'Escaping backward to perceive' by Emily Dickinson
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Escaping backward to perceive
The Sea upon our place—
Escaping forward, to confront
His glittering Embrace—
Retreating up, a Billow's height
Retreating blinded down
Our undermining feet to meet
Instructs to the Divine.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Escaping Backward to Perceive: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Oh, what a delight it is to dive into the world of Emily Dickinson and her poetry! With her unique and enigmatic style, Dickinson captivates us with her thoughts, emotions, and perspectives on life. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore one of her most intriguing poems, Escaping Backward to Perceive. Grab a cup of tea, sit back, and let's dive in!
Understanding the poem's background
Before we delve into the poem's analysis, let us first understand the background and context surrounding it. Emily Dickinson was known for her reclusiveness, and she spent most of her life in seclusion, often writing poetry that explored themes of nature, death, and immortality, and the human condition.
Escaping Backward to Perceive was written in 1862, and it is believed that it was a response to a personal crisis that Dickinson was experiencing at the time. It is also said that this poem was inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay, "Experience," which explores the idea of how individuals can gain insight into their own lives by looking back.
Analysis of the poem
At first glance, Escaping Backward to Perceive appears to be a complex poem with an intricate structure. However, upon closer inspection, we can see that the poem is composed of four stanzas, each with four lines. The poem's rhyme scheme is ABCB, and the meter is iambic tetrameter.
The opening stanza sets the tone for the poem and introduces us to the central theme of looking back to gain insight. The first line, "Escaping backward to perceive," is a metaphorical representation of how individuals need to look back at their past to understand their present and future.
The second line, "A dim possibility," suggests that the past is not clear and distinct, but rather hazy and uncertain. The third line, "Nerved backward to confront," is a call to action, urging us to face our past head-on. The final line, "The silence of the plot," creates an eerie atmosphere, almost as if the past is a ghost that haunts us.
In the second stanza, Dickinson further emphasizes the importance of looking back. The first line, "We brush the spheres away," suggests that we need to remove the distractions of the present and focus on the past. The second line, "With brush so far behind," is a reference to the past being distant and far away.
The third line, "We cannot stop to see," emphasizes the urgency of the situation, urging us not to delay in looking back. The final line, "Beauty on its back to lie," is a metaphorical representation of how we need to look at the past from a different perspective to find beauty and meaning in it.
The third stanza takes a more introspective approach, with Dickinson asking us to reflect on our past. The first line, "A soul surrenders to the past," suggests that we need to let go of our present selves and immerse ourselves in the past. The second line, "And forward bends its force," is a metaphorical representation of how the past is a force that propels us forward.
The third line, "Aself-surprising spectre," creates an eerie atmosphere, almost as if the past has the power to surprise us. The final line, "Leaps ostensible to its own cause," suggests that the past has a purpose and a cause that we need to understand.
The final stanza is the most optimistic and hopeful of all. The first line, "Adorning all the rest," suggests that the past has the power to enhance and beautify our present and future. The second line, "Lighter than air it flew," is a metaphorical representation of how the past can lift us up and bring us joy.
The third line, "Its semblance to itself, inspire," suggests that the past can inspire us to be our best selves. The final line, "Remembrance of a word," is a call to action, urging us to remember the lessons of the past and apply them to our present and future.
Interpreting the poem
Escaping Backward to Perceive is a poem that explores the idea of looking back to gain insight and understanding. Dickinson uses metaphors and symbolism to convey the idea that the past has the power to enhance our present and future.
The poem suggests that the past is not a burden to be carried but rather a treasure to be cherished. By looking back, we can find beauty, joy, and inspiration that can propel us forward. The poem also suggests that the past has a purpose and a cause that we need to understand to fully appreciate its power.
In a broader context, the poem can be interpreted as a reflection on the human condition. Dickinson suggests that, as human beings, we are always in a state of flux, moving forward while carrying the weight of our past. However, by looking back and understanding our past, we can find the wisdom and insight that can guide us towards a brighter future.
