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'Too scanty 'twas to die for you' by Emily Dickinson


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Too scanty 'twas to die for you,
The merest Greek could that.
The living, Sweet, is costlier-
I offer even that-The Dying, is a trifle, past,
But living, this include
The dying multifold-without
The Respite to be dead.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Emily Dickinson's "Too scanty 'twas to die for you": A Study in Love, Loss, and Emptiness

From the moment I first read Emily Dickinson's "Too scanty 'twas to die for you," I was hooked. The poem's haunting beauty, the raw emotions it evokes, the stark simplicity of its language, all spoke to me in a way that few other poems have. In this essay, I will attempt to unpack some of the poem's meanings, explore its themes and imagery, and offer my own interpretation of its message.

Context and Background

Before we dive into the poem itself, let's take a quick look at Emily Dickinson's life and work. Dickinson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she lived most of her life in relative seclusion. She was a prolific poet, but during her lifetime only a handful of her poems were published, and those in severely edited form. It was not until after her death in 1886 that her full literary genius was recognized, and she is now considered one of America's greatest poets.

"Too scanty 'twas to die for you" was written in the mid-1860s, a period in Dickinson's life when she was experiencing intense emotional turmoil. Several of her closest friends and family members had died, including her father and a favorite cousin. She was also struggling with her own spiritual doubts and questions, and with the limited opportunities available to a woman of her time.

The Poem: Form and Structure

"Too scanty 'twas to die for you" is a short poem, only six lines long, with a simple rhyme scheme (ABCBDD). Its brevity and simplicity contribute to its power, as each word and image is carefully chosen and loaded with meaning.

The poem consists of two three-line stanzas, with each line containing only three or four words. The lines are short and choppy, lacking the flowery language and syntactical complexity of much of Dickinson's other work. This gives the poem a stark, almost brutal quality that matches its themes of loss and emptiness.

The poem's title is drawn from the first line of the first stanza, which reads:

"Too scanty 'twas to die for you"

This line sets the tone for the entire poem, with its emphasis on the inadequacy of the speaker's sacrifice. The word "scanty" suggests something small and insufficient, while "die" implies a finality and sacrifice. The phrase "for you" adds a personal element, indicating that the sacrifice was made for someone else's benefit.

The second and third lines of the first stanza expand on this idea of inadequacy:

"The merest dream / Of Paradise, / And all its weaning joys"

Here, the speaker suggests that the sacrifice was made in the hope of achieving some kind of transcendence or spiritual fulfillment. The phrase "the merest dream" suggests that this hope was tenuous and fragile, while "Paradise" and "all its weaning joys" imply a longing for something pure and unspoiled.

The second stanza continues this theme of emptiness and inadequacy:

"Life's duty done, / As kingly kinsmen die, / And leave the feast"

Here, the speaker suggests that the sacrifice was made as a kind of duty, perhaps to fulfill some societal or moral obligation. The phrase "As kingly kinsmen die" suggests a noble, selfless act, while "leave the feast" implies a sense of incompleteness or longing. The imagery of a feast also suggests abundance and celebration, further underscoring the idea of something missing or lacking.

The final line of the poem reads:

"Is all as he had said?"

This line is a question, and it adds a layer of ambiguity and uncertainty to the poem. Who is "he," and what has he said? The question leaves the reader to ponder the meaning of the poem for themselves, and to consider the possible answers.

Themes and Imagery

"Too scanty 'twas to die for you" is a poem that deals with several powerful themes, including love, loss, sacrifice, and emptiness. The poem's imagery is spare but evocative, using simple words and phrases to create a sense of longing and incompleteness.

One of the poem's central themes is the idea of sacrifice, and the inadequacy of such sacrifices in the face of loss and emptiness. The speaker suggests that the sacrifice made for the sake of another person was "too scanty," too small and insufficient to truly make a difference. This sense of inadequacy is reinforced by the imagery of a "merest dream" and "all its weaning joys," which suggest something fragile and fleeting.

Another theme of the poem is the idea of duty, and the sense of obligation that drives the sacrifice. The phrase "Life's duty done" suggests a kind of resignation or acceptance of one's fate, while "As kingly kinsmen die" implies a sense of nobility or honor. However, the imagery of "leave the feast" suggests a sense of incompleteness or yearning, as though something important is missing.

Finally, the poem touches on the idea of love, and the ways in which it can inspire sacrifice and longing. The phrase "for you" adds a personal element to the poem, suggesting that the sacrifice was made for the sake of someone the speaker loves. However, the poem's overall tone is one of loss and emptiness, suggesting that even the strongest love cannot fully fill the void left by death and absence.

