Poem Analysis Essays - Emotions, Hope, Positive Mental Attitude

Poem Analysis In Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope is the Thing With Feathers" she is the speaker And as the poem states she is a "hopeless" person. She talks of the virtues of hope, and how important it is, and all the places it can be found but she, herself has no hope. I think the audience Dickinson intended for this poem is anyone who wishes for or needs hope-, which, in time would be anyone who might read it. Dickinson gives no specific setting, but does talk of specific places. 14owever the poet-n is not "set" in those places. The central purpose of this poem is to personify "hope" to the reader. Dickinson makes hope something tangible that the reader can identify with; she twins hope into something concrete. The central idea is that hope gives life its purpose ... it is the facet that gives a reason to all the chaos of life. Dickinson uses a number of devices for the effect of her message, She first uses metaphor in line one by saying Hope is the thing with feathers. , Granted feathers are not a human characteristic, nevertheless an animal trait also qualifies. Assonance is used in lines six, eight, and eleven. Consonance also gives effect in line eleven. Alliteration stands out in lines three, nine and ten. Perhaps the most effective device she uses is personification. In line three she uses personification by saving "hope sings." We all know hope does not really sing, but the personification gives a certain image. With the use of this Dickinson gives way to imagery. This poem is full of imagery. It shows hope as a bird; it shows "the bird" resting in one's soul to sing and never stop, and it shows the little bird being swept away by a storm that can easily destroy the little bird that comforts one so. Dickinson shows the bird in cold lands, and in foreign seas, but never in her own heart. Dickinson says that Hope has feathers -- it is a bird that is situated deep within our souls; hope is found in our hearts. It makes itself known by the feeling it exudes, even though it cannot actually be seen. Finally hope never ceases to exist once you have it. She seems to have seen hope in everywhere except in herself The tone of the poem is basically dark. It starts out giving positive description of hope, but she quickly gives imagery of hope being destroyed, and of herself not having any, This poem is allegoric because it reads as a poem about a little bird that is killed in a storm, but it is really the tale of hope that lights up one's heart and with one, chaotic event, it can be depleted. The poem basically gives the thought of hope a hopeless feeling. Dickinson crushes your idea that hope exists. She makes you believe that it is only in a fantasy world, like a fairy tale where everyone lives "happily ever after." The poem has a harsh truth because we all know in the real world no one lives "happily ever after."