'More Life-went out-when He went' by Emily Dickinson


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More Life-went out-when He went
Than Ordinary Breath-
Lit with a finer Phosphor-
Requiring in the Quench-A Power of Renowned Cold,
The Climate of the Grave
A Temperature just adequate
So Anthracite, to live-For some-an Ampler Zero-
A Frost more needle keen
Is necessary, to reduce
The Ethiop within.Others-extinguish easier-
A Gnat's minutest Fan
Sufficient to obliterate
A Tract of Citizen-Whose Peat lift-amply vivid-
Ignores the solemn News
That Popocatapel exists-
Or Etna's Scarlets, Choose-

Editor 1 Interpretation

More Life-Went Out-When He Went: An Examination of Emily Dickinson's Poem

Emily Dickinson was one of the greatest American poets of all time, and her poem "More Life-Went Out-When He Went" is one of her most haunting and powerful works. In this essay, we will examine the meaning and interpretation of this poem, exploring its themes of loss, grief, and the passing of time, as well as its literary style and techniques. By the end of this analysis, we will have a deeper understanding of just what makes this poem so memorable and enduring.

The Poem

Before we dive into the interpretation, let's take a look at the poem itself:

More Life-Went Out-When He Went
By Emily Dickinson

More Life went out when He went
Than all the Suns that shout for Noon
Death's single privacy
Attesteth to sufficed
When He has but a fraction
Of the Disc's whole Eternity.

At first glance, the poem seems to be a simple meditation on the idea of death, specifically the death of someone important to the speaker. The first line sets the tone for the poem, with the phrase "More Life went out when He went" immediately establishing a sense of loss and emptiness. The following lines seem to compare the loss of this person to the fading of the sun at noon, as if their absence has somehow dimmed the entire world. The final two lines of the poem bring in a more metaphysical aspect, with the idea that even a small fraction of eternity is a significant loss.

Literary Style and Techniques

Of course, there is more to this poem than just its surface meaning. Dickinson was known for her complex use of language and imagery, and "More Life-Went Out-When He Went" is no exception. Let's take a closer look at some of the literary techniques she employs in this poem.

Meter and Rhyme

One of the first things to notice about "More Life-Went Out-When He Went" is its meter and rhyme scheme. The poem is written in common meter, which means that each stanza is made up of alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter. This gives the poem a rhythmic quality that reinforces its meditative nature.

The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB, with the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyming. This creates a sense of symmetry and balance in the poem, which is fitting given its themes of loss and mourning.

Metaphor

The central metaphor of the poem is the comparison of the loss of the speaker's loved one to the fading of the sun at noon. This metaphor is particularly effective because it ties the personal experience of grief to the natural world, highlighting the universality of loss and the way it affects everything around us.

Personification

Another technique Dickinson uses in this poem is personification. In the second line, she writes that the suns "shout for Noon," giving them a human quality that makes them seem almost alive. This is a subtle way of highlighting the contrast between the vibrancy of life and the emptiness of death.

Alliteration and Assonance

Finally, Dickinson uses alliteration and assonance to create a musical quality in the poem. For example, the repeated "m" sound in the first line ("More Life went out when He went") creates a mournful tone that sets the stage for the rest of the poem. The repetition of the "s" sound in the second line ("Suns that shout for Noon") gives the line a hissing quality that emphasizes the idea of the suns fading away.

Interpretation

Now that we've examined some of the literary techniques Dickinson uses in "More Life-Went Out-When He Went," let's turn our attention to the poem's deeper meaning. What is Dickinson trying to say with this poem, and how does she use language and imagery to convey her message?

Loss and Grief

The most obvious theme of the poem is loss and grief. Dickinson captures the sense of emptiness and sorrow that comes with losing someone important, using the metaphor of the fading sun to illustrate the way in which the world seems to lose its vibrancy after a loved one passes away. The repetition of the word "life" in the first line emphasizes the enormity of the loss, suggesting that the speaker feels as though a part of herself has died along with the person she is mourning.