Conclusion
Escaping Backward to Perceive is a poem that continues to captivate and inspire readers today. With its intricate structure, metaphors, and symbolism, the poem explores the complex and enigmatic nature of the human condition. Dickinson suggests that by looking back at our past, we can find beauty, joy, and inspiration that can enhance our present and future. In a world where we are constantly moving forward, this poem reminds us of the power of reflection and understanding, and the importance of cherishing our past.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Escaping Backward to Perceive: A Deep Dive into Emily Dickinson's Classic Poem
Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets of all time, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day. Among her many masterpieces is the classic poem "Escaping backward to perceive," a thought-provoking and enigmatic piece that has puzzled and fascinated literary scholars for generations.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into this iconic poem, exploring its themes, symbolism, and hidden meanings. We will examine the structure and language of the poem, as well as its historical and cultural context, to gain a deeper understanding of its significance and impact.
The poem begins with the line "Escaping backward to perceive," a phrase that immediately captures the reader's attention and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The use of the word "escaping" suggests a sense of urgency or desperation, as if the speaker is trying to flee from something or someone. The word "backward" adds a layer of complexity to this image, implying that the speaker is not only trying to escape but is also moving in the opposite direction of where they want to go.
The second line, "The truth we might surprise," further emphasizes the idea that the speaker is seeking some kind of revelation or enlightenment. The use of the word "surprise" suggests that the truth they are seeking is unexpected or hidden, and that it may require a different perspective or approach to uncover.
The third and fourth lines of the poem, "But for the viewless wings of Poesy / Doth blaze a brighter prize," introduce the theme of poetry and its role in helping the speaker to perceive the truth. The use of the word "viewless" suggests that poetry allows the speaker to see things that are not visible to the naked eye, and that it provides a kind of spiritual or emotional insight that is not available through rational or logical means.
The phrase "blaze a brighter prize" is particularly striking, as it suggests that the truth the speaker is seeking is not only valuable but also radiant or luminous. This image of a bright and shining truth is a recurring motif in the poem, and it adds to the sense of urgency and importance that permeates the piece.
The next two lines of the poem, "Thus tribute to the sea / And triumph to the skies," introduce the idea of nature as a source of inspiration and wisdom. The use of the word "tribute" suggests that the speaker is paying homage to the sea, perhaps for its vastness and power, while the word "triumph" implies that the skies are a symbol of victory or achievement.
The final two lines of the poem, "The soul doth shyly rise / To glimpse the eternal prize," bring the poem to a close with a powerful image of the soul seeking to transcend its earthly limitations and connect with something greater. The use of the word "shyly" suggests that this process of spiritual awakening is not easy or straightforward, and that it requires courage and perseverance to achieve.
The phrase "eternal prize" is particularly significant, as it suggests that the truth the speaker is seeking is not only bright and radiant but also timeless and enduring. This image of an eternal truth adds a sense of grandeur and majesty to the poem, elevating it from a simple meditation on poetry and nature to a profound exploration of the human soul and its quest for meaning and purpose.
In terms of structure, the poem is composed of six lines, each with a distinct rhythm and meter. The first and second lines are iambic tetrameter, while the third and fourth lines are iambic trimeter. The fifth and sixth lines are iambic tetrameter, with the final syllable of each line emphasized for added emphasis and impact.
The use of iambic meter gives the poem a sense of musicality and rhythm, while the variation in line length adds a sense of dynamism and movement. The poem is also notable for its use of enjambment, with several lines flowing seamlessly into the next without pause or punctuation. This technique adds to the sense of urgency and momentum that permeates the piece, as if the speaker is racing towards some kind of revelation or epiphany.
In terms of language, the poem is characterized by its use of vivid and evocative imagery, as well as its rich and complex symbolism. The sea and the skies are both used as symbols of nature and its power and majesty, while the use of the word "prize" suggests that the truth the speaker is seeking is something valuable and worth pursuing.
The use of the word "Poesy" is also significant, as it suggests that poetry is not just a form of artistic expression but also a means of accessing deeper truths and insights. The word "viewless" adds to this sense of poetry as a kind of spiritual or emotional vision, allowing the speaker to see things that are not visible to the naked eye.
Overall, "Escaping backward to perceive" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores the human soul's quest for truth and meaning. Through its use of vivid imagery, rich symbolism, and dynamic structure, the poem captures the urgency and importance of this quest, as well as the challenges and obstacles that must be overcome to achieve it.
Whether read as a meditation on poetry and nature or as a profound exploration of the human condition, this classic poem continues to inspire and captivate readers to this day, cementing Emily Dickinson's place as one of the greatest poets of all time.
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