“Hope” Is the Thing With Feathers- Summary & Analysis

About Poem- “Hope” Is the Thing With Feathers

Poem Title	“Hope” Is the Thing With Feathers
Poet	Emily Dickinson
Year of publication	1891
Genre	Lyric Poetry
Theme	The nature of hope, its enduring quality
Structure	Consists of 4 quatrains (four-line stanzas)
Rhyme scheme	ABAB CDCD EFEF
Poetic devices	Extended metaphor, personification, anaphora, pathetic fallacy
Tone	Positive, uplifting, and optimistic
Main Metaphor	Hope is compared to a bird (a “thing with feathers”)
Central Message	Hope is a resilient and unwavering force that sustains individuals in difficult times.
Key Imagery	Bird, storm, chillest land, sweetest in the gale

Themes of “Hope” Is the Thing With Feathers

1. Hope ➤ The poem is all about hope, highlighting how it’s like a bird that lives in our hearts and keeps us going, even in tough times.
2. Perseverance ➤ It emphasizes that hope never gives up, no matter the circumstances. It continues to sing its song within us.
3. Strength ➤ The poem suggests that hope gives us the strength to endure challenges and storms in life.
4. Comfort ➤ It shows how hope provides comfort and solace during difficult times, just like a bird’s song can be soothing.
5. Endurance ➤ The poem teaches us that hope is enduring and everlasting, always with us in both good and bad moments.

“Hope” Is the Thing With Feathers Poem by Emily Dickinson

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

And sore must be the storm –

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

And on the strangest Sea –

Yet – never – in Extremity,

It asked a crumb – of me.

“Hope” Is the Thing With Feathers- Summary & Analysis

Stanza 1

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

In the first stanza, Dickinson introduces her metaphor of hope as a bird. She describes how hope “perches in the soul” and sings a song that is never-ending. The speaker’s use of the phrase “the tune without the words” suggests that hope is a feeling that cannot be fully explained or articulated. However, it is a feeling that is always present and always comforting.

Stanza 2

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

And sore must be the storm –

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm –

In the second stanza, Dickinson develops her metaphor by describing how hope is “sweetest in the gale.” This suggests that hope is most needed and most valuable when we are facing challenges. The speaker also asserts that hope is incredibly resilient. Even in the midst of the fiercest storm, the bird of hope is able to survive and continue singing.

Stanza 3

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

And on the strangest Sea –

Yet – never – in Extremity,

It asked a crumb – of me.

In the final stanza, Dickinson expands the scope of her metaphor by suggesting that the bird of hope is present everywhere, from the “chillest land” to the “strangest Sea.” This suggests that hope is universal and available to everyone. The speaker also emphasizes that hope is a gift that is freely given. The bird of hope never asks for anything in return.

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