E Dickinson | Hope is the Thing With Feathers | An Analytical Study
E Dickinson | Hope is the Thing With Feathers | An Analytical Studyalytical Study
E Dickinson | Hope is the Thing With Feathers | An Analytical Study
‘Hope is the Thing with Feathers’ is a poem by Emily Dickinson. In this poem the poetess, as a bright optimist, says about ‘hope’ ascribing human attributes to it.
The poetess begins the poem with a metaphor and says that ‘hope’ is a ‘thing’ i.e. a bird with feathers. As a bird perches on the high spot so hope perches in the soul. And taking rest in the soul, it expresses itself through human activities. In other words to say, ‘hope’ sings without words and it ceases in no time at all.
Secondly, the poetess invokes some imagery to show the strength of hope in the human soul. She says that no ‘gale’ or ‘storm’ (that means sorrow or difficulty) can silence the bird or no sufferance can suppress it, the soul always keeps hope alive and warm. By saying so, the poetess wants to imply that though difficulties come to her life yet her hope remains the same.Â
Thirdly, the poetess says that hope never fades away from her soul. In times of distress and even in times of calamity, hope remains intact in her soul. It never asks of any guard from the poetess. Hope, itself is enough to guard itself. The poetess says:
‘I have heard it in the chilliest land
And on the strangest sea—
Yet never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.’
Thus the poet shows that hope is a strong thing in the human soul.
The poem is worthy of being praised because of its imagery. The whole poem is a garland of imagery and the imageries suit the theme of the poem very appropriately. The very opening line of the poem is a metaphor that surprises her readers and this metaphor along with the imagery that follows has shown how fertile the poetess’ imagery is.
To include it is to say that this poem is one of Emily Dickinson’s best typical poems both in style and theme. 0 0 0
Read More: Emily Dickinson’s Poetry -A Thematic Study
N. B. This article entitled ‘E Dickinson | Hope is the Thing With Feathers | An Analytical Study’ originally belongs to the book ‘World Poetry Criticism‘ by Menonim Menonimus. E Dickinson | Hope is the Thing With Feathers | An Analytical Study
Books of Literary Criticism by M. Menonimus:
- World Short Story Criticism
- World Poetry Criticism
- World Drama Criticism
- World Novel Criticism
- World Essay Criticism
- Indian English Poetry Criticism
- Indian English Poets and Poetry Chief Features
- Emily Dickinson’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Walt Whitman’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Critical Essays on English Poetry
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: Return of the Spirit-An Analytical Study
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: ‘Yawmiyyat Naib Fil Arayaf’-An Analytical Study
- Analytical Studies of Some Arabic Short Stories
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Pre-Islamic Period …
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