This World is not Conclusion.11th February 2014

Emily Dickinson has a laugh about the afterlife.

If you ask me, it’s not going to get any better.

“Emily Dickinson” by Wendy Cope

Higgledy-piggledyEmily DickinsonLiked to use dashesInstead of full stops.

Nowadays, faced with suchIdiosyncrasy,Critics and editorsSend for the cops.

This World is not Conclusion.A Species stands beyond —Invisible, as Music —But positive, as Sound —It beckons, and it baffles —Philosophy — don't know —And through a Riddle, at the last —Sagacity, must go —To guess it, puzzles scholars —To gain it, Men have borneContempt of GenerationsAnd Crucifixion, shown —Faith slips — and laughs, and rallies —Blushes, if any see —Plucks at a twig of Evidence —And asks a Vane, the way —Much Gesture, from the Pulpit —Strong Hallelujahs roll —Narcotics cannot still the ToothThat nibbles at the soul —

This World is not Conclusion.A Species stands beyond —Invisible, as Music —But positive, as Sound —

Dickinson starts off with an assertion, that there is something beyond our life. However, she then goes on to clarify that point.

The capitalisation of ‘Conclusion’ gives the sense of the reality of death.

Why does she give the idea of an afterlife the title ‘A Species’? This has scientific connotations. Does science challenge the idea of an afterlife?

These two lines almost contradict themselves – the ‘Species’ are invisible as is music but have a reality, as the sound that music creates. In other words, the afterlife may be something we cannot see but it still exists.

It beckons, and it baffles —Philosophy — don't know —And through a Riddle, at the last —Sagacity, must go —

This verse is, arguably, the most colloquial we have found in Dickinson’s poetry so far. We see alliteration in the first line which suggests an almost friendly, casual poetic form. She suggests that the afterlife draws us but also is something that is confusing, unclear or uncertain.

Is this ‘riddle’ death? Think how she has personified or imagined death in her other poems. Again, her capitalisation suggests that the riddle is crucial – it is only by passing through it that we can understand – what?

She suggests that neither philosophy nor knowledge have the answer. The way she puts this – ‘don’t know/must go’ seems almost modern in its phrasing.

To guess it, puzzles scholars —To gain it, Men have borneContempt of GenerationsAnd Crucifixion, shown —

There is the suggestion that we have struggled to understand the afterlife – what it is, whether it exists. Not the alliterative start to the first two lines – ‘guess/gain’.

Dickinson suggests that we have struggled to cope with mockery and death to understand or reach the afterlife.

The reference to crucifixion has obvious links to Christ – through his death it allowed us to be born again.

Faith slips — and laughs, and rallies —Blushes, if any see —Plucks at a twig of Evidence —And asks a Vane, the way —

Faith is personified – seemingly as a young girl. The use of the word ‘slips’ might imply a loss of faith or a more realistic trip. Do we need faith to believe in the afterlife?

The personified Faith is embarrassed by her slip but ‘rallies’ – do we regain our faith when we suffer uncertainties?

‘Twig’ seems a weak thing to provide the ‘evidence’ of an afterlife. Is she suggesting that we have little real ‘faith’?

Her faith is arguably as changeable as the wind – she looks to a weathervane to point her in the right direction?

Much Gesture, from the Pulpit —Strong Hallelujahs roll —Narcotics cannot still the ToothThat nibbles at the soul —

Dickinson seems to feel that organised religion is ‘full of show’ but actually has little substance when it comes to faith.

We need to consider what are Dickinson’s views on religion – she seems to believe but does not seem to have much time for church and the formalities of religion.

‘Gestures’ and ‘Strong Hallelujahs’ are simply drugs that numb our understanding or belief (‘the Tooth’) in the afterlife.

Like a toothache, this question or faith in the afterlife will irritate us or our soul until we die and can understand the truth. The concluding dash perhaps suggests that continuance of a search.

Summary

• We need to think what questions Dickinson is posing – both for herself and for us.

• How surprising were Dickinson’s views for the 1860s?

• Consider her views on death, faith and religion.

• Think about the form of the poem – is it clearer split into quatrains?

THEME

How can you link this poem to others? Things to consider:Belief in God or an afterlife Dickinson’s faith versus formal religionThe representation of death