Emily Dickinson's "Hope" is the thing with feathers' Poem Analysis

Poem Analysis: "Hope" is the thing with feathers

Themes and Ideas

• The poem explores the power of hope to sustain us in troubled times
• Hope is a universal concept that unites people

Style

• The poem uses a conceit, comparing hope to a little bird
• Anaphora is employed through the repetition of "that" and "and" throughout the stanzas
• Dickinson randomly capitalises certain words to add importance, such as "Hope", "Gale", "Bird", "Sea", and "Extremity"
• The poem follows an iambic trimeter rhythm, creating a steady and confident pace

Imagery and Symbolism

• The bird represents hope, singing a tune without words that is understood by everyone
• The gale symbolises the harsh external realities of life that necessitate hope
• The sea represents the extreme conditions in which hope is still present

Analysis of Key Quotes

• "Hope is the thing with feathers" - introduces the conceit of comparing hope to a bird
• "That perches in the soul - / And sings the tune without the words" - hope is a unifying force that resonates with everyone
• "And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard" - hope is most valuable in times of struggle
• "I've heard it in the chillest land - / And on the strangest Sea" - hope is present even in the most desperate situations
• "Yet, never, in Extremity, / It asked a crumb - of me" - hope never requires payment or thanks, it is selfless

Poem Analysis: "Hope" is the thing with feathers

Themes and Ideas

• The power of hope to sustain us in troubled times
• The universal nature of hope

Style

• Dickinson uses a conceit, comparing a little bird to the abstract idea of 'hope'
• Anaphora, repeating "that" and "and" throughout the stanzas, builds on the comparison
• Random capitalisation of words to add importance: "Hope", "Gale", "Bird", "Sea", "Extremity"
• Heavy use of iambic trimeter, creating a steady, confident rhythm

Key Quotes

• "Hope is the thing with feathers" - introducing the abstract concept of hope
• "That perches in the soul -" - hope is a unifying force
• "And sings the tune without the words -" - hope is understood by everyone, not limited by language
• "And never stops - at all -" - hope is constant and unwavering

Second Stanza

• Hope is "sweetest" when it is needed most, in times of struggle ("Gale")
• The use of "sweetest" conveys the highest form of praise for hope
• The metaphor of the "Gale" represents the harsh external realities of life
• Sibilance in the second stanza adds to the musical appeal, contrasting soft and harsh sounds

Third Stanza

• Dickinson claims to have "heard" hope "in the chilliest land - and on the strangest Sea -"
• Hope has never asked for payment or thanks, even in moments of despair
• "It asked a crumb - of me" - emphasising the selflessness of hope
• Dickinson highly values hope, especially when she needs it most

Analyzing Emily Dickinson's poem 'Hope' is the thing with feathers', exploring themes of hope's power and universality, and stylistic devices like conceit and anaphora.