Emily Dickinson's Influence and Themes

FORM AND METER:

-Iambic pentameter-Dickinson's poetry generally has a metrical sound close to that of Biblical hymns. The similarity of sound naturally draws a parallel between the content of hymn tunes and Dickinson's poems—both deal with deep questions about the nature of existence

-Ballad metre: iambic tetrameter+iambic trimeter (ABCB) → Church hymns-Four line-stanzas

-Capitalization of words,to emphasize certain concepts or ideas and draw the attention of the reader.

-Dashes and punctuation that causes the reader to stop and think.This goes hand in hand with the capitalization (emotional intensity).These create a fragmentary effect, which combined with the delicate language used throughout builds a feeling that we are hearing the speaker's thoughts. They also allow a sense of doubt and mystery to inhabit the poem, in keeping with its general idea.

-Slant Rhyme: words are similar but rhyming syllables don't sound exactly the same (such as teen and tone; grape and great; man and ten).It was considered unharmonious.

-Use of colloquial language and archaisms,closer to the reader.

-The lines are short and compact, which lends the poem intensity.

POINT OF VIEW:

The identity of the I is not necessarily the poet.She uses different personalities in her poems to convey her message. The speaker is certainly directing the reader's attention

SYMBOLS:

-Light = understanding, truth, welcome illumination (knowledge). -Birds as symbols of woman or representations of nature, delicacy and beauty.Like women, birds are known not only for their beauty but also for their fragility.-Insects represent the unstoppable process of nature.

-Windows = eyes or vantage points.Permit light to enter and the mind to see outside itself.-Sea its inmensity is threatening, must be respected

THEMES:

-Death, very honest.Death is simply an ending of life.Death as a natural process.She believes in an afterlife.Depression and despair towards the uncertainty.Resignation to the unavoidable end.-Nature, her heaven is earth.She is a sharp observer, but she does not gives us an idealistic/ romanticized version of nature. she shows the two sides: nature is unstoppable and beautiful.-The domestic realm:Industrialization, in this epoque of change she is against the urban landscape that can kill the individual.She vindicates the values of the home like friendship, family and love, but at the same time she fought against the victorian idea of the angel of the house.The kitchen is associated with home, fire and D. talks alot about the warmth associated with it.-Religion and the bible as a work of reference:She felt that she could not have a conexion with God and is then when she starts to question the existence of God.She uses religion to talk about nature