Emily Dickinson Poetry

“Success is Counted Sweetest”

            At first, I struggled reading Dickinson’s poetry, not because her poems are long; actually they are rather short, but because of the powerful and strong messages she is able to get across in so few words. It took me multiple times of reading her poetry to get use to her style and better understand what she is saying. In “Success is Counted Sweetest”, Dickinson points out that those who don’t know of success are the ones who desire it the most. She inquires that those who have never had such triumph, or tasted the “nectar” are those who “need” it the most. In the final stanza Dickinson writes “As he defeated-dying- On whose forbidden ear The distant strains of triumph Burst agonized and clear”! According to Dickinson the defeated dying man knows triumph and victory better than the actual victors just by witnessing it on the other side.

 I am not so sure I completely agree with all of Dickinson is saying, though I find her perspective to be eye opening and interesting.  I feel that once you have been victorious, you continue wanting to be victorious, it is almost like greed in a way, as opposed to someone who has never been victorious, they don’t seem to know the difference or have expectations to live up to or titles to defend. Dickinson’s viewpoint fascinates me because I have never really thought about how much mankind tends to want and desire the things that we don’t have or have never experienced such as success or victory and those who have never experienced these things tend to appreciate it more if and when they are victorious or successful.

“This World is not Conclusion”

I was perplexed by this poem. I was unsure exactly what Dickinson was talking about. At first I thought she was talking about another species like life on Mars or something because of the line “A Species stands beyond”. After rereading the poem a few times, I later decided that Dickinson is talking about religion. Dickinson starts off by saying, “ This World is not conclusion” which I interpreted as meaning there is eternal life after death. She describes faith as being “Invisible, as music- But positive, as Sound”. God is someone who isn’t seen but someone that is known and undeniable, he is baffling and there is no philosophy for faith. “To guess it, puzzles scholars- To gain it, Men have borne” Faith and God are not things to be questioned; they are just believed to be true and to be known. It is evident that Dickinson has faith and believes in life after death, which isn’t seen but still able to be understood. At the end of the poem, Dickinson talks about how it is possible even for preachers to be unsure, and no matter how many Hallelujahs roll, preachers cannot point people in the direction of faith, it is just something that they believe and follow or they don’t. The last line “Narcotics cannot still the Tooth That nibbles at the soul-“ I interpreted this line as preachers can preach from the bible “offer narcotics” but it may not still their doubts of faith and eternal life, the same way that it may not convince those to whom they preach.

I found it interesting that Dickinson is in a way questioning faith. She seems to say that faith and eternal life is not something that can be proved rather it is something that one must believe. Though many have doubts and there is no way to calm those doubts and fears, preachers will continue to preach and followers of God will continue to follow and believe what they are going to believe.

Discussion Questions:

·      Did you find Dickinson’s poetry difficult to read or understand? Explain.

·      Do you agree with Dickinson in her ideas about religion and faith?

·      What was your favorite Dickinson poem to read and why?