This Is My Letter To The World
This is my letter to the World
That never wrote to Me—
The simple News that Nature told—
With tender MajestyHer Message is committed
To Hands I cannot see—
For love of Her—Sweet—countrymen—
Judge tenderly—of Me
Summary of This Is My Letter to the World
- Popularity of “This Is My Letter to the World”: Written around 1862, “This Is My Letter to the World” is an enigmatic and compact poem. Emily Dickinson depicts the situation of an introvert regarding difficulties she has faced while communicating with the world. She also attempts to echo the broader mysteries of nature to her readers. The poem has won popularity due to its common themes and their relevance to man’s life.
- “This Is My Letter to the World” As a Representative of Sadness: This poem is a reflection of the speaker’s lonely life. It begins when the speaker leaves a message to the world. She complains that the world never approached her; it has always consoled her. Nature’s invisible hands always comforted her, and they were always there to support her during trying times, she says. She adds that people who admire nature will understand the speaker’s stance. On a deeper level, the poem reflects the pain of isolation and the speaker’s desire for human connection. She complains that the world neglected her, and this negligence created a void in her life. On the one hand, she complains about the world’s unjust approach. On the other hand, she urges the world not to misinterpret her words as her purpose in writing this short text is to communicate the pains and sufferings of loneliness.
- Major Themes in “This Is My Letter to the World”: Loneliness, human connection, and complaints are the major themes of the poem. This short poem intensifies the speaker’s pain. It reflects how a lonely person feels. The first line of the poem describes the reason for writing this poem. The speaker complains that the world does not extend her the courtesy she seeks. She feels separated from society, either by choice or fault. This separation has evoked feelings of alienation and loneliness. Despite facing the dark side of the world, she still feels herself a part of the community and writes this poem as a conduit, relating nature’s message.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in This Is My Letter to the World
literary devices make simple texts meaningful, unique, and understandable. Their clever use makes the readers touch the keynote of the text. Emily Dickenson also used some literary devices in the poem, whose analysis is as follows.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /e/ in “The simple News that Nature told—” and the sound of /o/ in “For love of Her—Sweet—countrymen.”
- Allegory: It is a figure of speech in which abstract ideas and principles are described in terms of characters, figures, and events. The speaker used allegoric expression in the beginning of the poem when she informs the readers that she was left out by the world, such as;
“This is my letter to the World
That never wrote to Me.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /t/ in “The simple News that Nature told—” and the sound of /r/ in “For love of Her—Sweet—countrymen—.”
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
“This is my letter to the World
That never wrote to Me—
The simple News that Nature told—
With tender Majesty”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Emily Dickenson has used imagery in this poem, such as; “The simple News that Nature told”, “For love of Her—Sweet—countrymen” and “This is my letter to the World.”
- Irony: Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. This is an ironic poem. On the one hand, she complains to the world, while on the other, she urges people not to misinterpret her.
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects different in nature. The poet has used loneliness and isolation as extended metaphors to show her desires.
- Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. The poet has personified nature in the poem, such as “For love of Her—Sweet—countrymen” and “Her Message is committed.”
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem uses symbols such as loneliness, complaint, lack of communication, and desires.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in This Is My Letter to the World
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: The poem shows descriptive diction having rhetorical devices, symbolism, and impressive images.
- Free Verse: Free verse is a type of poetry that does not contain patterns of rhyme or meter. This is a free verse poem with no strict rhyme or meter.
- Quatrain: A quatrain is a four-lined stanza borrowed from Persian poetry. Here each stanza is quatrain.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are two stanzas in this poem, with each comprising four verses.
- Tone: It means the voice of the text. This poem has a spiritual as well as a complaining tone.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful to use by a person facing problems like loneliness, heartache, and alienation.
“This is my letter to the World
That never wrote to Me—
The simple News that Nature told—
With tender Majesty.”