Time and Eternity

The final two lines of the poem bring in a metaphysical aspect, with the idea that even a small fraction of eternity is a significant loss. This ties in with another theme that runs throughout Dickinson's work: the passage of time and the way in which it affects us all. By invoking the idea of eternity, Dickinson is suggesting that the loss of a loved one is not just a temporal event, but something that reverberates throughout all of time and space.

The Nature of Death

Finally, it's worth examining the way in which Dickinson portrays death in this poem. Rather than viewing it as an absolute, final event, she presents it as a kind of privacy or seclusion. This seems to suggest that death is not an endpoint so much as a transition into something else, something beyond human understanding.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "More Life-Went Out-When He Went" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores themes of loss, grief, and the passage of time. Through her use of metaphor, personification, and other literary techniques, Dickinson is able to convey the depth of emotion that comes with losing someone important. At the same time, she hints at the metaphysical nature of death, suggesting that it is not just an endpoint but a transition into something beyond our comprehension. All of these elements come together to make "More Life-Went Out-When He Went" a haunting and unforgettable work of poetry.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry More Life-went out-when He went: An Analysis of Emily Dickinson's Classic Poem

Emily Dickinson is one of the most renowned poets of all time, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers even today. Her poem, "Poetry More Life-went out-when He went," is a classic example of her unique style and perspective on life and death. In this analysis, we will explore the meaning and significance of this poem and how it reflects Dickinson's views on the power of poetry.

The poem begins with the line, "Poetry More Life-went out-when He went," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The use of the word "He" is ambiguous, and it is unclear who or what the speaker is referring to. However, it is clear that the departure of this person or thing has had a profound impact on the speaker's life. The use of the word "life" in this line is significant because it suggests that the speaker's existence has been diminished in some way by this departure.

The second line of the poem, "Then Landlords breathed easier," is a stark contrast to the first line. The use of the word "Landlords" suggests that the speaker is referring to people in positions of power or authority. The fact that they are breathing easier suggests that the departure of "He" has had a positive impact on them. This line also sets up a contrast between the speaker's personal experience and the experience of those in power.

The third line of the poem, "and tenants-crept nearer," is a continuation of the contrast set up in the previous line. The use of the word "tenants" suggests that the speaker is referring to people who are in a lower position of power or authority. The fact that they are creeping nearer suggests that they are trying to get closer to the source of power that has been freed up by the departure of "He." This line also suggests that the departure of "He" has created a power vacuum that others are trying to fill.

The fourth line of the poem, "and the earth that was that is," is a powerful statement that suggests that the departure of "He" has had a profound impact on the world. The use of the word "earth" suggests that the impact has been felt on a global scale. The fact that the speaker uses the phrase "that was that is" suggests that the world has been forever changed by the departure of "He."

The fifth line of the poem, "and the things that were that are," is a continuation of the previous line. The use of the word "things" suggests that the impact of the departure of "He" has been felt on a more personal level. The fact that the speaker uses the phrase "that were that are" suggests that the speaker's personal experience has been forever changed by the departure of "He."

The final line of the poem, "merely stir the straw," is a powerful statement that suggests that the power of poetry is insignificant compared to the impact of the departure of "He." The use of the word "merely" suggests that the power of poetry is limited in comparison to the impact of the departure of "He." The fact that the speaker uses the phrase "stir the straw" suggests that the power of poetry is insignificant in the face of the profound impact of the departure of "He."

In conclusion, "Poetry More Life-went out-when He went" is a powerful poem that reflects Emily Dickinson's unique perspective on life and death. The poem suggests that the departure of "He" has had a profound impact on the speaker's life and on the world as a whole. The poem also suggests that the power of poetry is limited in comparison to the impact of the departure of "He." Overall, this poem is a testament to the power of Dickinson's writing and her ability to capture the complexities of the human experience in just a few lines of verse.

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