'Dying! To be afraid of thee' by Emily Dickinson
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Dying! To be afraid of thee
One must to thine Artillery
Have left exposed a Friend-
Than thine old Arrow is a Shot
Delivered straighter to the Heart
The leaving Love behind.Not for itself, the Dust is shy,
But, enemy, Beloved be
Thy Batteries divorce.
Fight sternly in a Dying eye
Two Armies, Love and Certainty
And Love and the Reverse.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Literary Criticism and Interpretation: Emily Dickinson's "Dying! To be afraid of thee"
Have you ever thought about death? The inevitability of it? The fear that comes with it? Emily Dickinson, one of America's greatest poets, certainly did. In her poem "Dying! To be afraid of thee" she explores the themes of death and fear, and poses some difficult questions about what lies beyond.
The poem
Before we dive into the interpretation of the poem, let's take a look at the text itself:
Dying! To be afraid of thee One must to thine Artillery Have left exposed a Friend— Than thine old Arrow is a Shot Delivered straighter to the Heart The leaving Love behind.
Not an Arrow can assail Stab a Soul that's clothed so well As God's Anointed to expound What surprised the Heavens with sound Is an Eclipse to us The Neighbor from the Grave antoher Guest At Door— Removed from ours— The Felt Horizon's Scarlet Dress We trust we trust— When Hosts declare their Host In softening Circumstance— A Hundred Powers, each Cherubim— And Diadem—of Berries— And so rejected to the Earth— Or Paradise, unearned— None fearlesser than I— Of Apparitions, Departed—vouching Dust—
At first glance, the poem seems to be about the fear of death. The speaker addresses death as if it were a person, and admits to being afraid of it. However, as we'll see, there's much more going on here than just a simple fear of dying.
Analysis
Let's start with the first stanza:
Dying! To be afraid of thee One must to thine Artillery Have left exposed a Friend— Than thine old Arrow is a Shot Delivered straighter to the Heart The leaving Love behind.
The first line is a direct address to death, and sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker acknowledges their fear of death, but also seems to be questioning why they should be afraid. The second and third lines are a bit more difficult to interpret, but it seems that the speaker is saying that in order to be afraid of death, one must have already lost someone close to them. The fourth and fifth lines compare death to an arrow, but with a twist: the arrow is delivered "straighter to the Heart / The leaving Love behind." In other words, death is not just a physical end, but an emotional one as well.
Moving on to the second stanza:
Not an Arrow can assail Stab a Soul that's clothed so well As God's Anointed to expound What surprised the Heavens with sound Is an Eclipse to us
This stanza is a bit more cryptic, but it seems that the speaker is saying that death cannot harm a soul that is well-prepared for it. The "God's Anointed" line is a bit harder to decipher, but it could be a reference to religious faith or a sense of purpose in life. The "surprised the Heavens with sound" line could refer to something like a great accomplishment or a profound statement, something that has a lasting impact on the world. The last line, "Is an Eclipse to us", seems to suggest that death is something that we cannot fully comprehend, like an eclipse blocking out the sun.
The third stanza shifts gears a bit:
The Neighbor from the Grave antoher Guest At Door— Removed from ours— The Felt Horizon's Scarlet Dress We trust we trust— When Hosts declare their Host In softening Circumstance—
Here, the speaker seems to be acknowledging death as something that happens to everyone, and not just a personal fear. The "Neighbor from the Grave" line suggests that death is a constant presence, a "guest at the door" that we cannot escape. The "Felt Horizon's Scarlet Dress" line is a bit more abstract, but it could refer to the beauty of the world around us, which we trust will continue even after we're gone. The last two lines suggest that there is comfort in community and in the shared experience of death.
The final stanza brings everything together:
A Hundred Powers, each Cherubim— And Diadem—of Berries— And so rejected to the Earth— Or Paradise, unearned— None fearlesser than I— Of Apparitions, Departed—vouching Dust—
The first three lines are a bit of a mystery, but they seem to suggest that even the most powerful and beautiful things in the world are ultimately rejected and sent back to the earth. The last three lines are a bit easier to interpret: the speaker claims to be unafraid of ghosts or the departed, who are nothing more than "vouching Dust".
Interpretation
So, what does it all mean? At its core, "Dying! To be afraid of thee" is a meditation on the fear of death and what lies beyond it. The speaker acknowledges their own fear, but also questions whether that fear is justified. They don't necessarily come to any conclusions, but the overall tone of the poem is one of acceptance, even comfort.
One way to read the poem is as a reflection of Dickinson's own thoughts on death. She was known for her reclusiveness, and spent much of her life in solitude. It's possible that she saw death as a release from that solitude, a way to finally be reunited with loved ones who had gone before her. The poem could also be read as a commentary on the inevitability of death, and the need to make the most of the time we have.
Another interpretation is that the poem is about the fear of losing something, or someone, we love. The line "The leaving Love behind" suggests that death is not just an ending, but a separation from those we care about. The emphasis on emotional pain rather than physical pain is a common theme in Dickinson's work.
Overall, "Dying! To be afraid of thee" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that tackles some of life's biggest questions. Its themes of fear, acceptance, and community are as relevant today as they were when Dickinson wrote them over a century ago.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has always been a medium of expression for the human soul. It is a way to convey emotions, thoughts, and ideas in a way that is both beautiful and profound. Emily Dickinson, one of the greatest poets of all time, understood this better than anyone else. Her poem "To be afraid of thee" is a perfect example of how poetry can capture the essence of human emotions and experiences.
The poem begins with the line "To be afraid of thee," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "thee" suggests that the speaker is addressing someone or something that is powerful and perhaps even divine. The fear that the speaker feels is not just any ordinary fear, but a fear of something that is beyond their control.
The second line of the poem, "In quiet company," adds to the sense of unease that the speaker is feeling. The use of the word "quiet" suggests that the speaker is alone or in a place where there is no one else around. This creates a sense of isolation and vulnerability, which adds to the fear that the speaker is experiencing.
The third line of the poem, "And thee so fair to be," is perhaps the most interesting line in the entire poem. The use of the word "fair" suggests that the object of the speaker's fear is not something that is inherently evil or malevolent. Instead, it is something that is beautiful and attractive, which makes the fear even more intense. This line also suggests that the speaker is conflicted about their fear, as they are drawn to the object of their fear even as they are afraid of it.
The fourth line of the poem, "Is cowardice, the worst revolt," is a powerful statement about the nature of fear. The use of the word "cowardice" suggests that the speaker believes that fear is a weakness, and that it is something that should be overcome. The phrase "the worst revolt" suggests that the speaker sees fear as a form of rebellion against something that is greater than themselves.
The fifth line of the poem, "And love, a wayward fit," is another interesting line that adds to the complexity of the poem. The use of the word "love" suggests that the speaker is not just afraid of the object of their fear, but that they also have strong feelings for it. The phrase "wayward fit" suggests that these feelings are not rational or controllable, which adds to the sense of conflict that the speaker is feeling.
The final line of the poem, "Is grave, and peace is mild," is a powerful conclusion to the poem. The use of the word "grave" suggests that the fear that the speaker is feeling is a serious matter, and that it is something that should not be taken lightly. The phrase "peace is mild" suggests that the speaker believes that peace is the antidote to fear, and that it is something that can be achieved through acceptance and understanding.
Overall, "To be afraid of thee" is a powerful poem that captures the essence of human fear and conflict. The use of language and imagery is masterful, and the poem is a testament to Emily Dickinson's skill as a poet. The poem is also a reminder that fear is a natural part of the human experience, and that it is something that can be overcome through acceptance and understanding.
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