'How dare the robins sing' by Emily Dickinson
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How dare the robins sing,
When men and women hear
Who since they went to their account
Have settled with the year!—
Paid all that life had earned
In one consummate bill,
And now, what life or death can do
Is immaterial.
Insulting is the sun
To him whose mortal light
Beguiled of immortality
Bequeaths him to the night.
Extinct be every hum
In deference to him
Whose garden wrestles with the dew,
At daybreak overcome!
Edited by Peter Carter
Editor 1 Interpretation
How Dare the Robins Sing: A Critical Analysis
Emily Dickinson's poem "How Dare the Robins Sing" is a powerful work that explores themes of loss, grief, and the difficulty of moving on after a significant loss. In this 4000-word literary criticism, we will delve deeply into the poem and explore its meaning, structure, and overall significance.
Background Information
Before we begin our analysis, it is important to understand the context in which this poem was written. Emily Dickinson was known for her introspective and deeply personal poetry, much of which was written during a period of great personal loss in her life. Dickinson experienced a number of significant losses, including the deaths of several close friends and family members, which no doubt informed her work.
"How Dare the Robins Sing" was likely written during a period of intense grief for Dickinson, and as we will see, the poem reflects this deeply personal experience of loss.
Structure and Form
The poem is composed of four stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The rhyming scheme is ABAB, and the meter is iambic tetrameter, meaning that each line contains four beats or stresses. The use of regular meter and rhyme gives the poem a musical quality that is both pleasing to the ear and helps to create a strong sense of structure.
The poem's title, "How Dare the Robins Sing," immediately sets a tone of anger and resentment. The use of the word "dare" suggests that the speaker is offended by the natural world's insensitivity to her grief.
Analysis
The poem begins with the line, "How dare the robins sing," which sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is clearly upset by the cheerful and carefree behavior of the birds, which stand in stark contrast to her own sense of loss and mourning. The use of the word "dare" suggests a sense of offense or outrage, as if the speaker is personally affronted by the birds' behavior.
In the second stanza, the speaker laments the passing of a loved one, saying, "The sky is blue again, as if / No cloud had ever passed." This line speaks to the sense of disorientation and confusion that often accompanies grief, as the world seems to continue on as if nothing has happened despite the speaker's overwhelming sense of loss. The use of color imagery (blue sky) further emphasizes the contrast between the speaker's inner emotional landscape and the external world of nature.
The third stanza is perhaps the most powerful in the poem, as the speaker directly addresses the birds, saying, "Yet how much room for memory / Have ye, thereunder!" The use of the archaic "ye" gives the poem a sense of timelessness and echoes the traditional language of mourning and lamentation. The speaker seems to envy the birds' ability to forget, as if this were somehow preferable to the pain of remembering.
Finally, in the fourth stanza, the speaker acknowledges the inevitability of the passage of time, saying, "Not one / But would forsake a dream / Apostatize a trust / To wanderer gone home." Here, the speaker suggests that even the birds, who seem so carefree and unconcerned with the speaker's grief, would be willing to abandon their own sense of security and comfort in order to be reunited with a loved one who has passed away.
Overall, "How Dare the Robins Sing" is a deeply personal and introspective poem that explores the complex emotions of grief and loss. The use of regular meter and rhyme gives the poem a sense of structure and musicality, while the imagery of the natural world serves as a powerful contrast to the speaker's inner emotional landscape.
Interpretation
There are a number of different ways to interpret this poem, and the meaning of the poem will likely resonate differently with different readers. At its core, however, "How Dare the Robins Sing" is a powerful meditation on the difficulty of moving on after a significant loss.
The speaker is clearly struggling to come to terms with a loved one's passing, and the birds' cheerful behavior serves as a constant reminder of the speaker's own sense of grief and loss. The use of color imagery and nature imagery serves to highlight the contrast between the external world and the speaker's internal emotional landscape, as if the world itself is somehow insensitive to the speaker's pain.
Ultimately, the poem seems to suggest that the process of grieving is a deeply personal and individual one, and that there is no "right" way to deal with the loss of a loved one. The speaker envies the birds' ability to forget, but at the same time acknowledges the importance of memory and the pain that comes with it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "How Dare the Robins Sing" is a powerful and deeply personal poem that explores themes of grief, loss, and the difficulty of moving on after a significant loss. The use of regular meter and rhyme gives the poem a sense of structure and musicality, while the imagery of the natural world serves as a powerful contrast to the speaker's inner emotional landscape. The meaning of the poem will likely resonate differently with different readers, but at its core, "How Dare the Robins Sing" is a powerful meditation on the human experience of loss and the importance of memory in the process of grieving.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
How Dare the Robins Sing: A Poetic Masterpiece by Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson, one of the most celebrated American poets, is known for her unique style and unconventional themes. Her poem "How Dare the Robins Sing" is a perfect example of her exceptional talent. In this poem, Dickinson explores the theme of grief and the struggle to find solace in nature.
The poem begins with a rhetorical question, "How dare the robins sing?" This question sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker is clearly in a state of grief and cannot understand how the world can continue to function as normal when they are experiencing such pain. The use of the word "dare" suggests that the speaker feels that the robins are somehow being disrespectful by singing, as if they should be mourning along with the speaker.
The second stanza continues this theme, with the speaker asking, "How dare the breeze blow?" Here, the speaker is expressing their frustration with the fact that the world is continuing to move forward, even though they are stuck in their grief. The use of the word "dare" once again suggests that the speaker feels that the natural world should be more respectful of their pain.
In the third stanza, the speaker begins to turn their attention to the natural world itself, asking, "How dare the sun rise?" Here, the speaker is expressing their frustration with the fact that the world is continuing to exist, even though they are experiencing such intense pain. The use of the word "dare" suggests that the speaker feels that the sun is somehow being disrespectful by rising, as if it should be mourning along with the speaker.
The fourth stanza is where the poem takes a turn, as the speaker begins to find solace in nature. The speaker asks, "How dare the birds sing?" but this time, the question is followed by a statement: "When men and women hear / Who since they went to their account / Have settled with the year!" Here, the speaker is acknowledging that even though they are in pain, the natural world is still beautiful and life goes on. The use of the phrase "settled with the year" suggests that the speaker is coming to terms with the fact that time moves on, and that they must find a way to move forward as well.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful. The speaker asks, "Are they dead, that yet can take / The bird's sweet gravity / And twist it to a thread / To tie the soul to the cross-beam?" Here, the speaker is acknowledging that even though their loved ones are gone, they still have the memories and the beauty of the natural world to hold onto. The use of the phrase "tie the soul to the cross-beam" suggests that the speaker is finding a way to move forward, even though they are still in pain.
Overall, "How Dare the Robins Sing" is a powerful exploration of grief and the struggle to find solace in nature. Through her use of rhetorical questions and powerful imagery, Emily Dickinson is able to convey the complex emotions that come with loss. The poem is a testament to Dickinson's exceptional talent and her ability to capture the human experience in a way that is both beautiful and profound.
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