Emily Dickinson Poetry Analysis

[audrey.pettit]

would like another analysis of "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass"

[mono]

would like another analysis of "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass"

Despite its immense popularity among Emily Dickinson readers, I have always found this poem one of her most difficult. For anyone unfamiliar:

A narrow fellow in the grass
Occasionally rides;
You may have met him,--did you not,
His notice sudden is.

The grass divides as with a comb,
A spotted shaft is seen;
And then it closes at your feet
And opens further on.

He likes a boggy acre,
A floor too cool for corn.
Yet when a child, and barefoot,
I more than once, at morn,

Have passed, I thought, a whip-lash
Unbraiding in the sun,--
When, stooping to secure it,
It wrinkled, and was gone.

Several of nature's people
I know, and they know me;
I feel for them a transport
Of cordiality;

But never met this fellow,
Attended or alone,
Without a tighter breathing,
And zero at the bone.

I think it essential to mention that many have unofficially titled this poem as "The Snake," though, anyone familiar with Dickinson poetry, she titled none of her thousands of poems. From here, I will break the poem down stanza-to-stanza:

A narrow fellow in the grass
Occasionally rides;
You may have met him,--did you not,
His notice sudden is.

This reads simply that a narrow fellow (a snake) sometimes slithers through the grass - some have seen it (maybe not), but his presence provokes much attention and alertness (hence: "his notice sudden is.").

The grass divides as with a comb,
A spotted shaft is seen;
And then it closes at your feet
And opens further on.

This stanza I have wondered about, asking if Dickinson implies following the snake through the grass. Obviously, the grass will divide while a snake passes through it, but I believe she refers to the grass divide closing when one steps on the divide as the snake has traveled elsewhere - the trail "opens further on," because the snake slithers further away.

He likes a boggy acre,
A floor too cool for corn.
Yet when a child, and barefoot,
I more than once, at morn,

Have passed, I thought, a whip-lash
Unbraiding in the sun,--
When, stooping to secure it,
It wrinkled, and was gone.

These two stanzas deserve analysis together, I think. Existing cold-blooded, the snake will enjoy usually hotter zones, where the shade of cornstalks will not grow (such as a "boggy acre"). The idea of walking barefoot among a snake seems appalling to most people, making themselves further vulnerable to a common fear. Dickinson gives another perspective of curiosity (that frequently persists "when a young child"), wandering over to the snake, "stooping to secure it," but how it wrinkles and disappears, I wonder if Dickinson implies that the snake drifts away into a nearby hole, or whether the fear "wrinkled, and was gone."

Several of nature's people
I know, and they know me;
I feel for them a transport
Of cordiality;

But never met this fellow,
Attended or alone,
Without a tighter breathing,
And zero at the bone

These concluding stanzas read relatively straight-forward. The majority of people interacting in typical human nature will always feel fearful of the snake - a very common fear. And Dickinson takes that thought further that the trend includes her - that she cannot stumble upon a snake without feeling fear (and its accommodating physiological changes, such as tighter breathing).
I hope I have helped, and wish you luck!

[PoetryLuvr]

I need help on one of Emily Dickinson's poems. I need help with the meter, poetic diction, and poetic devices used in this poem. I need to locate and discuss any figurative language and symbolism. I will need this preferably before monday.
Thank You.

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

[yoyoyi]

Hello! It's the first day I here.
I'd love to do a paper on love poems of Emily
But it's seems hard for me to choice the typical poems to show her contradictive standard of love.
I will appreciate everyone who gives me advice!
Thanks a lot

[diaonyi]

pls can i get a full analysis of emily dickinson's how do i love thee. thank so much. byeeeeee can i get it by today pls

[Mike Kirley]

Nick...Time feels so vast....I think this poem is about the futility of using your senses to comprehend the vastness of God's design. Matters of the spirit are best experienced with the eyes of the soul. This is why Scientific Analysis fails so miserably when used to explain the realm of God's ways. Although Emily stayed in her room for years...she was experiencing a world of vast dimensions. Just my humble opinion.

