Emily Dickenson "My Life Had Stood --a Loaded Gun"
Erica Nicole Clark
Dr. Rudnicki
English 102: Freshman Composition
18 July 2013
Belief and Perception Emily Dickinson is recognized as not only one of the most distinguished female American writers but also as one of the more renowned modern poets. Her work is often considered controversial and obscure. Her poetic premise ranges from spirituality to sexuality. These two themes specifically are exemplified in the scholarly works of Raymond P. Tripp, Jr. and Lillian Faderman. Both of these authors wrote interesting and articulate academic articles on the same poem by Dickinson, “My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun”. In his essay Spiritual Action in “ My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun” Tripp considers “My life had stood – a Loaded Gun” to be one of Dickinson’s most complex and inventive poems. He even goes so far as to proclaim that “the form behind the many profiles of ‘My Life’ is the poets spiritual awakening” (Tripp 282). Tripp takes into consideration the distinctive of the language as well as the subjective methods of the poet. More importantly, he focuses on the figurative language of ‘My Life’. He speaks of the profoundness of two words, "Me" and "I", within the poem. These two words suggest a change from stagnant possible energy to an existence of significance. The next statement implicates the importance of the term "gun". A gun without bullets or an operator is just a paperweight; however, once someone takes command, it shall breathe life. With that being said, it stands to reason that “My life had stood – a loaded gun” is open to interpretation. Tripp interprets this poetry as “the mountain of spiritual experience” (284). His thoughts are made justifiable by the use of past-present verbs such as: Stood, Loaded, and Life. These words represent the overall idea and shape of the poem. The gun itself is significant; it can be both servant and master. The gun is an extreme example of potential energy. Tripp says it best “it must be held, aimed, and fired
Dr. Rudnicki
English 102: Freshman Composition
18 July 2013
Belief and Perception Emily Dickinson is recognized as not only one of the most distinguished female American writers but also as one of the more renowned modern poets. Her work is often considered controversial and obscure. Her poetic premise ranges from spirituality to sexuality. These two themes specifically are exemplified in the scholarly works of Raymond P. Tripp, Jr. and Lillian Faderman. Both of these authors wrote interesting and articulate academic articles on the same poem by Dickinson, “My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun”. In his essay Spiritual Action in “ My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun” Tripp considers “My life had stood – a Loaded Gun” to be one of Dickinson’s most complex and inventive poems. He even goes so far as to proclaim that “the form behind the many profiles of ‘My Life’ is the poets spiritual awakening” (Tripp 282). Tripp takes into consideration the distinctive of the language as well as the subjective methods of the poet. More importantly, he focuses on the figurative language of ‘My Life’. He speaks of the profoundness of two words, "Me" and "I", within the poem. These two words suggest a change from stagnant possible energy to an existence of significance. The next statement implicates the importance of the term "gun". A gun without bullets or an operator is just a paperweight; however, once someone takes command, it shall breathe life. With that being said, it stands to reason that “My life had stood – a loaded gun” is open to interpretation. Tripp interprets this poetry as “the mountain of spiritual experience” (284). His thoughts are made justifiable by the use of past-present verbs such as: Stood, Loaded, and Life. These words represent the overall idea and shape of the poem. The gun itself is significant; it can be both servant and master. The gun is an extreme example of potential energy. Tripp says it best “it must be held, aimed, and fired