Analysis of Poem 305 by Emily Dickinson - 1175 Words

305 Reasons to Love Emily Dickinson Poem #305 The difference between Despair And Fear—is like the One Between the instant of a Wreck And when the Wreck has been— The Mind is smooth—no Motion— Contented as the Eye Upon the Forehead of a Bust— That knows—it cannot see— Dickinsons poetic accomplishment was recognized during her time, but never has she been more acclaimed than she is toady. Readers immediately discovered a poet of immense depth and stylistic complexity whose work cannot be categorized. For example, though she frequently uses the common ballad meter associated with hymnody, her poetry is in no way constrained by that form; rather â€Å"she performs like a jazz artist who uses rhythm and meter to revolutionize†¦show more content†¦The word â€Å"contented† (Line 6) suggests that Dickinson accepted her role as a subservient woman in society because she felt unable to change her fate. In this acceptance of defeat, the fear of being a subjugated woman grows into despair after the realization that she could not change her fate. Dickinson uses this final simile to present the idea that the mind of a woman leads to knowledge of her status, which leads to despair. With the mention of the mind being smooth without motion ( Line 5), Dickinson describes the frenzied state of her thinking. Her description of a mind without motion alludes to the act of a mind flying through so many thoughts and feelings, all the while the body is motionless, patient in waiting to single out a thought to process and then elaborate on. Dickinson continues in line 6 with â€Å"Contented as the Eye,† where she relates the eye to the mind. Similarly, the eye can flicker on different images and see so many things, but is not always observant. The eye can spin around, looking and absorbing all the visuals in front of it, but it is confined in it’s socket, unable to go out and be part of the world it witnesses. Dickinson uses this simile to again emphasize her plight of being a woman and being trapped in the role society set for her. With the end of the second stanza, referencing the contented eye stuck on a bust that knows it cannot see, Dickinson fully realizes her life as a woman. This is when the reader c an seeShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pageslooking at alternative actions that can be taken, then considering the probable good consequences of each action and the probable bad consequences while weighing the positive and negative impact of each consequence. It’s a kind of cost-benefit analysis. Exercises 1. Columbus Day is an American holiday. Write a short essay that weighs the pros and cons and then comes to a decision about whether there should be more or less public celebration (by Americans and their institutions) on Columbus