[Mike Kirley]

char muse I think this short poem about Jesus is talking about what God thinks when looking at a crucifix...that it is too small a concept to capture the vast meaning of God...too one-dimensional. A crucifix is a symbol of sacrifice through torture. God is so much more than that.

[Mike Kirley]

PoetryLuvr...this poem compares a book to a boat or a chariot that carries a person away from where they are. The metre has a bobbing feel to it...short, long....short, long......short long.....like one is floating away. "prancing poetry" is alliteration. The poet also stresses how easy it is to lose oneself in a book.......it is basically free..."without oppress of toll".

[poetry4life]

Hey I was wondering if anyone knew what this poem means. I am starting to come around to understand a little bit of what this poem means but i need a little help. I am suppose to write a 2.5 page paper on this poem but I cannot get that much information with what I know.

Remorse-is Memory-awake-
Her Parties all astir-
A Presence of Departed Acts-
At window-and at Door-

Its Past-set down before the Soul
And lighted with a Match-
Perusal-to facilitate-
And help Belief to stretch-

Remorse is cureless-the Disease
Not even God-can heal-
For tis His institution-and
The Adequate of Hell-.

[Zong-in Kim]

Oh, three days after... still "good news" I hope
if you like...

Good luck!

-Kim

[Zong-in Kim]

I put it into Korean... this morning.

----
Thank you for the remind...!!!

-Kim

[kaytee]

I absolutely love reading everyone's take on Emily's poetry. I am no writer nor am I the sort of person who can decode poetry like you guys can do amazingly. What are your takes on "Wild Nights"?

Wild nights! Wild nights!
Were I with thee,
Wild nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile the winds
To a heart in port,
Done with the compass,
Done with the chart.

Rowing in Eden!
Ah! the sea!
Might I but moor
To-night in thee!

[maybe. yes. no.]

People, help me discuss this poem. It was brought up before, but no one really said anything.
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—

What do you think of her personification of death as a gentleman? I thought it might be to show the appeal of death. But in the end the speaker seems unhappy with her eternal ride (or marriage?) to death. Could be to say that even though one may wish to die at times during life, once one is dead and see that he/she is dead forever, life seems more appealing.

Does she even want to die? Is that why death "kindly" stopped for her? or did she have a choice? Is it about the inevitability of death?

What about the dashes and capitaliztion? I was told that they are random, but I personally don't see how anything could truly be random.

I can see that life passed her by, with the stanza about the phases of life. But what is the purpose of this? Is there regret?

Why couldn't she stop for death? Too busy? Didn't want to? Not in control?hm...

And the gossamer gown? does it have to do with marrige? I also read that that is what people used to be buried in...

If there are any other interesting or significant techniques she uses, just mention it. Thank you for something—anything.

[Allinave Twist]

I recently read through this poem in my English class and the interpretation that we got was very different. When the students and I read through Dickinson's poem A narrow Fellow in the Grass we concluded that it was about the Devil and temptation. If your interested in the alternate interpretation let me know and I will post it.

[half_a_dent]

I am a first year literature student at a university in the UK and I have read some useful tips here on Emily Dickinson. I never read any of her stuff before yesterday and she is killing my brain as well as soothing it, which is weird to say the least.

I need to roughly, dissect "I'm wife.." and "For each ecstatic instant..."

We have a 2 part question; the first is to analyze the rhythm and rhyme patterns between both as well as look at language and tone.

The second part is to look at the relationship between Dickinson and the readers, as well as looking at how they reflect upon and / or are looked at by eachother. And also how poems effect us 'physically' and if so, how does dickinson effect me. or you.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I like reading her stuff because she is simply a misunderstood genius with words and poetic form. I am not the most avid poetry reader but she has definitely struck a chord with me.

Thanks in advance.
half_a_dent