There can be no denial of the fact that Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets in the history of English literature. The poet goes on to exude her literary quintessence and aesthetic charm in the poems that have found a special place in the hearts of the avid readers of poetry. A close introspection of the works by Emily Dickinson would enable one to have a much better comprehension of the intricacies of the literary portrayals. One can take into reckoning the poems, After great pain, a formal feeling comes and I dwell in Possibility, penned by Emily Dickinson that have left a lasting impression on the minds of one and all. The literary devices and techniques used by the stalwart poet in these two poems accentuate the affective appeal and poetic charm of the works.
It needs to be noted that both the poems in context deal with human nature and life. The thematic consistency in these poems is hard to miss. The poem, After great pain, a formal feeling comes goes on to delve deep into the journey of life. Here, the poet talks about the sufferings of human life. Thus, Dickinson goes on to explore the psyche and state of mind of an individual after the person has gone through a trauma. Now, the theme of pain is intertwined with the effect of past memories on a person’s being. The poem explores how the feeling of pain goes on to make a person feel totally numb about all the things that have occurred in the past times. As such, Dickinson shows how a person can feel dead due to the emotional turmoil even being alive. On the other hand, one can take the poem I dwell in Possibility, where the poet endeavors to link the human domain of existence with that of the natural world. Dickinson goes on to explore the intertwined relationship between man and nature. (Oberhaus 152)
Now, it needs to be reckoned that the poet goes on to use imagery in both the poems. The portrayal of imagery works to enhance the affective charm of the literary works. For instance, one can take into reckoning the poem, After great pain, a formal feeling comes, where the poet engages in the portraiture of demise so as to stir the readers. The poet pens, “After great pain, a formal feeling comes – / The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs.” (Dickinson 1) Thus, from the very inception of the poem, one finds the images of death that haunts the reader right till the very end of the poem. (Ramey & Weisberg 180) In contrast, in the poem, I dwell in Possibility one finds the resonating imagery of the house as portrayed by the poet. It has to be reckoned that the possibility of life is portrayed through the image of this house. The poet goes on to pen, “I dwell in Possibility – / A fairer House than Prose – / More numerous of Windows – / Superior – for Doors.” (Dickinson 1) Thus, this poem comes across to be rich in imagery right from the very inception.
It has to be noted that Emily Dickinson also delves into the apt portraiture of symbolism in her poetry. Symbolism obviously helps the literary artist in bringing out the meaning of the poetry. In the poem, After great pain, a formal feeling comes, one can find the use of the symbols like feet that stands for the body part as well as the poem itself. In this poem, the feet signify the journey of life traversing the emotions. It also stands for the continuation of the poem in its form that explicates the emotional journey. Also, there is the use of the symbol of stone that stands for finality or immutability. The poet writes, “Regardless grown, / A Quartz contentment, like a stone.” (Dickinson 1) In the poem, I dwell in Possibility, the poet goes on to use the symbolic representation of doors and windows. The doors and windows stand for the possibility that is the thematic content of the literary work. The visitors mentioned in the course of this poem stand for the avid readers of Dickinson’s poetry. Thus, one can very well comprehend how the poet uses symbols in the poems so as to bring out the aesthetic charm of the literary works.
Emily Dickinson pays much importance to the form and meter of her poems so as to accentuate the literary charm of the works. For instance, in the poem, After great pain, a formal feeling comes, the first quatrain is composed in iambic pentameter. Also, the last two lines of every stanza rhyme with one another. Thus, one can very well comprehend how the poet opts to delve deep into weaving the form of the poetic work. The iambic pentameter uses a string of stressed and unstressed syllables so as to provide the well-knit form to the first quatrain. The other poem is penned in as many as three quatrains. The poem is penned rhythmically so as to leave a lasting impression in the minds of the readers. Although the first line is written in iambic tetrameter, the rest of this poem does not follow any such pattern whatsoever at all. The change in form echoes the central theme of the poem that life has possibilities in store in the course of the journey. Transformations can be found in the course of life just as in the case of the poem, but the journey must continue.
It would be correct to opine that Emily Dickinson goes on to exude her literary excellence and aesthetic sense in her poetry. The two poems that have been discussed exude her capacity as a literary artist. The literary techniques used by the poet in the poems show how brilliantly she brought out the effect by portraying the content with all its affective charm. While one poem talks of desolation and the emotions of one’s mind, the other explores the varied possibilities of life and the literary artist. The intriguing thing about the poems is that the poet shows her versatility by differing in her approach to the two literary works in context.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. “I dwell in Possibility.” Poetry Foundation. poetryfoundation.org, n.d.
Web. 7 March 2016.
Dickinson, Emily. “After great pain, a formal feeling comes.” Poetry Foundation.
poetryfoundation.org, n.d. Web. 7 March 2016.
Meyer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking,
and Writing. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2014. Print.
Oberhaus, Dorothy Huff. “Emily Dickinson's Fascicles: Method & Meaning.” The Emily
Dickinson Journal 5.2 (1996): 149-54.
Ramey, Christopher H. & Robert W. Weisberg. “The "Poetical Activity" of Emily
Dickinson: A Further Test of the Hypothesis That Affective Disorders Foster Creativity.” Creativity Research Journal 16.2 (2004): 173-85.
