Emily Dickinson Flashcards
Name Dickinsons 4 poems
Hope is the thing with feathers
I felt a funeral in my brain
I heard a fly buzz when i died
I could bring You Jewels - had I a mind to
Hope is the thing with feathers: Themes
Uses metaphor of a bird to describe her continuous feelings of hope
Uses nature to symbolise her own experiences
Importance of good times is emphasised
Hope is the thing with feathers: Features of Style
Metaphor: Hope is a bird
Capitalisation: Emphasis
Dash: Slows the pace of the poem and emphasises
Personification: Hope and bird personified “Yet- never- in Extremity It asked a crumb- of me”
Hope is the thing with feathers: Important Quotes
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul”
“Sings the tune without the words”
“Sore must be the storm - That could abash the little Bird”
“That kept so many warm”
“Never- in Extremity It asked a crumb of me”
I heard a Fly Buzz When I Died: Themes
The poet uses a metaphor of a fly to describe the moment of death
The poet views death as a part of life
A belief in the afterlife eases the fear of death and the unknown
I heard a Fly Buzz when I died: Features of Style
Onomatopoeia: “Buzz”- The word used twice as a contrast to death
Imagery: The king is an image of Christ and the next life
Windows is used as an image of eyes
Capitalisation: Key words emphasised e.g King, Keepsakes, Blue
Colour: The blue colour of the fly contrasts with the traditional black colour of death - creates a more soothing image
I heard a fly buzz when i died: Important Quotes
“I heard a fly buzz when i died”
“The stillness in the room was like the stillness in the air”
“When the king Be witnessed”
“I willed my keepsakes”
“And then the Windows failed - and then I could not see to see-“
“With Blue, uncertain stumbling Buzz”
I could Bring You Jewels - Had I a Mind to: Themes
A celebration of the ordinary and commonplace
The simple flower is a superior gift to the exotic flowers and colours of the Caribbean
Tone is light-hearted as the poet encourages her readers to appreciate the common beauties of the meadow
I Could bring you Jewels had I a mind to: Features of Style
Unusual Punctuation:
- Capitalisation: stresses important words and important themes
- The Dash: Creates dramatic pause and emphasises themes
Images: Visual, “colours from Vera Cruz”
Olfactory, “Odors from San Domingo”
Alliteration: “Berries of the Bahamas” a form of rhyme used for emphasis
Symbol: Bobadilo- Wealth and violence
Rhetorical Question: “Better could I bring” emphasises the worth of the meadow flower
I Could Bring You Jewels - had I a mind to: Important Quotes
“Odors from St. Domingo”
“Colours from Vera Cruz”
“Berries from the Bahamas”
“This little Blaze Flickering to itself in the Meadow”
“For Bobadilo”
“Emerald Swing”
“Better - could I bring”
I Felt a Funeral in my Brain: Themes
Poet uses metaphor of funeral to describe descent into mental collapse
The stages of the funeral reflect the stages of the collapse
The idea of being buried alive reflects the terror and pain of the breakdown of sanity
I Felt a Funeral in my Brain: Features of Style
Metaphor: Funeral is a metaphor for mental breakdown
Aural Imagery: Sounds intensify and become louder
Capitalisation: Emphasises key words and themes e.g Funeral Service, Drum, Bell etc
Punctuation and the Dash: Creates a sense of pause, slow pace reflects thoughts finished - then - loss of consciousness completely
Images: Shipwreck, funeral bell
I Felt a Funeral in my Brain: Important Quotes
“I felt a funeral in my brain and mourners to and fro”
“A service like a drum, kept beating - beating till i thought My mind was going numb”
“As all the heavens were a bell”
“And hit a world at every plunge, And finished knowing - then -“
