“HOPE” IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS – Emily Dickinson:
What is Hope?:
o To want something to happen or to be true, and usually have good reason to think that
it might.
o We use hope when we do not know whether something will happen or not, but we
want it to happen.
o Something good that you want to happen in the future, or a confident feeling about
what will happen in the future.
o Wanting something good that you want to happen to materialise.
Difference between FAITH and HOPE:
FAITH: HOPE:
o Confidence or trust in something or o An optimistic attitude based on
someone, not based on physical proof. expectations.
(Believing in things unseen.)
o Faith says whatever you want is o Hope says there is a chance of it
already here. happening sometime in the future.
General Characteristics:
o Originally poem had no title so the first line is used as a title.
o The poem is lyrical.
o There is an extended metaphor, Hope is compared to a bird throughout the poem. We
can see this in the diction: “feathers”, “perches”, “sings the tune without the words”,
“crumb”.
o It is simple writing yet very powerful in its meaning.
o It is ‘short and sweet’ – to the point using mainly single-syllable words.
o It has a very loose rhyme scheme with some end rhymes and some internal rhyme.
o Emily Dickinson’s signature use of dashes can also be seen.
Stanza 1:
o Hope is in quotation marks, not only does it seem to stand out from the line, but from
the poem as a whole.
o At first glance, you see the word – hope – emphasised immediately you know what
the poem is about.
o What do you associate with birds and feathers? – Perhaps lightness, flight, frailty.
o Think of a little bird in a tree it disappears into the leaves, yet it is capable of so much.
o Rhyme scheme = ABCB
o First line = we are introduced to the metaphor; Hope is being compared to a bird.
o Hope is perching (sitting) in the soul. It is inside of us.
o Why does it sing a tune without words?
o The dashes give us a pause, not only in our reading, but a time to think.
o Why do you think the words “at all” are in-between two dashes?
- Not only are we being told that the tune never stops. It never stops at all. The
repetition and the punctuation are emphasising that the hope within us is always
there. It is constant.
Stanza 2:
o Rhyme scheme = defe
o First line = still speaking to that consistent never-ending tune that we are hearing from
that little bird – Hope.
o It is “sweetest” (best) heard in a “Gale” (a very strong wind).
o How is that possible? Why should that be?
- Think about when you need hope the most. It is when your world is crazy, and to you, it
feels like all is falling apart. That little piece of hope inside of you is the thought that things
are going to get better, is felt, and appreciated the most in these difficult times.
o Second line = tells us that the storm is sore. It is harsh and painful. (Imagine a bird clinging to
the branch of a tree in the middle of an enormous storm with gale force wind. That is hope.)
Third line = “That could abash” (abash is to make you even more uncomfortable than
weather. People will hurt you even worse than a storm can. Insults, bullying, breaking
someone down – this injures the soul and lasts for a longer time).
o Yet, this little bird clings to us even though it feels as of we have taken all that we can, he
keeps holding on. He offers comfort and warmth, to all who need him.
BIRD SINGS A TUNE OF HOPE.
Stanza 3:
o Rhyme scheme = ghhh
o Continues speaking about the tune of hope.
o It is heard in the “chilliest land.”
o It is heard on the “strangest sea.” (Remember when considering the time that this
poem was written – not all of the seas had been explored fully, so the sea is not only
strange as in weird, but strange as in unknown.”
o Last two lines = tell us that through all of this stress and trauma where hope has been there
for us, in return it has asked for nothing.
o Line 11 = again has a word separated from the rest of the line by two dashes. “never”
NEVER
o In “extremity”, the extreme: highest, lowest, widest, coldest, fiercest, ugliest etc.
The extreme of any situation.
o “Never in extremity. Has it “asked a crumb of me”.
A crumb, being food for the bird. The tiniest little morse; of food that we could give. Hope
has not even asked for that. Hope is a gift.
EXTRA NOTES:
o Introduction: - uses central metaphor of a tiny bird to convey her feelings about hope.
She reflects on its frailties and its strength, as well as how it sustains her.
o Rhyme scheme = - the poem has a mostly regular rhyme scheme ( abcb defe ghhh).
o Metaphor = - Hope is a bird and the poet gives it all the qualities of a bird.
+ Its singing, its self-sufficiency, its ability to sing without being taught and its
ability to comfort people.
o Lyric in which the poet explores her understanding of hope, through the development of and
extended metaphor.
o Written simply but powerfully, using the minimum of words.
o
