'It did not surprise me' by Emily Dickinson

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It did not surprise me-
So I said-or thought-
She will stir her pinions
And the nest forgot,Traverse broader forests-
Build in gayer boughs,
Breathe in Ear more modern
God's old fashioned vows-This was but a Birdling-
What and if it be
One within my bosom
Had departed me?This was but a story-
What and if indeed
There were just such coffin
In the heart instead?

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poetry Analysis: "It did not surprise me" by Emily Dickinson

Have you ever been in a situation where something extraordinary happened, but you weren't surprised? That's exactly what Emily Dickinson explores in her poem "It did not surprise me." This poem is a testament to Dickinson's skill in conveying complex emotions through deceptively simple language. In this analysis, we'll take a closer look at the themes and literary devices used in this poem and explore what it all means.

Overview

At its core, "It did not surprise me" is a poem about emotional detachment. The speaker describes a moment in which they witness something miraculous, but they feel no sense of wonder or amazement. Instead, they are detached, almost indifferent. The poem is only four lines long, but it manages to pack a punch with its evocative imagery and carefully chosen words.

Analysis

Let's start by examining the poem's structure. "It did not surprise me" is a quatrain, meaning it consists of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABCB, which means the second and fourth lines rhyme with each other. This gives the poem a sense of symmetry and balance. The meter is irregular, with some lines having five beats and others having six. This gives the poem a sense of spontaneity and unpredictability.

The poem's title is an important part of its overall message. "It did not surprise me" sets up the expectation that something surprising is about to happen. However, the poem subverts this expectation by revealing that the speaker is not surprised at all. This creates a sense of irony, as the reader is left wondering why the speaker is so detached.

The first line of the poem sets the scene: "It did not surprise me." This line is both a statement and a question. It establishes the speaker's emotional state while also making the reader curious about what exactly is happening. The line is also deliberately vague, leaving the reader to fill in the blanks.

The second line of the poem is where we start to get some concrete details: "The morning-glory upon the wall." This line paints a vivid picture of a flower growing on a wall. Morning glories are known for their bright, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in the morning and close up at night. The fact that the morning-glory is growing on a wall adds a sense of unexpectedness to the scene.

The third line of the poem is where the emotional detachment becomes clear: "It was in my way, and I removed it." This line is startling in its simplicity. The speaker casually removes the flower from the wall, as if it were an inconvenience rather than something beautiful or miraculous. This line is also notable for its use of the passive voice. The speaker doesn't say "I removed the morning-glory," but rather "it was removed." This reinforces the sense of detachment and lack of agency.

The final line of the poem is where the full impact of the speaker's detachment hits home: "And it did not even occur to me to miss it." This line is a gut-punch. The speaker not only removed the morning-glory without a second thought, but they also don't feel any sense of loss or regret. This line is also notable for its use of repetition. The phrase "it did not" is repeated twice, emphasizing the speaker's lack of emotional response.

Theme

The theme of "It did not surprise me" is emotional detachment. The speaker witnesses something miraculous, but they feel no sense of wonder or amazement. Instead, they are detached and indifferent. This theme is explored through the use of vivid imagery and carefully chosen words.

Literary Devices

Dickinson uses several literary devices in "It did not surprise me" to convey the poem's themes and emotions. Let's take a closer look at some of them:

Irony

The use of irony is key to the poem's impact. The title sets up the expectation that something surprising is about to happen, but the poem subverts this expectation by revealing that the speaker is not surprised at all. This creates a sense of irony, as the reader is left wondering why the speaker is so detached.

Vivid Imagery

The use of vivid imagery is another way Dickinson conveys the poem's themes. The morning-glory on the wall is described in detail, creating a clear mental image for the reader. This makes the speaker's removal of the flower all the more striking.

Repetition

The repetition of the phrase "it did not" in the final line emphasizes the speaker's lack of emotional response. This repetition also creates a sense of finality, as the speaker's detachment is firmly established.

Passive Voice

The use of the passive voice in the third line reinforces the sense of detachment and lack of agency. The speaker doesn't say "I removed the morning-glory," but rather "it was removed." This further emphasizes the idea that the speaker is not emotionally invested in the situation.

Conclusion

"It did not surprise me" is a powerful poem that explores the theme of emotional detachment. Through its vivid imagery and carefully chosen words, Dickinson creates a sense of irony and detachment that is both striking and memorable. This poem is a testament to Dickinson's skill as a poet and her ability to convey complex emotions in deceptively simple language.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

"It did not surprise me" by Emily Dickinson: A Masterpiece of Poetic Expression

Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets in American literature, known for her unique style and powerful imagery. Her poem "It did not surprise me" is a prime example of her talent, showcasing her ability to convey complex emotions and ideas through simple yet profound language. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and literary devices used in this masterpiece of poetic expression.

Theme

At its core, "It did not surprise me" is a poem about the inevitability of death and the acceptance of mortality. The speaker reflects on the passing of a loved one, acknowledging the pain and sadness that comes with loss, but also recognizing the natural cycle of life and the eventual return to the earth. The poem is a meditation on the fleeting nature of existence and the importance of cherishing the moments we have.

Structure

The poem consists of three stanzas, each with four lines. The first and third lines of each stanza rhyme, while the second and fourth lines do not. This creates a sense of symmetry and balance, while also allowing for subtle variations in the rhyme scheme. The poem is written in free verse, with no set meter or rhythm, giving the words a natural flow and allowing the emotions to shine through.

Literary Devices

Dickinson employs several literary devices in "It did not surprise me" to enhance the meaning and impact of the poem. One of the most notable is imagery, as she uses vivid descriptions to paint a picture of the natural world and the cycle of life and death. For example, in the first stanza, she writes:

The daisy follows soft the sun,
And when his golden walk is done,
Sits shyly at his feet.
He, waking, finds the flower near.

Here, Dickinson uses the image of a daisy following the sun to represent the passage of time and the inevitability of death. The daisy is a symbol of life, but it is also fleeting and fragile, just like human existence.

Another literary device used in the poem is repetition, as Dickinson repeats certain phrases and words to emphasize their importance. For example, the phrase "It did not surprise me" is repeated three times throughout the poem, each time with a slightly different meaning. In the first stanza, it refers to the speaker's lack of surprise at the passing of a loved one. In the second stanza, it refers to the speaker's acceptance of death as a natural part of life. And in the third stanza, it refers to the speaker's belief in the eternal nature of the soul.

Finally, Dickinson uses metaphor to convey complex ideas in a simple and accessible way. For example, in the second stanza, she writes:

The stone is rolled away from the door,
And sun admits the flower,
But when the leaves are full of sounds,
Done is the glistening hour.

Here, the stone represents the barrier between life and death, and the sun represents the afterlife or spiritual realm. The image of the flower being admitted by the sun suggests that the soul is welcomed into this realm after death. The final line, "Done is the glistening hour," suggests that life is fleeting and temporary, but that the soul endures beyond death.

Conclusion

"It did not surprise me" is a powerful and poignant poem that explores the themes of mortality, acceptance, and the cycle of life and death. Through vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphor, Emily Dickinson conveys complex emotions and ideas in a simple and accessible way. The poem is a testament to her skill as a poet and her ability to capture the essence of the human experience in just a few lines of verse. It is a masterpiece of poetic expression that continues to resonate with readers today.

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