Emily Dickinson Use Metaphors In There's A Certain...

In her poem, 'There’s a certain Slant of light', Emily Dickinson uses metaphors and imagery to convey the feeling of solemnity and despair at winter’s twilight. It is clear, the speaker is someone who has experienced great pain in her lifetime, yet somewhat embraces this pain. The metaphors used in this poem, are used to describe not only depression, but pain and religion as well. It is clear the poet's intentions are to highlight the afternoon light, with its heaviness and solemnity. Winter, which is the season the poet is writing of, is often used as a metaphor for death or despair.

The slant of light is described as 'winter afternoons' it almost brings a melancholy feeling. The word winter, can instill feelings of loneliness, isolation, …show more content…
The poet goes on to say that the winter light, which slants in through the windows, weighs upon the speaker's soul like “the Heft of Cathedral tunes.”(Dickinson 1.3,4) Organs, with their multiple pipes, strike ears and fill Cathedrals with a sound that often leaves you with a feeling of unwelcome solemnity. The image of winter, as well as the organ music, adds gloom to the …show more content…
The middle two (second and third) stanzas evokes a darker and heavier mood as they are both centered around this concept of “Heavenly Hurt” and “imperial affliction”. The words such as “scar” and “seal Despair” show this, the word “scar” implies something that is long lasting, inerasable. Similarly, the “seal Despair” also evokes this feeling of eternal pain. The drastic shift shows how even with something so painful, it can be overlooked. It all depends on what the individual wants to show or how hard another wants to look. The speaker only perceived the first part of their pain, reluctant to admit to how much they are actually going through and feeling. The second and third stanza reflects the period in which the speaker is immersing deeper and deeper in to this abyss of pain. She explains how there’s almost a forced dictation to her pain and that she herself can’t help what is going on. It shows her trying to overcome in a lack luster way while always knowing that pain and suffering is right behind the corner no

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Emily Dickinson Use Metaphors In There's A Certain Slant Of Light

Grade 9 Literature Terms Essay

Emily Dickinson Use Metaphors In There's A Certain Slant Of Light

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Grade 9 Literature Terms Essay