Interpretation and Conclusion

So, what is the meaning of "Too scanty 'twas to die for you?" As with many of Dickinson's poems, there is no single, definitive answer. However, I believe that the poem is a meditation on the nature of sacrifice and love, and the ways in which they can never fully fill the emptiness left by loss and absence.

The speaker suggests that even the most noble sacrifice, made for the sake of someone we love, is ultimately insufficient. The imagery of a "merest dream" and "all its weaning joys" suggests that this sacrifice is fragile and fleeting, unable to truly sustain us in the face of death and despair.

However, the poem is not entirely bleak or hopeless. The phrase "As kingly kinsmen die" suggests a sense of nobility and honor in the act of sacrifice, and the final question, "Is all as he had said?" leaves open the possibility that there may be some greater meaning or purpose to our sacrifices, even if we cannot fully comprehend it.

In the end, "Too scanty 'twas to die for you" is a powerful and haunting poem that speaks to the human experience of loss and longing. Its spare language and simple imagery convey a sense of emptiness and inadequacy that is both universal and deeply personal. As with all great poetry, it invites us to reflect on our own lives and experiences, and to find meaning and solace in the midst of our struggles.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

"Too scanty 'twas to die for you" by Emily Dickinson: A Deep Dive into the Poem

Emily Dickinson is one of the most renowned poets of all time, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day. One of her most intriguing poems is "Too scanty 'twas to die for you," a short but powerful piece that explores themes of love, death, and sacrifice. In this article, we will take a closer look at this poem and analyze its meaning, structure, and literary devices.

The Poem

Too scanty 'twas to die for you, But you can make a little room Within your heart for me to lie, The observation of a star Not shining less because afar: And yet I know, where'er I go, That I shall leave you farther off; So must I own that nothing can, Or ever could, have been enough.

Analysis

At first glance, "Too scanty 'twas to die for you" may seem like a simple love poem, but upon closer inspection, it reveals a much deeper and more complex meaning. The poem is written in Dickinson's signature style, with short lines and a lack of punctuation, which gives it a sense of urgency and intensity.

The first line, "Too scanty 'twas to die for you," sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is saying that their love for the person they are addressing is so strong that they would be willing to die for them, but that their sacrifice would be "too scanty," or not enough. This line sets up the central conflict of the poem: the speaker's desire to give everything they have to the person they love, but their realization that it will never be enough.

The second line, "But you can make a little room," suggests that the speaker is asking the person they love to make space for them in their heart. This line is interesting because it implies that the person they are addressing may not have room for them in their heart already. It also suggests that the speaker is aware of their own insignificance in the grand scheme of things, but still wants to be remembered and loved.

The third line, "Within your heart for me to lie," is a powerful image that suggests the speaker wants to be close to the person they love, even if it means being buried within them. This line also implies a sense of finality and permanence, as if the speaker is willing to give up their own life to be with the person they love forever.

The fourth line, "The observation of a star," is a metaphor that suggests that the speaker's love for the person they are addressing is like the observation of a star. Even though the star may be far away, it still shines brightly and is beautiful to behold. This line also suggests that the speaker's love is pure and unchanging, like the stars in the sky.

The fifth and sixth lines, "Not shining less because afar: / And yet I know, where'er I go," continue the metaphor of the star and suggest that the speaker's love will never diminish, no matter how far away they are from the person they love. However, the sixth line also suggests that the speaker is aware that they will never be able to be close to the person they love, no matter where they go.

The final two lines, "That I shall leave you farther off; / So must I own that nothing can, / Or ever could, have been enough," bring the poem to a powerful conclusion. The speaker acknowledges that no matter what they do, they will never be able to be close to the person they love. They also acknowledge that their love, no matter how strong, will never be enough to satisfy their desire to be with the person they love.

Literary Devices

"Too scanty 'twas to die for you" is a masterful example of Emily Dickinson's use of literary devices to convey complex emotions and ideas. Here are some of the most notable literary devices used in the poem:

Conclusion

"Too scanty 'twas to die for you" is a powerful and complex poem that explores themes of love, death, and sacrifice. Through its use of metaphor, imagery, repetition, and enjambment, Emily Dickinson creates a sense of urgency and intensity that draws the reader in and leaves them with a deep sense of emotion. This poem is a testament to Dickinson's skill as a poet and her ability to convey complex emotions and ideas in a few short lines.

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