Emily DickinsonEmily Dickinson

Poem 341After great pain, a formal feeling

comes

After great pain, a formal feeling comes --

The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs

The stiff Heart questions, was it He, that bore,

And Yesterday, or Centuries before?

The Feet, mechanical, go round –The Feet, mechanical, go round –

Of Ground, or Air, or Ought --Of Ground, or Air, or Ought --

A Wooden wayA Wooden way

Regardless grown,Regardless grown,

A Quartz contentment, like a stone -- A Quartz contentment, like a stone --

This is the Hour of Lead --This is the Hour of Lead --

Remembered, if outlived,Remembered, if outlived,

As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow ––

First -- Chill -- then Stupor -- then the First -- Chill -- then Stupor -- then the letting go -- letting go --

The nerves, she says, "sit The nerves, she says, "sit ceremonious like tombs."ceremonious like tombs."

►Nerves are compared to two things: Nerves are compared to two things: ceremony and tombsceremony and tombs

►People dressed in black sit around a People dressed in black sit around a room after a funeral may be said to room after a funeral may be said to be like tombs be like tombs

►Tomb has the qualities of deadness, Tomb has the qualities of deadness, quietness and stillness quietness and stillness

►Overall symbolizes someone who Overall symbolizes someone who suffered great painsuffered great pain

Common quality, of stiff lifelessness Common quality, of stiff lifelessness

Examples:Examples:1.1. the heart is "stiff" the heart is "stiff" 2.2. the feet walk a "wooden" way the feet walk a "wooden" way 3.3. the contentment is a "quartz" the contentment is a "quartz"

contentment contentment 4.4. the hour is that of "lead. the hour is that of "lead. 5.5. feet move mechanically and are feet move mechanically and are

"regardless" of where they go "regardless" of where they go

"A quartz contentment like a "A quartz contentment like a stone” stone”

► stoniness with the numbness of stoniness with the numbness of griefgrief

► a "quartz contentment" could mean a "quartz contentment" could mean her contentment has been her contentment has been crystallized crystallized

► The author has become so numb The author has become so numb from the pain she doesn’t feel it from the pain she doesn’t feel it anymoreanymore

►Few outlive the experience to be able Few outlive the experience to be able to remember and recount it to othersto remember and recount it to others

"Remembered if outlived" "Remembered if outlived"

As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow --As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow --First -- Chill -- then Stupor -- then the letting First -- Chill -- then Stupor -- then the letting

go --go -- This experience of grief is like a death by freezing.This experience of grief is like a death by freezing.

1.1. ChillChill

2.2. Stupor or daze as the body becomes numbed Stupor or daze as the body becomes numbed

3.3. Body finally gives up the fight against the cold, Body finally gives up the fight against the cold, relaxes and dies relaxes and dies

Tone/MoodTone/Mood

Tone- “attitude of poet toward their Tone- “attitude of poet toward their subject, and also their audience” subject, and also their audience” (Drachler and Terris 1).(Drachler and Terris 1).

Subject of this particular poem is Subject of this particular poem is undefinedundefined

Reacts to audience in a very real, humble Reacts to audience in a very real, humble mannermanner

After great pain, a formal feeling comes—After great pain, a formal feeling comes—The The NervesNerves sit ceremonious, like sit ceremonious, like TombsTombs——The still Heart questions was it He, that bore,The still Heart questions was it He, that bore,And Yesterday, or Centuries before?And Yesterday, or Centuries before?  The Feet, mechanical, go round—The Feet, mechanical, go round—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—A Wooden wayA Wooden wayRegardless grown,Regardless grown,A Quartz contentment, like a stone—A Quartz contentment, like a stone—  This is the Hour of Lead—This is the Hour of Lead—Remembered, if outlived,Remembered, if outlived,As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow—As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow—First—Chill—then Stupor—then the letting go—First—Chill—then Stupor—then the letting go—

After great pain, a formal feeling comes—After great pain, a formal feeling comes—The Nerves sit ceremonious, like The Nerves sit ceremonious, like TombsTombs——The still Heart questions was it He, that bore,The still Heart questions was it He, that bore,And Yesterday, or Centuries before?And Yesterday, or Centuries before?  The Feet, mechanical, go round—The Feet, mechanical, go round—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—A A WoodenWooden way wayRegardless grown,Regardless grown,A A QuartzQuartz contentment, like a stone— contentment, like a stone—  This is the Hour of This is the Hour of LeadLead——Remembered, if outlived,Remembered, if outlived,As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow—As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow—First—Chill—then Stupor—then the letting go—First—Chill—then Stupor—then the letting go—

After great pain, a formal feeling comes—After great pain, a formal feeling comes—The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs—The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs—The still Heart questions was it The still Heart questions was it HeHe, that bore,, that bore,And And YesterdayYesterday, or , or CenturiesCenturies before? before?  The Feet, mechanical, go round—The Feet, mechanical, go round—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—A Wooden wayA Wooden wayRegardless grown,Regardless grown,A Quartz contentment, like a stone—A Quartz contentment, like a stone—  This is the Hour of Lead—This is the Hour of Lead—Remembered, if outlived,Remembered, if outlived,As As FreezingFreezing persons, recollect the persons, recollect the SnowSnow——First—Chill—then Stupor—then the letting go—First—Chill—then Stupor—then the letting go—

After great pain, a formal feeling comes—After great pain, a formal feeling comes—The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs—The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs—The still Heart questions was it He, that bore,The still Heart questions was it He, that bore,And Yesterday, or Centuries before?And Yesterday, or Centuries before?  The Feet, mechanical, go round—The Feet, mechanical, go round—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—Of Ground, or Air, or Ought—A Wooden wayA Wooden wayRegardless grown,Regardless grown,A Quartz contentment, like a stone—A Quartz contentment, like a stone—  This is the This is the Hour of LeadHour of Lead——Remembered, if outlived,Remembered, if outlived,As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow—As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow—First—First—ChillChill—then —then StuporStupor—then the letting go——then the letting go—

SourcesSources

►http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/dickinson/341.htm

►Drachler, and Terris. "College of Drachler, and Terris. "College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Florida." College of University of Florida." College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Liberal Arts and Sciences The  University of Florida. 25 Oct. 2008 The  University of Florida. 25 Oct. 2008 <<http://www.clas.ufl.edu>. >.