Poem Analysis

The Soul selects her own Society —

Then — shuts the Door —

To her divine Majority —

Present no more —

Unmoved — she notes the Chariots — pausing —

At her low Gate —

Unmoved — an Emperor be kneeling

Upon her Mat —

I've known her — from an ample nation —

Choose One —

Then — close the Valves of her attention —

Like Stone —

c. 1862

In “The Soul selects her own Society-” the Soul chooses the company that they want to surround themself with. The speaker emphasizes how her soul chooses the company that is present throughout life. Instead of being surrounded by various individuals the speaker Emily Dickinson prefers being alone. She states "The Soul selects her own Society- Then- shuts the Door-" this quote listed creates a division between society and herself. However, the speaker isn’t alone they are accompanied by the “Chosen One” and focuses on the concept of quality over quantity. You chose who you let into your life. The speaker also states “Unmoved- she notes the Chariots-pausing- At her low Gate- Unmoved- an Emperor be kneeling Upon her Mat” This quote allows the readers to imagine a person with authority trying to persuade or sway her opinions of herself and of the world. The speaker is then able to find reasons, opinions, and ideas that are truly their own and not based on biases of others. They know what they believe in and why. Another meaning I found was that you are in control of your actions, body, and paths in life not others so why should you care about their expectations of you? The speaker's attitude towards the world's attraction is not interested because they are not a “social” person they would much rather be in solitude with themselves.

The souls in “The Soul selects her own Society-” and “The Society unto itself” have similar and different qualities for example in the “The Soul selects her own Society” the soul is portrayed as the rock to an individual who is secure within themself however the soul in “The Society unto itself” seems to be question the relationship between the soul and themself. In “The Soul selects her own Society” the soul is characterized as confident and sturdy in both life and their decisions. However, in “The Society unto itself” the soul is portrayed as a conscious that can either be an enemy or a friend. Your soul knows everything about you and can either tear you down or build you up. However, you can always trust your soul because it’s the ruler of itself. The two souls in each poem are alike due to the connectives between the soul and the individual. The two have a symbiotic relationship that is needed to grow and live life.

They shut me up in Prose – (445)

BY EMILY DICKINSON

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

Look down opon Captivity –

And laugh – No more have I –

In the poem “They shut me up in Prose-?” I think “they” that is continuous throughout the poem is society trying to constrain individualism. The speaker states, “As when a little Girl They put me in the Closet- Because they liked me still” The speaker is referring to how their parents would restrain their personality and silence them due to women’s “roles” at the time. For example, society perception of women was that they were supposed to be seen and not heard. Women at this time were hidden behind their husband's shadow confining the paths for women. The speaker's tone of this poem is defiant because she escaped the confinement of society’s expectations by using her imagination. The speaker states “And seen my Brain- go round- They might as wise have lodged a Bird For Treason- in the Pound-” this quote emphasizes how even if society broke her down and confined her, they would never be able to lock up her mind. The mind is always free and untouchable. The speaker compares her mind to a bird without a roof to show how foolish it is to try to constrain both due to a bird's ability to fly and her no limitation of imagination. The speaker enlightens others that they too can be free from captivity that society has created.

Dying (I heard a fly buzz when I died)

I heard a fly buzz when I died;

The stillness round my form

Was like the stillness in the air

Between the heaves of storm.

The eyes beside had wrung them dry,

And breaths were gathering sure

For that last onset, when the king

Be witnessed in his power.

I willed my keepsakes, signed away

What portion of me I

Could make assignable, — and then

There interposed a fly,

With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz,

Between the light and me;

And then the windows failed, and then

I could not see to see.

In the final stanza of “I heard a Fly buzz- when I died-” the speaker uses adjectives like “Blue, uncertain, and stumbling” to describe the buzzing of the fly which is needed to imagine the buzzing of the sound and the slow transition into death. To humans, flies are viewed as annoying and insignificant creatures and may remind the speaker of how even with their death the fly will remain flying. The fly will continue its path to the unknown and the speaker realizes the world will continue with them. The statement that Dickinson is making in this poem about dying is that death occurs every day and how we as individuals romanticize death as to be peaceful, relaxing, and quick however, it's just numb and slow.

I'm Nobody! Who are you?

First Published Version (Posthumous) 1891:

I'm nobody! Who are you?

Are you nobody too?

Then there's a pair of us — don't tell!

They'd banish us; you know!

How dreary to be somebody!

How public like a frog

To tell one's name the livelong day

To an admiring bog!

The speaker of “I’m nobody! Who are you?” emphasizes the difference between “somebodies” and “nobodies”. Somebody's individuals who strive for attention and seek approval from others. These types of people forget the importance of time alone and find self-worth not based on other expectations or opinions. The “nobodies” are the individuals who are viewed as shy, quiet, who strive by themselves, and humble just like the speaker. The speaker is trying to make the reader acknowledge their role in life and realize its ok to be a “nobody” and should not be embarrassed or shamed for it. Two other poems in this collection that expresses tension between the private self and a social, or public, self is “They shut me up in Prose” and “Fame is a fickle food” due to both the internal and external conflict listed. In the poem “They shut me up in Prose” the speaker states how society tries to constrain ourselves and once we break free, we can truly find ourselves. The speaker states “Still! Could themself have peeped And seen my Brain- go- round-” In the quote listed above the speaker realizes even if she wasn’t able to break through society roles, she would still be able to escape within her mind. The speaker still has her imagination and freedom that comes with the never-ending loop of thinking. In “Fame is a fickle food” the speaker focuses on the consequences that comes with fame. For example, fame is quick and can end just as soon as it starts. Individuals will throw their life away for a minute of recognition and then regret it once it's over. You must analyze the situation and understand the drawbacks and disadvantages that come with fame. The speaker states “Fame is a fickle food Upon a shifting plate” this quote tries to ensure individuals understand the temporariness of fame and how living life is more important than fame.

:)