What does “my life had stood-a loaded gun” mean?
“My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun - ” is an ambiguous poem open to multiple interpretations, but perhaps the most common deals with the power of anger. The poem contains one of Dickinson’s most iconic images, with the speaker being the “Loaded Gun” of the title and the “Owner” functioning as an extended metaphor for the speaker’s inner rage.
What is the meaning of the poem loaded gun?
Written around 1863, the poem is ambiguous and could be read in a multitude of ways. However, many scholars have agreed on an interpretation of the poem in which the Loaded Gun functions as an extended metaphor for the speaker, while the Owner represents the speaker's inner rage.
Who wrote my Life had stood - a loaded gun?
My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun (764) By Emily Dickinson. Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. She took definition as her province and challenged the existing definitions of poetry and the poet’s work.
What is the first stanza of my life had stood?
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.
What is the theme of the poem My Life had stood a loaded gun?
Major Themes in “My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun”: Power, identification, and immortal literature are the major themes of this poem. Throughout the poem, the speaker compares herself with a loaded gun that reflects her potential power as a writer.
Why did Emily Dickinson write my life had stood a loaded gun?
' It's true that 'My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun' may have arisen out of Emily Dickinson's attitude to her father, and the sense that she felt compelled to write her poems in secret (as is well known, very few were published during her lifetime).
What is the tone of my life had stood a loaded gun?
Power, Rage, and Gender At the same time, though, the poem suggests that rage provides a power the speaker alone does not possess. In other words, the poem suggests the speaker's tendency to get carried away by anger, but also that only through that anger can the speaker feel powerful.
What is being identified in line 3 of My Life had stood a loaded gun?
What is being identified in line 3 of "My Life had stood- a Loaded Gun"? The speaker is being identified in line 3.
What does loaded gun mean?
“Loaded firearm” means any firearm loaded with ammunition or any firearm which is possessed by one who, at the same time, possesses a quantity of ammunition which may be used to discharge such firearm.
What does the poet do with his little gun?
Answer: The poet crawls with his little gun in the dark along the wall to create forest track.
What does Vesuvian face mean?
To say someone is Vesuvian is to say that they're prone to explosive anger.) So, the speaker smiling is like a Vesuvian face. In other words, we have the image of a person with anger-management problems, who cools down a bit and "let its pleasure through."
What does it mean to lay a yellow eye?
Because the gun has laid a “Yellow Eye,” which is the spark as the gun fires and perhaps the bullet itself, and “an emphatic Thumb,” or the finger that pulls back the hammer on the gun to allow it to shoot (19-20).
How does Dickinson portray death in her poem?
The moment which Dickinson visualizes in “A Clock Stopped” is the last moment of life of a human that no one can pause or postpone. In “What care the Dead, for Chanticleer”, Dickinson portrays death as a leveler i.e. there is no exception for death. She uses death as God's vehicle to bring all human lives to heaven.
What is the meaning of my life closed twice before its close?
The speaker of the poem says that her life has been cut short twice, and that she expects it to happen at least once more at life's end. The ironic thing is that life will eventually be limited by the soul's limitlessness—its immortality.
Who is the speaker of My life had stood a loaded gun?
0:092:39Poems of Emily Dickinson | My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn Emily Dickinson's poem my life had stood a loaded gun written in Dickinson's usual ballad meterMoreIn Emily Dickinson's poem my life had stood a loaded gun written in Dickinson's usual ballad meter the speaker compares herself to a loaded gun sitting passively in corners.
In what ways might the speaker's attitude be described as childlike?
The speaker offers several wild guesses, which puts the speaker on the same level as the child asking the question. Other childlike qualities include the speaker's hopeful disposition, non-discriminating attitude, and active imagination.
Who is the speaker of My Life had stood a loaded gun?
0:092:39Poems of Emily Dickinson | My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn Emily Dickinson's poem my life had stood a loaded gun written in Dickinson's usual ballad meterMoreIn Emily Dickinson's poem my life had stood a loaded gun written in Dickinson's usual ballad meter the speaker compares herself to a loaded gun sitting passively in corners.
Which of these could be considered a theme of because I could not stop for death?
The main theme of 'Because I could not stop for Death' is death and immortality. In this poem, the poet describes how she visualizes death and what's its role in her life.
What does Vesuvian face mean?
To say someone is Vesuvian is to say that they're prone to explosive anger.) So, the speaker smiling is like a Vesuvian face. In other words, we have the image of a person with anger-management problems, who cools down a bit and "let its pleasure through."
Where did the poet and his wife stand in the poem neutral tones?
