hope is the thing with feathers?

Question

Can someone help me analyze the poem "hope" is the thing with feathers- by emily dickinson Especially the last stanza that says i've heard it in the chillest land and on the strangest sea yest, never, in extremity it asked a crumb of ME

Answer 1

This poem is talking about hope residing in everyone no matter what. Even when things are bad. The last line refers to the fact that she didn't have to give anything to hope for it to give so much to her.

Here's a great description I found that might help you:

Our capacity for hope is the most amazing thing about human beings. And it's not something that we control or consciously decide to have. It is like a small animal inside of us. Or an animalistic part of us. And although it can die, it takes so ridicuously little to keep it alive. Even in the worst circumstances, when our conscious mind - our intellect - must conclude that the situation is wholly negative and likely to remain so, hope will pipe up. Like a bird's song, it's uncontrollable, unconscious, instinctive and beautiful, thoughtless and uplifting. Evolved instinct, maybe.