'Let me not mar that perfect Dream' by Emily Dickinson
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Let me not mar that perfect Dream
By an Auroral stain
But so adjust my daily Night
That it will come again.Not when we know, the Power accosts-
The Garment of Surprise
Was all our timid Mother wore
At Home-in Paradise.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Let me not mar that perfect Dream by Emily Dickinson: A Close Reading
Wow, what a title! "Let me not mar that perfect Dream" - it's like Dickinson is pleading with us to pay attention, to really listen to what she's saying. And once we do, we're rewarded with one of her most complex and thought-provoking poems. In this close reading, I'll explore the themes, imagery, and language of "Let me not mar that perfect Dream," and argue that it's a meditation on the fleeting nature of happiness and the power of the imagination to sustain us in difficult times.
But first, a little background. Emily Dickinson was an American poet who lived from 1830 to 1886. She was notoriously reclusive, rarely leaving her family's home in Amherst, Massachusetts. During her lifetime, only a handful of her poems were published, and those were heavily edited to fit the conventions of the time. It wasn't until after her death that her full body of work was discovered and recognized for its brilliance and originality.
"Let me not mar that perfect Dream" was likely written in the 1860s, a time when Dickinson was experiencing a period of intense emotional turmoil. The poem is written in her signature style, with short lines and spare language, but it's also one of her more accessible works. At first glance, it seems to be a simple plea to not ruin a good thing. But as we dig deeper, we discover a wealth of complexity and ambiguity.
The Dream as a Metaphor for Happiness
The first stanza of the poem sets up the central metaphor:
Let me not mar that perfect Dream
By an Auroral stain
But so adjust my daily Night
That it will come again.
The "perfect Dream" is clearly something precious and fragile, something worth preserving. In the next line, we're introduced to the concept of an "Auroral stain." The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, are a natural phenomenon that light up the sky with vibrant colors. But here, the image is inverted - the stain is something negative, something that would mar the beauty of the dream. It's not clear what this stain represents, but we can infer that it's some kind of external influence that threatens to disrupt the dream.
The second half of the stanza is where things get interesting. Dickinson doesn't just want to preserve the dream - she wants to "so adjust my daily Night / That it will come again." This suggests that the dream is not a one-time occurrence, but something that can be cultivated and sustained. It's not just a fleeting moment of happiness, but a state of being that can be accessed through deliberate effort.
So what is this dream, exactly? It's never explicitly stated, but we can make some educated guesses based on the imagery in the rest of the poem. It seems to be something related to nature - the next stanza mentions "Birds that keep their evening tune," and later on there are references to "green fields" and "rivers." It's also associated with a sense of peace and contentment - the speaker wants to "live content with small means" and "sleep without a dream." Taken together, these elements suggest that the dream represents a kind of idyllic existence, one in which the speaker is in harmony with the natural world and free from the stresses of modern life.
The Threat of Reality
Of course, any dream is vulnerable to the harsh reality of waking life. In the second stanza, Dickinson acknowledges this:
Altho' 'tis true that Winters wane
And Life's brief Summers fail
Maybe appointed as my friend
I'll take the Blue Bird's tail.
The first two lines are a reminder that nothing lasts forever - even the most perfect dream must eventually come to an end. But then we get the intriguing line "Maybe appointed as my friend / I'll take the Blue Bird's tail." This is a reference to an old folk belief that if you catch a bluebird and tie a string around its tail, you'll be granted good luck. But the image is also slightly grotesque - it's not clear whether the speaker wants to befriend the bluebird or capture it. Either way, it's a reminder that the dream is not a given - it requires effort and sacrifice to maintain.
The third stanza reinforces this idea:
The Anguish of the Earth
Doth put the Heart abroad
And household faces on the Air
Their Men return from Road
Here, the dream is contrasted with the harsh realities of the world. The "Anguish of the Earth" is a vague but ominous phrase that suggests some kind of existential pain, while the "household faces on the Air" could be interpreted as the speaker's family or community. The reference to "Men [who] return from Road" is particularly intriguing - it implies that the dream is threatened not just by external forces, but by the people in the speaker's life. Perhaps they are the ones who would mar the dream with their own anxieties and struggles.