The speaker and the addressee of the poem—a former lover—were standing by a pond beneath a sun that seemed bleached white, as though it had been scolded by God. A few gray leaves were scattered on the parched ground, fallen from an ash tree.
Who wrote "My life had stood a loaded gun"?
My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun by Emily Dickinson. ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ by Emily Dickinson is a complex, metaphorical poem. The poet depicts a woman who is under a man’s control and sleeps like a load gun. ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ is a six stanza poem that is separated into sets of four lines, or quatrains.
What does the gun represent in Dickinson's poem?
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 her worlds hold.
Why does the speaker mourn over how she is going to outlive “Him”?
The sixth stanza is also rather complex. The speaker is mourning over how she is going to outlive “Him.” This is due to the fact that she is still embodied as a gun. This does not please her as her words depend on the presence of human beings to allow them life. He must live longer than she does for her words to become immortal and remain to be read by others. This seems like an impossibility at this point.
What does the last two lines of the stanza of the poem mean?
The last two lines of the stanza speak about the gun going off, triggered by the “emphatic Thumb” and seen in a burst of “Yellow” from the “Eye” or barrel. At the same time, these phrases could refer to the speaker’s own words and opinions about the world. This connects with the hidden “Vesuvian face” of the third stanza. When it comes out, it is powerful.
What is the third stanza of the poem about?
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.
What does the line about the Eider Duck mean?
The line about the “Eider Duck” refers to a type of duck that pulls out its own feathers to make a nest. It, in a way, destroys itself to bring itself more comfort. This speaks to the way that the speaker is taking away the elements that make her “wife” in order to improve her overall situation.
How does the speaker describe her master's foes?
In the final two stanzas, the speaker describes how to her Master’s foes she is a great weapon She is deadly to any who cross him, a fact she has no control over. This state of being is combined with her own interior power she is unable to express. She has a critical eye and a trigger-happy “Thumb” she is longing to make use of for her own purposes. The last lines describe how the speaker is conflicted over the fact that she is going to outlive her “Master” (since she is an inanimate object). This is a state that does not benefit her as she needs him (as a representative of humanity) to live on to see, read, and know her words.
Who wrote "My life had stood a loaded gun"?from poemanalysis.com
My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun by Emily Dickinson. ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ by Emily Dickinson is a complex, metaphorical poem. The poet depicts a woman who is under a man’s control and sleeps like a load gun. ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ is a six stanza poem that is separated into sets of four lines, or quatrains.
When was the poem "The Loaded Gun" written?from litcharts.com
Written around 1863, the poem is ambiguous and could be read in a multitude of ways. However, many scholars have agreed on an interpretation of the poem in which the Loaded Gun functions as an extended metaphor for the speaker, while the Owner represents the speaker's inner rage.
Why does the speaker mourn over how she is going to outlive “Him”?from poemanalysis.com
The sixth stanza is also rather complex. The speaker is mourning over how she is going to outlive “Him.” This is due to the fact that she is still embodied as a gun. This does not please her as her words depend on the presence of human beings to allow them life. He must live longer than she does for her words to become immortal and remain to be read by others. This seems like an impossibility at this point.
What does the last two lines of the stanza of the poem mean?from poemanalysis.com
The last two lines of the stanza speak about the gun going off, triggered by the “emphatic Thumb” and seen in a burst of “Yellow” from the “Eye” or barrel. At the same time, these phrases could refer to the speaker’s own words and opinions about the world. This connects with the hidden “Vesuvian face” of the third stanza. When it comes out, it is powerful.
What is the third stanza of the poem about?from poemanalysis.com
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.
What does the line about the Eider Duck mean?from poemanalysis.com
The line about the “Eider Duck” refers to a type of duck that pulls out its own feathers to make a nest. It, in a way, destroys itself to bring itself more comfort. This speaks to the way that the speaker is taking away the elements that make her “wife” in order to improve her overall situation.
How does the speaker describe her master's foes?from poemanalysis.com
In the final two stanzas, the speaker describes how to her Master’s foes she is a great weapon She is deadly to any who cross him, a fact she has no control over. This state of being is combined with her own interior power she is unable to express. She has a critical eye and a trigger-happy “Thumb” she is longing to make use of for her own purposes. The last lines describe how the speaker is conflicted over the fact that she is going to outlive her “Master” (since she is an inanimate object). This is a state that does not benefit her as she needs him (as a representative of humanity) to live on to see, read, and know her words.
What is the argument in the poem "The Gun"?
