Common Themes in Emily Dickinson's Poetry
Common Themes in Emily Dickinson's Poetry
In Emily Dickinson’s poems, “ ‘Heaven’- is what I can not reach,” and “Success is counted sweetest,” the reader can see there is a desire. One poem shows the desire to reach heaven or a heavenly feeling. The other poem shows a desire to win, to accomplish something. In both poems Dickinson uses end rhyme and eye rhyme. Meyer defines rhyme as, “ The repetition of identical or similar concluding syllables in different words, most often at the end of lines.” (1601). Meyer also states “….words may look alike but not rhyme at all. This is called end rhyme.” (1601). Dickinson also uses images to tell a story with each poem. Meyer defines images as, “ A word, phrase, or figure of speech that addresses the senses, suggesting mental pictures of sighs, sounds, smells, tastes, feelings or actions.” (1593). She also added form. Meyer defines form as, “The overall structure or shape of a work, which frequently follows an established design.” (1591). With images, rhyme and form Dickinson shows the reader the similar way of using image, rhyme and form of both poems, and the feeling of desire. She shows the desire to reach victory or heaven or maybe both.
In “ ‘Heaven’- is what I can not reach,” Dickinson has many images to help the reader see and understand how heaven is unreachable. “ The apple on the Tree / Provided it do hopeless-hang / That – “Heaven” is –to Me!” (2,3,4). The out of reach apple is heaven to her. Being able to reach it would be reaching heaven. The reader can see the image of the apple up in the tree so vividly. The reader knows that there is a desire to eat that particular apple. When it is reached and a bite is taken, the taste will be heavenly. There will be a feeling of accomplishment for reaching that particular apple. “The Color on the Cruising Cloud,” (5). The color of a cloud in the sky that one just can not blend any colors to get. To find that color of the cloud would be heaven. “ The interdicted land,”(6). The reader can see the images of the private property sign. The reader can see the do not enter sign or keep out. This is the one place one would like to go in and see why no one can go inside....