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May 23, 2022 · My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun (764) By Emily Dickinson. My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun - In Corners - till a Day. The Owner passed - identified - And carried Me away - And now We roam in Sovreign Woods - And now We hunt the Doe - And every time I speak for Him. The Mountains straight reply - And do I smile, such cordial light.
“My Life had stood a Loaded Gun” is a poem by the 19th-century poet Emily Dickinson. The poem contains one of Dickinson's most iconic images as its first line (and also as its title—because Dickinson didn’t title her poems, they are often referred to by their first lines).
- Images and Symbols
- Summary of My Life Had Stood – A Loaded Gun
- Analysis of ‘My Life Had Stood – A Loaded Gun’
Dickinson also makes use of a number of images, the most important of which is the gun. No matter what one sees as the appropriate interpretation of this piece, the “gun” in question is always going to represent power. They have an inherent danger associated with them, and in this case, it is used as a symbol for the speaker’s life and the power he...
‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ by Emily Dickinsondescribes the sleeping power of a woman who is being wielded by a Master in a male-dominated world.
Stanza One
In the first stanza of ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ Dickinson begins with one of her most prominent calling cards, a dash. It separates the phrase “My Life had stood” from “a Loaded Gun.” Dickinson’s poetry is often complicated. She is known to mix up the syntax of a sentence, making the lines sound more poetic, but also harder to understand. A technique is known as parataxis. In this instance, her speaker is stating that their life “had stood” in a “Corner” like a “Loaded Gun.” These l...
Stanza Two
Now that the husband, or owner, has picked up the female speaker they are together able to “roam in Sovereign Woods.” Again, this line can have multiple meanings, but likely refers to the male-dominated world she is now forced to step into. It is important to keep in mind in the second line that the speaker is said to “hunt the Doe.” A doe always refers to a female deer, an important distinction. Her participation in the world of men allows her to observe the destruction of women. The next tw...
Stanza Three
In the third stanza, a reader must continue to keep in mind the function of a gun, and the traditional social place of a woman. The speaker describes how she smiles and a “cordial light” glows out “Upon the Valley.” Here again, is another reference to the “Mountains” of the second stanza. She is able to step back from the assertive words of the second stanza and return to the emotionless mask men expect from women. The next lines speak on the second way of being. She chose to “smile” rather t...
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- October 9, 1995
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Jan 5, 2017 · ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ is one of Emily Dickinson’s most popular poems. Yet it is also an extremely subtle and elliptical piece of poetry, whose meaning proves elusive.
Poem analysis of Emily Dickinson's My Life Had Stood - a Loaded Gun through the review of literary techniques, poem structure, themes, and the proper usage of quotes.
Dive into Emily Dickinson's powerful poem "My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun." Explore an in-depth analysis of its themes, symbolism, and literary devices. Ideal for students and literature enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding.
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My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun. In Corners—till a Day. The Owner passed—identified. And carried Me away. And now We roam in Sovereign Woods. And now We hunt the Doe. And every time...