Most common (and least satisfying) is the argument that the poet is herself the loaded gun, waiting to be called by her master, the Lord, ready to fight her Lord’s battles, willing to make his enemies hers. Yet how can one reconcile this with the possibility of the gun’s outliving her master, except by admitting the possibility of a mortal deity?
What is the speaker in the poem "On whom I lay a yellow eye"?
On the literal level the speaker is a gun, loaded to do its owner’s bidding. Its “smile” is like a Vesuvian eruption, laying low its master’s enemies. None survive “On whom I lay a Yellow Eye—/ Or an emphatic Thumb—.” Though the master must live longer than the gun, the gun may also live longer than its master.
What is the life gun in Dickinson's poem?
The life-gun is language shot off, creatively, to describe the world; the hunting of the second stanza is not to be taken literally but as a capturing of meaning, which is what language does, It hunts the doe by describing it. Dickinson often described the greatness of language and poetry in violent terms.
What does the life gun mean in Stanza IV?
Stanza IV shows suggests that their hunting is at the end.
What is the central conceit of a loaded gun?
The central conceit of a loaded gun shows a potential, inert force, one with explosive power, which can be released by another. The concept of the active male hunter possessing the passive woman guides the whole poem. Once she leaves, she reverts to her inactive gun state.
What is the poem "The Hunter" about?
This poem is perhaps her best poetic statement about the explosive changes that passion wrought on her emotions. Her life is described like a loaded gun, full of emotional force and sensitivity waiting for redemption. The owner has to show his identity in order to carry her away. So their fated love casts her in the role of a passive force that only he can from the an inactive life. Their relationship is not completely unilateral, for he needs her destructive power. Without her the hunter is incomplete, but now his slightest touch causes her to explode and command mountains for him. She wants to guard his bed rather than share its physical pleasure.
What is the purpose of the woman in the poem Hunt the Doe?
She is used for the purposes he appoints and his prove to be deadly pursuits; they specifically 'hunt the Doe'; the woman is complicit in acts of violence against her own sex. In this poem the speaker is complicit is maintaining male authority; her subservience gives him power.
What is the poem "I have but the power to kill without the power to die" about?
The poem analyses the dynamics of power and subservience. It can be read as a critique of the male-identified woman who has achieved power by complicity with male power. Dickinson's poem exposes this position as but another form of non- being: 'I have but the power to kill, Without-the power to die'. She cannot die because she is not alive; she is the instrument of the Master. She is his creature; she speaks for him and at his instigation. Full of incipient power, woman is a loaded gun that dwells in corners until she given identity. However she is carried away by the new form of subservience. She is used for the purposes he appoints and his prove to be deadly pursuits; they specifically 'hunt the Doe'; the woman is complicit in acts of violence against her own sex. In this poem the speaker is complicit is maintaining male authority; her subservience gives him power.
What does Stanza III show about the life gun?
Stanza III shows that the life-gun is beginning to speak in relation to itself, for the face which shows through the gun must be the flesh of firing, and thus the owner gets for a moment as if the gun can pull its own trigger.
What is the author's point of view on guns?
“Get a Knife, Get a Dog, But get Ride of Guns” is an opinionated short story in which Molly Ivins, the author, presents a different point of view on guns. When Ivins is writing her opinionated short story, she is writing it in first person and how she strongly believes in gun control. Ivins ton comes off as concerned that the definition of the Second Amendment, which is one of the twenty-seven Amendment found in the US Constitution, is being stretched beyond its original intent. In her story Ivins talks about “Judicial doctrine of original intent”, she is referring to the original reasoning that the people who formed the constitution used to create the Amendments. A great example she used in her essay was “How do they know it was to dearest wish of Thomas Jefferson’s heart that teen-age drug dealers should cruise the cities of this nation perforating their fellow citizens with assault rifles?
Do people own guns?
People take the right to own a gun for granted. Not everybody uses guns to protect themselves, and the people who do sometimes aren 't trained and pull the trigger at the first site of danger. Guns are dangerous and we need to find a way to protect the 2nd amendment, while also making
Do gun huggers shoot themselves?
The issue is not individual gun huggers shooting themselves. It 's the other people with access to that gun, say sad and feeling no hope teens living in the house or just visiting. And let us not forget that suicidal gun huggers often use the occasion to take out husband or wife, children, parents, all other kinds of relatives, coworkers, neighbors, and random strangers. We need to be able to fight back if any of those cases do indeed happen and if it is hard to receive weapons those who are bad will still end up getting them. Gun control issues will continue to be a problem in the United States if things don 't change.
