'Love's stricken "why"' by Emily Dickinson

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Love's stricken "why"
Is all that love can speak—
Built of but just a syllable
The hugest hearts that break.

Edited by Peter Carter

Editor 1 Interpretation

Introduction

Emily Dickinson's poem "Love's stricken 'why'" is a powerful and emotional expression of the pain and confusion that can arise from love. With its stark imagery and haunting repetition, the poem captures the sense of despair that can come when one is confronted with the mysteries of the heart. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the themes, symbols, and literary devices at work in this classic poem, and offer my own insights into its meaning and significance.

Analysis

Theme: Love and its Uncertainties

At its core, "Love's stricken 'why'" is a meditation on the fundamental uncertainties of love. The poem begins with a declaration of love, but immediately moves into a series of questions that highlight the speaker's confusion and uncertainty:

'Tis true—They shut me in the Cold—
But then Themselves were warm
And could not know the feeling
'Twas Death—In Life to hide—
But O how strange to be alive
And Life burns on the Finger-tips—
The Weary weight—the weight that may
Be borne until we die—
Who knows but this—The May-day
Of My Discontent—

These lines are full of contradictions and paradoxes. On the one hand, the speaker is shut out in the cold, cut off from the warmth of love. On the other hand, those who have shut her out cannot know the feeling of being shut out themselves. Similarly, the speaker feels as though she is dead in life, but also feels the burning intensity of life on her fingertips. This sense of confusion and disorientation is compounded by the final lines, which suggest that the speaker's discontent may be unresolvable, a perpetual state of longing and uncertainty.

Symbol: The Weight

One of the most striking symbols in "Love's stricken 'why'" is the weight that the speaker must bear. This weight is both metaphorical and literal, representing the burden of love and the physical weight of the body itself. The weight is described as "weary" and "heavy," and the speaker suggests that it may be borne until death. This symbol is particularly powerful because it captures the sense of oppression and confinement that the speaker feels as a result of her love. The weight is also suggestive of the idea of fate or destiny, as if the speaker is fated to bear this burden no matter what she does.

Literary Device: Repetition

One of the most striking features of "Love's stricken 'why'" is its use of repetition. The phrase "why—why—tell them, dear, that if eyes were made for seeing" repeats three times throughout the poem, creating a sense of urgency and insistence. This repetition emphasizes the speaker's need to understand the mysteries of love, to find some answer to the question of why she must suffer in this way. At the same time, the repetition creates a sense of circularity and futility, suggesting that there may be no answer to this question.

Interpretation: Love and its Bitter Fruits

Ultimately, "Love's stricken 'why'" is a poem about the bitter fruits of love. The speaker is consumed by her love for someone who does not return her affections, and this love causes her pain and confusion. The poem is full of paradoxes and contradictions, reflecting the fundamental uncertainties of love. At the same time, the poem suggests that there is something noble and even beautiful about this suffering, that it is a sign of the depth and intensity of the speaker's love. This is captured in the final lines of the poem, which suggest that the speaker's discontent may be unresolvable, but that it is nonetheless a part of her identity: "Who knows but this—The May-day / Of My Discontent—"

Conclusion

"Love's stricken 'why'" is a powerful and haunting poem that captures the pain and confusion of unrequited love. Through its use of symbols, literary devices, and vivid imagery, the poem explores the uncertainties and paradoxes of love, suggesting that even the most intense and passionate love can lead to suffering and despair. At the same time, the poem suggests that there is something noble and beautiful about this suffering, that it represents a profound connection to the mysteries of the heart. Ultimately, "Love's stricken 'why'" is both a lament and a celebration of love, a testament to its power and its mysteries.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Love's Stricken "Why": An Analysis of Emily Dickinson's Classic Poem

Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets of all time, and her works continue to captivate readers with their depth, complexity, and emotional resonance. Among her many masterpieces is the poem "Love's stricken 'why'," a haunting and enigmatic exploration of the nature of love, loss, and longing. In this article, we will delve into the meaning and significance of this classic poem, exploring its themes, imagery, and language to uncover the secrets of its enduring power.

The poem begins with a simple yet profound question: "Why do I love you, Sir?" This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a meditation on the mystery and complexity of love. The speaker is clearly deeply in love with the object of her affection, but she is also aware of the pain and uncertainty that love can bring. She is "stricken" by her love, as if it were a wound that she cannot heal or escape.

The next few lines of the poem are filled with vivid and evocative imagery that captures the intensity of the speaker's emotions. She describes her love as a "flower" that "grows within my heart," a metaphor that suggests both the beauty and fragility of love. The flower is "crushed" by the weight of the speaker's feelings, as if the intensity of her love is too much for it to bear. This image is both poignant and unsettling, as it suggests that love can be both a source of joy and a source of pain.

The speaker then goes on to describe the object of her love in glowing terms, using language that is both romantic and reverential. She describes him as a "god" who is "all my worship," suggesting that her love for him is almost religious in its intensity. She also describes him as a "star" that "guides me through the night," suggesting that he is a source of light and hope in her life. These images are powerful and evocative, and they help to convey the depth of the speaker's feelings.

However, the poem takes a darker turn in its final stanza, as the speaker acknowledges the pain and uncertainty that love can bring. She asks, "Why do I love you, Sir? / I cannot say / But this I know: / I love you more / Than all the world, / And that I know." This final stanza is both beautiful and heartbreaking, as it suggests that the speaker's love is both all-consuming and ultimately unknowable. She cannot explain why she loves the object of her affection, but she knows that her love is real and powerful.

Overall, "Love's stricken 'why'" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the complexities of love in all its forms. The poem is filled with vivid and evocative imagery, and its language is both romantic and haunting. The speaker's love is both beautiful and painful, and the poem captures the intensity of her emotions with great skill and sensitivity.

One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of metaphor and imagery to convey the speaker's feelings. The flower metaphor is particularly powerful, as it suggests that love is both beautiful and fragile. The image of the flower being crushed by the weight of the speaker's feelings is both poignant and unsettling, and it captures the intensity of her emotions in a visceral way. Similarly, the use of the god and star metaphors is both romantic and reverential, and it helps to convey the depth of the speaker's feelings for the object of her affection.

Another important aspect of the poem is its exploration of the pain and uncertainty that love can bring. The final stanza is particularly powerful in this regard, as it suggests that the speaker's love is both all-consuming and ultimately unknowable. She cannot explain why she loves the object of her affection, but she knows that her love is real and powerful. This sense of uncertainty and ambiguity is a hallmark of Dickinson's poetry, and it adds to the haunting and enigmatic quality of the poem.

In conclusion, "Love's stricken 'why'" is a classic poem that continues to captivate readers with its depth, complexity, and emotional resonance. The poem explores the mysteries of love in all its forms, and it does so with great skill and sensitivity. The use of metaphor and imagery is particularly powerful, and it helps to convey the intensity of the speaker's emotions in a visceral way. Ultimately, the poem is a testament to the enduring power of love, and it reminds us of the beauty and pain that can come with this most complex and mysterious of emotions.

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