Thursday, March 8, 2012

Rebellion





613

They shut me up in Prose --
As when a little Girl
They put me in the Closet --
Because they liked me "still" --
Still! Could themself have peeped --
And seen my Brain -- go round --
They might as wise have lodged a Bird
For Treason -- in the Pound --
Himself has but to will
And easy as a Star
Abolish his Captivity --
And laugh -- No more have I --



They shut me up in Prose --

Who are “they“? Why is prose capitalized? Is she referring to prose as a negative, non-creative, hindering idea of language? The phrase “in Prose” could literally mean that she was told to be quiet by another in writing, but it could also mean that she was being forced to only write “in Prose.” As a poet, is Dickinson resentful for not being allowed creativity? Is this is reference to herself, society, or writers in general?

As when a little Girl

A metaphor infers that she (the narrator) is no longer a little girl when this event took place, but is this possibly a real memory of an event when she was a little girl? Or is the entire poem metaphorical for the hindrance of language and creativity in general? Why did Dickinson use a specific gender as her subject? Maybe this relates to a protest against female oppression…

They put me in the Closet --

“They” becomes a mysterious captor. Is the “Closet” a metaphor for something larger? A one-sided viewpoint or method of thinking? A society? The phrase “put me” infers that she was forced into a way of being that she does not approve of or enjoy. Where might the outside of the closet be? Or what could the outside be compared to?

Because they liked me "still" --

“Still” could mean a lot of things - Literally, physically still, mentally still (no brain functioning, no thinking), or maybe just quiet (without speaking, writing, or communicating). Is being “still” comparable to writing in prose? Why do “they” prefer her to be still? This could again, in reference to the gender of the subject, be related to female oppression, or to the hindrance of creative language.

Still! Could themself have peeped --

She is angered, frustrated, and scoffing at the word “still,” as if it was impossible or outrageous that forcing a behavior on someone would work. She states that if anyone would “have peeped” they could have easily seen that stillness was not forced upon her after all. Why did she use the word “themself,” which is grammatically incorrect, instead of themselves”? Is she trying to make a single entity out of one that is in reality much larger? Maybe she is referring to a society?

And seen my Brain -- go round --

She states that if they had looked inside the closet, they could have seen her “Brain -- go round--.” What are the dashes supposed to imply? Moments of thought? Dickinson’s scattered thoughts? Why is Brain capitalized? Is it another metaphor for something? Is her brain going “round” because she has nothing left to do but think when she is held captive in a closet?

They might as wise have lodged a Bird

In comparing herself to a bird, she exemplifies her need and desire to be free from the closet, to free her mind. If you lodge a bird in a confined space, it will not give up until it has reached escape, like the narrator. Why is “Bird” capitalized? Why does she use the word wise? Is she inferring that her capture is not the wise one, but unintelligent, and that she is actually the wise one?

For Treason -- in the Pound --

Why does Dickinson use the word “treason” out of all the crimes to be imprisoned for? Is it because it is the most unrelated crime to a bird? Why does she take a very American fear (treason) and contrast it with “the pound,” which is a very inhumane, animal-centered place?

Himself has but to will

Why does Dickinson use the pronoun “himself’? Because the little girl in the beginning of the poem, would be a herself, is she referring to the bird as a male? Does this line mean that all one has to do is “will” and they can be freed? Or does she mean that when one is held captive, the only thing they have left to do and think about it how badly they want to escape?

And easy as a Star

Why a star? Stars are very incomparable to birds or little girls, the other two subjects of this poem. Would freedom come easy to a star? Is she relating size (stars are HUGE) to the likelihood of one becoming free?

Abolish his Captivity --

This phase sounds very driven, powerful, and full of emotion. Abolish is such a strong word, like in reference to slavery. Dickinson is furious at the notion of captivity - captivity of the mind? Of thoughts? Of the expression of language? Of women? Why does she use the pronoun “his’?

And laugh -- No more have I --

Why would she laugh after spending all of the previous lines expressing scorn and hatred at a concept? Is she laughing at the idea that one can enforce captivity and take away someone’s freedom? Is the phrase “no more have I” referring to the narrator laughing or the narrator being in captivity?





This poem is clearly about rebellion. This is Dickinson’s “F You” to all of the people that told her she couldn’t write poetry, which was strictly a man’s territory at the time. This poem is filled with imagery and metaphors which make it a little more open to interpretation about some of the meanings of certain words. All of the “they’s” and “themselfs” refer to a greater being, society perhaps, that is oppressing Dickinson’s opportunity to express herself through writing, to have a free mind. She tries to express to her reader that one shouldn’t be worried about that, because the more one is oppressed, the more he or she will fight back, leading to even greater expression of thought and freedom of the mind.

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