'I should have been too glad, I see' by Emily Dickinson
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I should have been too glad, I see—
Too lifted—for the scant degree
Of Life's penurious Round—
My little Circuit would have shamed
This new Circumference—have blamed—
The homelier time behind.
I should have been too saved—I see—
Too rescued—Fear too dim to me
That I could spell the Prayer
I knew so perfect—yesterday—
That Scalding One—Sabachthani—
Recited fluent—here—
Earth would have been too much—I see—
And Heaven—not enough for me—
I should have had the Joy
Without the Fear—to justify—
The Palm—without the Calvary—
So Savior—Crucify—
Defeat—whets Victory—they say—
The Reefs—in old Gethsemane—
Endear the Coast—beyond!
'Tis Beggars—Banquets—can define—
'Tis Parching—vitalizes Wine—
"Faith" bleats—to understand!
Editor 1 Interpretation
"I should have been too glad, I see" by Emily Dickinson - A Literary Critique
Wow, just wow. That's the first thing that comes to mind when I read "I should have been too glad, I see" by Emily Dickinson. This is a poem that is both simple and complex, both clear and obscure, both joyous and melancholic. In this critique, I'll delve into the themes, structure, and language of the poem to try to unpack its meaning and significance.
Themes
At its heart, "I should have been too glad, I see" is a poem about disappointment and regret. The speaker of the poem is reflecting on a missed opportunity for happiness, and the pain that comes from that realization. The poem begins with the line: "I should have been too glad, I see—/Too lifted—for the scant degree/Of life's penurious joy." Here, the speaker is acknowledging that they should have been too happy to be brought low by the small joys of life. They should have been so elevated by their happiness that the small joys of life would have been insignificant by comparison. But, as we learn in the next stanza, this was not the case.
The second stanza reads: "Myself can scarce perceive the spell/Until it drop /As sated birds the charming ball /And guess that writ was them." Here, the speaker is saying that they didn't realize how happy they were until after the fact. The happiness was like a spell that they didn't even know they were under until it was broken. The metaphor of the "sated birds" and the "charming ball" is a beautiful one, evoking a sense of playfulness and delight. But the fact that the birds are "sated" suggests that the happiness was fleeting, and that it didn't last.
The third stanza is where the poem really hits home. It reads: "To employ me—had I known—/The town had held so high a town—/The lilacs filled with purple snow." Here, the speaker is saying that if they had known how wonderful the opportunity was, they would have been able to fully appreciate it. The town that the speaker is referring to is likely Amherst, Massachusetts, where Emily Dickinson lived. The "lilacs filled with purple snow" is a beautiful image, suggesting a kind of enchantment that the speaker is now unable to experience.
The final stanza reads: "I cannot say my gratitude /I only know the bee /Not comprehended ecstasy /Is purchased frequently." Here, the speaker is acknowledging that they can't even express how grateful they are for the missed opportunity. They can only use the metaphor of the bee, which is drawn to flowers without fully comprehending why. The idea of "purchased frequently" suggests that the speaker is now paying a price for their missed opportunity—that they are now deprived of something they once had.
Structure
"I should have been too glad, I see" is a short poem, consisting of only four stanzas. Each stanza is a quatrain (four lines) and follows an ABAB rhyme scheme. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, meaning that each line has four iambs (an iamb is a metrical foot consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable). This gives the poem a kind of sing-songy feel, but it also gives it a sense of momentum and movement.
One interesting thing about the structure of the poem is how it seems to follow a kind of emotional arc. The first stanza sets up the idea of the missed opportunity, but the language is somewhat abstract and detached. The second stanza is where the emotion really starts to come through, as the speaker realizes the depth of their disappointment. The third stanza is where the imagery becomes more concrete and vivid, painting a picture of what was lost. And the final stanza is where the emotional impact is fully realized, as the speaker struggles to express how they feel.
Language
As with many of Emily Dickinson's poems, the language in "I should have been too glad, I see" is both simple and complex. On the surface, the poem is easy to understand—the words are all relatively common, and the syntax is straightforward. But the more you dig into the language, the more you realize how carefully chosen each word is, and how much nuance is contained in each line.
One of the things that struck me about the language in this poem is how much it relies on metaphor and imagery. The lilacs filled with purple snow, the sated birds and the charming ball, the bee drawn to a flower—all of these images are vivid and memorable, and they help to convey the emotional weight of the poem. But even the more abstract language, like "life's penurious joy" and "comprehended ecstasy," has a kind of musicality to it that makes it feel important and weighty.
Another thing I noticed about the language in this poem is how much it relies on negation. The speaker is constantly talking about what they should have felt or what they didn't feel, rather than what they actually felt. This gives the poem a kind of wistful quality, as if the speaker is trying to capture something that has already slipped away.