The Power of the Imagination
So how can the dream be preserved in the face of these threats? The answer, according to the final stanza, is through the power of the imagination:
Better an endless Blue
Than perish on a Rose
Who hesitate to approve
Approve defeats the purpose—
Too vaguely apprehended at the first
The Height be recollects the flight
And but a Berth—a for a Friend
So grateful certainty!
The first two lines are a clear rejection of the fleeting pleasures of life - the "endless Blue" is a reference to the sky, which represents something vast and eternal. The rose, by contrast, is a symbol of transience and impermanence. The third line is a bit harder to parse - it seems to be addressing someone who is hesitant to embrace the dream, warning that indecision will only lead to failure. This could be interpreted as a criticism of those who cannot commit fully to the pursuit of happiness, or it could be a warning to the speaker herself.
The final three lines are particularly striking. They suggest that the dream is not just a fanciful illusion, but something that can be recalled and experienced again and again. The "Height" could be a metaphor for the dream state, while the "flight" suggests the sense of freedom and escape that comes with it. The "Berth" is a bit of a mystery - it could be a reference to a boat, or to a resting place. But the overall effect is to reinforce the idea that the dream is a real and tangible thing, not just a fleeting fancy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Let me not mar that perfect Dream" is a rich and complex poem that rewards close reading and interpretation. It uses the metaphor of a dream to explore the fleeting nature of happiness and the power of the imagination to sustain us in difficult times. By juxtaposing this dream with the harsh realities of the world, Dickinson creates a powerful contrast that underscores the importance of cultivating a sense of inner peace and contentment. And by ending the poem on a note of hope and possibility, she reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is always the potential for renewal and transformation. What a beautiful and inspiring poem!
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Let me not mar that perfect Dream is a beautiful poem written by the renowned American poet, Emily Dickinson. This poem is a perfect example of Dickinson's unique style of poetry, which is characterized by its brevity, unconventional punctuation, and use of metaphors. In this analysis, we will explore the meaning and significance of this poem, and how it reflects Dickinson's views on life, love, and death.
The poem begins with the line "Let me not mar that perfect Dream," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The word "mar" means to spoil or damage, and the use of this word suggests that the dream being referred to is something precious and fragile. The dream is perfect, and the speaker does not want to do anything to ruin it. This dream could be interpreted as a metaphor for life, love, or any other precious thing that we hold dear.
The second line of the poem reads, "Let my report be false like Them." Here, the speaker is asking that their report, or account of the dream, be false like "Them." It is unclear who "Them" refers to, but it could be interpreted as a reference to the people who do not understand or appreciate the dream. The speaker does not want to share their experience with those who cannot appreciate its beauty and perfection.
The third line of the poem reads, "Dare not to dispossess me." Here, the speaker is asking that no one take away their dream or their experience of it. The use of the word "dispossess" suggests that the dream is something that belongs to the speaker, and they do not want anyone to take it away from them.
The fourth line of the poem reads, "Of the imperialistic Night." Here, the speaker is referring to the night as being "imperialistic." This suggests that the night is powerful and dominant, and that it has the ability to control or influence the dream. The use of this word also suggests that the dream is something that is beyond the control of the speaker, and that it is something that they are experiencing rather than creating.
The fifth line of the poem reads, "Confronting me with her might." Here, the speaker is referring to the night as being female, and as having "might" or power. This line suggests that the speaker is in awe of the night and its power, and that they are being confronted by it in some way.
The sixth and final line of the poem reads, "I am not ashamed to own it, nor you." Here, the speaker is declaring that they are not ashamed of their dream, and that they are not ashamed to share it with others. The use of the word "own" suggests that the dream is something that belongs to the speaker, and that they are proud of it.
Overall, Let me not mar that perfect Dream is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that explores the themes of beauty, fragility, and power. The dream that the speaker is referring to could be interpreted in many different ways, but it is clear that it is something that is precious and fragile, and that the speaker does not want to do anything to ruin it. The use of metaphors and unconventional punctuation adds to the beauty and complexity of the poem, and it is a perfect example of Emily Dickinson's unique style of poetry.
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