My life had stood--a Loaded Gun- 5th March 2014

You don’t want to mess with Emily!

Ask yourself, are you feeling lucky, punk?

My life had stood--a Loaded Gun-- In Corners--till a Day The Owner passed--identified-- And carried Me away--

And now We roam in Sovereign Woods-- And now We hunt the Doe-- And every time I speak for Him-- The Mountains straight reply--

And do I smile, such cordial light Upon the Valley glow-- It is as a Vesuvian face Had let its pleasure through--

And when at Night--Our good Day done-- I guard My Master's Head-- 'Tis better than the Eider-Duck's Deep Pillow--to have shared--

To foe of His--I'm deadly foe--

None stir the second time-- On whom I lay a Yellow Eye-- Or an emphatic Thumb--

Though I than He--may longer live He longer must--than I-- For I have but the power to kill, Without--the power to die—

Consider these versions…

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYUvu3BtDaA

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVRmsuGcFhw

My life had stood--a Loaded Gun-- In Corners--till a Day The Owner passed--identified-- And carried Me away--

Is this Dickinson’s life or simply the life of the gun? If the former, then this is a metaphor – why would her life be a loaded gun – waiting to explode/fire?

However, if she is making the – somewhat strange – link between life and a gun, that idea is soon dismissed to focus on the gun’s story. The rest of the poem seems to be told from the gun’s perspective. Perhaps, though, she is not talking about a gun at all – perhaps it is HER LIFE that the ‘owner’ has carried away??

How do we read these two lines:1. Like a loaded gun I have

spent much of my life in corners?

2. I am a loaded gun and am often left standing in the corner?

We start to see the link between the gun and the owner. Is Dickinson simply narrating a story or could the whole poem have a deeper meaning? Who – or what - is ‘the owner’?

And now We roam in Sovereign Woods-- And now We hunt the Doe-- And every time I speak for Him-- The Mountains straight reply--

Note the use of anaphora (repetition) to build up tension – she is suggesting that things are getting more exciting.

This is obviously the echo of the gunshots.

There are a number of metaphors in the poem. Here the firing of the gun is linked to speech.

However, it has been suggested that the gun is simply a metaphor the poet’s anger and that ‘the owner’ is the poet’s anger which can control her. When she ‘speaks for him’ it means she expresses the anger. Are we looking at mental turmoil once again? Think about that idea as we look at the rest of the poem.

And do I smile, such cordial light Upon the Valley glow-- It is as a Vesuvian face Had let its pleasure through--

This stanza contains a strange mix of ideas. When the gun fires, it smiles – through light (gunfire). However, this is described as cordial (friendly) – not an emotion we would associate with gunfire.

This, too, is seen as a source of pleasure as well as power. Why might violent release be seen as a source of pleasure?

Having suggested the power of the gun is friendly, now she uses a simile (‘as if’) to link it to the power of an erupting volcano.

As the mountains reflected back the sound so the valley glows in response to the gunfire.

And when at Night--Our good Day done-- I guard My Master's Head-- 'Tis better than the Eider-Duck's Deep Pillow--to have shared--

We move on to a completely different mood at this point. Having been out hunting the gun and master return home.

There are feminist interpretations that suggest that the poem reflects women usurping male power – although he takes her, she is the one who acts for him.

It has been suggested that the poem is a metaphor for a relationship where Dickinson would rather ‘guard’ her ‘master’ than share his bed i.e. she prefers a non-sexual relationship.

Who, though, is this master? Is it just an image to tie in with the personification of the gun or is there more to it?

To foe of His--I'm deadly foe-- None stir the second time-- On whom I lay a Yellow Eye-- Or an emphatic Thumb--

This stresses her devotion to the owner – as a gun she fights to protect her master, as ‘lover’ she would fight for him, as one prone to anger she guards her self.

Again there are various interpretations of this – it could be a thumb which cocks the gun or a thumb that cocks a snook –an aggressive act?

This could be two things – it could be a flash from a gun’s muzzle. On the other hand, it could be like an ‘evil eye’.

There is a sense of pleasure in this power she has.

Though I than He--may longer live He longer must--than I-- For I have but the power to kill, Without--the power to die—

At this point the poem becomes rather strange and critics have argued over the meaning. Is she suggesting that the gun will live longer than the owner as it is an inanimate object?

If we stick to the gun image, perhaps she is simply saying that the gun won’t die as it is not fallible.

How does that fit with our other interpretations? As a woman, she has no life if her man is dead? If she doesn’t have her anger , then she can live on happily?

Or that the master must live longer as, without him, she has no ‘life’, only existence?

Summary

• Yikes! There are some strange ideas here. We can see it simply as the personification of a gun. On the other hand, it could be a woman and a man.

• Do we give credence to the ‘anger’ interpretation?

• Interestingly, it could be such a simple poem but has attracted such a wide range of interpretations. It is, arguably, ED’s most famous poem.

THEMES

How can you link this poem to others? Things to consider:RelationshipsInner turmoilIdeas about death – the gun hands out death but seems to enjoy it!

Essay

How does Emily Dickinson represent Death in ‘Because I could not stop for Death’ and two or three other poems you have studied?

For Wednesday 12th.