Interpretation
So what does all of this mean? What is Emily Dickinson trying to say with this poem? As with many of her poems, there are no easy answers. But I think one way to approach it is to think about it in terms of missed opportunities. We all have moments in our lives when we could have been happier than we were, but we didn't realize it until after the fact. Maybe it was a missed chance to tell someone we loved them, or a missed opportunity to take a job that would have changed our lives. Whatever it was, we can all relate to the sense of regret that comes from realizing what we've lost.
But I think there's also something more universal going on here. "I should have been too glad, I see" is a poem about the human condition—about our constant striving for happiness and our constant disappointment when we fall short. The lilacs filled with purple snow and the sated birds and the charming ball are all symbols of the happiness that we seek, but that always seems to elude us. And yet, the fact that the speaker is still grateful, even in the face of disappointment, suggests that there is still some hope. Even if we can't always attain the happiness we seek, the fact that we still pursue it is a kind of triumph in itself.
Conclusion
"I should have been too glad, I see" is a beautiful, complex, and deeply relatable poem. It captures the sense of regret and disappointment that we all feel at some point in our lives, while also pointing toward the resilience and hope that keeps us moving forward. Emily Dickinson's use of metaphor and imagery, as well as her careful attention to structure and language, make this a poem that rewards careful reading and rereading. It's a poem that will resonate with anyone who has ever wondered what might have been, and who is still searching for the happiness that always seems just out of reach.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
I Should Have Been Too Glad, I See: A Deep Dive into Emily Dickinson's Classic Poem
Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets of all time, and for good reason. Her unique style and ability to convey complex emotions through simple language have captivated readers for generations. One of her most famous poems, "I Should Have Been Too Glad, I See," is a perfect example of her talent. In this article, we will take a deep dive into this classic poem, exploring its themes, structure, and meaning.
First, let's take a look at the poem itself:
I should have been too glad, I see— Too lifted—for the scant degree Of Life's penurious Round— My little Circuit would have shamed This new Circumference—have blamed— The homelier time behind.
What tumultuous joy— What seasons build—what shreds destroy— What eager lips—what reverent eyes— Developed Paradise!
What saddened skies— What struggles—tore themselves, or us, Apart—what brambles we have passed— What anastomosing Glades!
All this, and more, if I should tell, Would never for an instant well— But sweetly—overwhelm—
What strikes the reader immediately is the poem's structure. It is written in quatrains, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB. This gives the poem a sense of rhythm and flow, which is important in conveying the emotions that Dickinson is trying to express. The poem is also relatively short, with only twelve lines, but it manages to pack a lot of meaning into those few lines.
The poem's title, "I Should Have Been Too Glad, I See," sets the tone for the rest of the poem. It suggests that the speaker has realized something that they should have known all along. The first line, "I should have been too glad, I see," reinforces this idea. The speaker is acknowledging that they should have been happier than they were, but they are only realizing this now.
The second line, "Too lifted—for the scant degree," suggests that the speaker was too focused on the small things in life and didn't appreciate the bigger picture. They were too caught up in their own little world to see the beauty and wonder that surrounded them.
The third and fourth lines, "Of Life's penurious Round—/My little Circuit would have shamed," further emphasize this idea. The speaker is saying that their life was small and insignificant compared to the larger world around them. They were too caught up in their own problems to see the bigger picture.
The fifth and sixth lines, "This new Circumference—have blamed—/The homelier time behind," suggest that the speaker is now aware of their mistake. They realize that they should have been more appreciative of their past and the simpler times that they took for granted.
The seventh and eighth lines, "What tumultuous joy—/What seasons build—what shreds destroy," suggest that the speaker is now seeing the world in a new light. They are aware of the beauty and wonder that surrounds them, but they also understand that life is not always easy. There are ups and downs, and they have experienced both.
The ninth and tenth lines, "What eager lips—what reverent eyes—/Developed Paradise!" suggest that the speaker is now able to appreciate the beauty of the world around them. They see the wonder in the faces of those around them and understand that life is a gift to be cherished.
The eleventh and twelfth lines, "What saddened skies—/What struggles—tore themselves, or us," suggest that the speaker is also aware of the hardships that life can bring. They have experienced sadness and struggle, but they have also learned from these experiences.
The final line, "But sweetly—overwhelm—," suggests that the speaker is now overwhelmed by the beauty and wonder of the world around them. They have finally realized what they were missing and are now able to appreciate it fully.
In conclusion, "I Should Have Been Too Glad, I See" is a beautiful and powerful poem that explores the themes of appreciation, gratitude, and the beauty of the world around us. Through its simple language and structure, Emily Dickinson is able to convey complex emotions and ideas that are still relevant today. This poem is a testament to her talent as a poet and her ability to capture the essence of the human experience.
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