'The Dream' by Edna St. Vincent Millay

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Renascence and Other Poems1917Love, if I weep it will not matter,And if you laugh I shall not care;
Foolish am I to think about it,But it is good to feel you there.Love, in my sleep I dreamed of waking,-White and awful the moonlight reached
Over the floor, and somewhere, somewhere,There was a shutter loose,-it screeched!Swung in the wind,-and no wind blowing!-I was afraid, and turned to you,
Put out my hand to you for comfort,-And you were gone! Cold, cold as dew,Under my hand the moonlight lay!Love, if you laugh I shall not care,
But if I weep it will not matter,-Ah, it is good to feel you there!

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Dream by Edna St. Vincent Millay

I've always been fascinated with poetry. There's just something about the way words are woven together to create vivid images and emotions that captivates me. So when I stumbled upon Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem, The Dream, I knew I had to dive deeper into it. And boy, was I not disappointed!

The Poem

The Dream is a poem that centers around a dream the speaker had. It starts off with the speaker describing the dream, which was about a fairy and a prince. The fairy tells the prince that she will give him three wishes, but he can only choose one. The prince chooses to have the fairy stay with him forever.

The poem then transitions into the speaker talking about how the dream made her feel. She talks about how the dream was so real that she could still feel the fairy's breath on her cheek. She also talks about how the dream made her realize that she desires a love that is eternal.

The poem ends with the speaker acknowledging that the dream was just a dream, but it still had a profound impact on her. She ends with the lines, "But waking, I flung the doors of my heart wide open, and beheld within, as in a picture frame, a portrait of you."

Interpretation

What I find so interesting about The Dream is how it explores the idea of love and desire. The prince in the dream chooses to have the fairy stay with him forever, which can be seen as a representation of eternal love. The speaker then talks about how the dream made her realize that she desires a love that is eternal as well.

But what is it about eternal love that is so desirable? Why do we crave it so much? I think it's because we know that our time on this earth is limited, and the idea of having someone to share that time with forever is comforting. It's also because eternal love represents a deep connection and understanding between two people.

The fact that the dream was so vivid and real to the speaker also adds to the idea of the desire for eternal love. It's as if the speaker experienced a taste of what it would be like to have someone stay with her forever, and it was so powerful that it stayed with her even after she woke up.

The final lines of the poem, "But waking, I flung the doors of my heart wide open, and beheld within, as in a picture frame, a portrait of you," are especially powerful. The speaker is essentially saying that the dream made her realize that the person she desires eternal love with is the person she is currently with. It's a beautiful moment of realization and self-discovery.

Literary Criticism

From a literary standpoint, The Dream is a beautifully written poem. Millay's use of imagery and language is masterful, and she does an excellent job of conveying the emotions of the speaker.

One thing that stands out to me in the poem is the use of repetition. The line, "But I saw you, and I knew who you were," is repeated twice in the poem. This repetition adds to the power of the line and emphasizes the idea that the dream helped the speaker recognize who she truly desires eternal love with.

Another aspect of the poem that I appreciate is the use of enjambment. Millay often ends lines in the middle of a thought or sentence, which creates a sense of flow and movement in the poem. It also adds to the dreamlike quality of the poem, as thoughts and ideas are not always neatly contained.

Finally, I have to mention the final two lines of the poem, "And beheld within, as in a picture frame, a portrait of you." These lines are so beautifully crafted and capture the essence of the poem perfectly. The use of the metaphor of a picture frame adds to the idea of the dream being a moment of realization and clarity for the speaker.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Dream by Edna St. Vincent Millay is a powerful and beautifully written poem that explores the ideas of love and desire. Through vivid imagery and language, Millay is able to convey the emotions of the speaker and create a sense of intimacy with the reader. The repetition and enjambment used in the poem add to its power, and the final two lines are a perfect ending to a perfect poem.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Dream: A Masterpiece of Poetry by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, is known for her lyrical and evocative poetry that captures the essence of human emotions. One of her most famous works, "The Dream," is a perfect example of her poetic genius. This poem is a beautiful and haunting exploration of the human psyche, and it has captivated readers for generations.

The poem begins with a simple and straightforward statement: "Love, if I weep it will not matter." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a meditation on the nature of love and its power over the human heart. The speaker of the poem is addressing her lover, telling him that even if she were to cry, it would not change the fact that she loves him. This opening line is a powerful statement of the speaker's devotion and commitment to her lover.

The second stanza of the poem is where the dream begins. The speaker tells her lover that she had a dream in which she was "the queen of a red kingdom." This dream is a metaphor for the power and intensity of the speaker's love. The red kingdom represents the passion and fire of love, and the fact that the speaker is the queen of this kingdom shows that she is in control of her emotions and her love for her lover.

The third stanza of the poem is where the dream takes a darker turn. The speaker tells her lover that in her dream, she was "betrayed by a king." This betrayal represents the fear and insecurity that can come with love. The speaker is afraid that her lover will betray her, just as the king in her dream did. This fear is a common theme in Millay's poetry, and it speaks to the vulnerability that comes with loving someone deeply.

The fourth stanza of the poem is where the dream becomes even more surreal. The speaker tells her lover that in her dream, she "slew a thousand knights." This act of violence represents the power and strength of the speaker's love. She is willing to fight for her lover, to protect him from any harm that might come his way. This stanza is a powerful statement of the speaker's devotion and loyalty to her lover.

The fifth and final stanza of the poem is where the dream comes to an end. The speaker tells her lover that she woke up from her dream and found herself alone. This ending is a poignant reminder of the transience of love. Even though the speaker's love for her lover is strong and powerful, it is still subject to the whims of fate and circumstance. The fact that the speaker wakes up alone is a reminder that love can be fleeting, and that we must cherish it while we have it.

Overall, "The Dream" is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of human emotions. It is a powerful meditation on the nature of love, and it speaks to the vulnerability and strength that come with loving someone deeply. Millay's use of metaphor and imagery is masterful, and her language is lyrical and evocative. This poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience, and it is a reminder of the enduring power of love.

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