Poem Analysis Essay, Research Paper
In Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope is the Thing With Feathers” she is the speaker
And as the poem states she is a “hopeless” person. She talks of the virtues of hope, and
how important it is, and all the places it can be found
but she, herself has no hope. I
think the audience Dickinson intended for this poem is anyone who wishes for or needs
hope-, which, in time would be anyone who might read it. Dickinson gives no specific
setting, but does talk of specific places. 14owever the poet-n is not “set” in those places.
The central purpose of this poem is to personify “hope” to the reader. Dickinson
makes hope something tangible that the reader can identify with; she twins hope into
something concrete. The central idea is that hope gives life its purpose … it is the facet that
gives a reason to all the chaos of life.
Dickinson uses a number of devices for the effect of her message, She first uses
metaphor in line one by saying Hope is the thing with feathers.
, Granted feathers are not
a human characteristic, nevertheless an animal trait also qualifies. Assonance is used in
lines six, eight, and eleven. Consonance also gives effect in line eleven. Alliteration
stands out in lines three, nine and ten. Perhaps the most effective device she uses is
personification. In line three she uses personification by saving “hope sings.” We all
know hope does not really sing, but the personification gi
use of this Dickinson gives way to imagery. This poem is full of imagery. It shows hope
as a bird; it shows “the bird” resting in one’s soul to sing and never stop, and it shows the
little bird being swept away by a storm that can easily destroy the little bird that comforts
one so. Dickinson shows the bird in cold lands, and in foreign seas, but never in her own
heart.
Dickinson says that Hope has feathers — it is a bird that is situated deep within
our souls; hope is found in our hearts. It makes itself known by the feeling it exudes, even
though it cannot actually be seen. Finally hope never ceases to exist once you have it. She
seems to have seen hope in everywhere except in herself The tone of the poem is
basically dark. It starts out giving positive description of hope, but she quickly gives
imagery of hope being destroyed, and of herself not having any,
This poem is allegoric because it reads as a poem about a little bird that is killed
in a storm, but it is really the tale of hope that lights up one’s heart and with one,
chaotic
event, it can be depleted.
The poem basically gives the thought of hope a hopeless feeling. Dickinson
crushes your idea that hope exists. She makes you believe that it is only in a fantasy
world, like a fairy tale where everyone lives “happily ever after.” The poem has a harsh
truth because we all know in the real world no one lives “happily ever after.”