Hope Is A Thing With Feathers Essay

Emily Dickinson, was a poet during the end of the American romanticism era and the realist era. Literary romanticism is a form of writing with an emphasis on the individual's expression of emotion and imagination. Literary realism is sought to portray real and typical contemporary people and situations with truth and accuracy. Romanticism and realism are two opposites, but Dickinson is able to incorporate both styles in several different poems. According to Brenda Wineapple in Voices of a Nation poets were looking for “an idiom elastic enough to represent each singular individual, yet, somehow, include and symbolize all Americans”. Her poetry not only reflected her personal life, but it also reflected what was happening in the United States
However, not only does this poem relate directly to Dickinson herself, but also the American people as a whole. “Hope” is a thing with feathers was written in 1861, the year that marks the start of the civil war. During this time period, the majority of Americans were most likely looking for hope. Due to the fact that this poem was written during the romanticist era and the civil war, it was inspiring and the poem itself gave hope. This theme of hope never fading away is still prevalent today just as much as it was in the nineteenth century. This poem represents Emily Dickinson herself and the entire nation as a whole. When people are facing hardship they will turn to religion along with hope. This poem is certainly “elastic enough to represent each singular individual and yet, somehow, to include and symbolize all Americans.” (Wineapple) due to the fact that it relates a universal feeling with something in nature that can be seen by
This poem reflects the importance of the ideas that are based off of transcendentalism and how the one has the option to do what they want. The title itself reflects the theme of individuality in the sense that the only person who can dictate what is right for someone is himself. It is argued that his poem was written when Dickinson decided to live a life in seclusion, therefore the meaning behind this poem in relation to Dickinson herself could be that it was her decision to live this way and it was what she wanted for herself. The theme of individuality also relates to Americans as a whole during the nineteenth century and present day. Due to the fact that this poem was written after the transcendentalist era, the idea of making decisions based off of what one thinks is right versus what the majority thinks was a newer idea. Although Dickinson used ideas from transcendentalism, this poem is one that illustrates realism. The Soul Selects her own Society portrays the idea that life is what it is. The poem also represents all Americans in the sense that we have the freedom to decide what is right and what is wrong. This representation allows for this poem to be elastic enough to represent each individual person but also the group as a