know its true worth because the value of something is
known to those who are unable to have it. People who are a failure in their lives know how significant
success is and for them, it is the sweetest.

It is said that those who are in need of something and do not have it, truly know its value rather than
those who have it. Here the human desire for something is highlighted and success is compared to
nectar. It says that to understand the sweetness of nectar, one should be in need of it. The sweetness and
joy of achieving something depend on how deep is the passion and want. Those who do not have
something and they want it, they truly know the joy of having it. It is human nature that when we do not
have something and we want it. It means a lot to us. We value it more as compared to those who already
have it.

The third and fourth stanzas, which are interdependent, paradoxically talk about the victorious on the
battlefield who do not understand the true importance of success because they have not tasted the pain of
failure. Their victory is shallow because they have not experienced the process of losing something. The
victory has cost them nothing. They have achieved it by getting no pain but to understand the pain and
agony, in order to achieve success, one needs to experience failure. While the dying soldier on the
defeated side knows the true worth of victory when he hears the victorious soldiers celebrating their
victory. He does know the significance of victory because he is the one who experiences failure. He
knows what it cost to achieve success. He understands the importance of winning and knows the pain of
losing a battle.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

Analysis
This poem uses a conceit, or extended (and in this case implied) metaphor, to compare Hope with a
bird—"the thing with feathers." Like a bird Hope perches delicately, sings ceaselessly, buoys the soul,
and keeps it warm even in the worst circumstances, even though, like a bird, it is fragile and slight. The
speaker points out the song of Hope is "sweetest in the Gale," or during storms of adversity. This
thought brings to mind the poet's "Success is counted sweetest / By those who ne'er succeed": that is,
truth or knowledge depends upon one's perspective.
In the third stanza the speaker uses the pronoun I, indicating personal experience with both Extremity, or
difficulties, and Hope. She has heard the bird sing in the coldest and most alien places, suggesting
moments in her life when she felt most challenged and uncertain. By pointing out Hope "never ... / ...
asked a crumb—of Me," the speaker makes the point Hope is always there; one doesn't have to do
anything to use it.

I’m Nobody! Who are you

I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you – Nobody – too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don't tell! they'd advertise – you know!

How dreary – to be – Somebody!

How public – like a Frog –
To tell one’s name – the livelong June –
To an admiring Bog!

Analysis
This short, playful poem reflects the speaker's desire to remain anonymous and her
distaste for both public attention and those who seek it. A "Nobody" is someone who
keeps to herself, whereas a "Somebody" is someone who wants public acclaim. The frog
simile is striking, for frogs do in fact make a lot of noise. The metaphor of society as "an
admiring Bog" continues the frog simile and reflects a satiric slap at those who value
noise and show above substance.
 In line 4 the speaker asks the individual addressed to remain silent about their being "a
pair" of nobodies, for outside communication might bring them unwanted attention
("they'd advertise").

Although the tone is light the thought is serious. Indeed, when considering Dickinson's
life readers can readily connect the speaker and the poet who deliberately chose
anonymity. Like the speaker Dickinson wished to remain anonymous during her life,
unwilling for her work to be published and thereby exposed to an audience whose
understanding might have proved as shallow as the croaking frog seeking attention from
"an admiring Bog." Dickinson's writing is often secret, oblique, figurative, enigmatic, and
not at all meant for public display—and that is how Dickinson wanted it to remain. The
implied comparison between her own private self and those who seek public attention
leads her to poke fun at the "Somebody" who craves recognition, who tells "one's name—
the livelong June—" like a frog croaking all summer to an audience of like-minded
individuals. The implication, too, is the loftier status of a worthy "Nobody" is
incomprehensible to an unworthy "Somebody," who must spend considerable time
proclaiming their importance.

Because I could not stop for Death

Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun
Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –

Analysis
One of Dickinson's most famous poems, "Because I could not stop for Death—," takes a clear-eyed view
of death and dying. At first Death is personified as a polite gentleman, not a grim antagonist. He
"kindly" stops for the speaker, and they leave together in a carriage along with "Immortality," implying
the end of life will lead to the immortality of the soul. The journey begins slowly, and because Death has
been so civil the speaker feels no threat or fear. Indeed the metaphorical ride seems almost welcome, for
the speaker has willingly put away worldly occupations and, although caught unaware, is ready for it.
In the third stanza, the two pass sights that suggest three stages of life: schoolchildren playing, fields of
grain, and the setting sun. The first image suggests childhood, the second adulthood or maturity, and the
third old age and death when the sun will set and leave only darkness. In the fourth stanza, however, the
speaker corrects herself, saying the sun passed the carriage instead of the other way around. This
statement suggests the speaker has died, for she—and the carriage—has ceased to move. She then
begins to feel cold (presumably the cold of the grave), having dressed only in light clothing because she
did not know her destination.

In the fifth stanza, they pause before what seems a grave, "a House that seemed / A Swelling of the
Ground" with only the roof visible. The image suggests the reality of bodily decay as opposed to the
promise of immortality. In the final stanza the speaker is alone: Death is not mentioned, nor is
Immortality. Centuries have passed, but the speaker no longer experiences the passage of time as do the
living, so it seems to have been only a day since she first guessed the horses were headed toward
"Eternity." The speaker does not specifically mention immortality, but readers may infer the existence of
something akin to it if the speaker is relating events of centuries ago when she died.

Although readers may understand the poem as representing the journey of a deceased person to the
grave, some critics have suggested it is more a journey of realization about death. At the beginning the
speaker thinks of death as genteel, nonthreatening, and accompanied by the promise of immortality. By
the end of the journey, however, having felt the cold reality of the grave, she no longer harbors illusions
of immortality and recognizes death is final and eternal.