much madness is divinest sense by emily dickinson, what is the poem about?

Answer 1

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

I have not had the chance to place these links in any particular order, you will have to look around until you find what you need, Sorry. (job for the future.)

http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/dickinson.htm

Emily Dickinson Comprising 597 poems of the Belle of Amherst, whose life of the Imagination formed the transcendental bridge to modern American poetry.

http://www.bartleby.com/113/

http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/dickinson/

http://www.netpoets.com/classic/021000.htm

Extra Resources.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

http://www.emilydickinson.org/

http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/dickinson.htm

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/155

http://www.online-literature.com/dickinson/

http://www.cswnet.com/~erin/emily.htm

http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/emilydickinson

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/fall.html

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/dickinson.html

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/155

http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap4/dickinson.html

Because I could not stop for Death (712) by Emily Dickinson

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15395

Emily Dickinson Collection

On the left you'll find 3 poetry books published by Emily's family after her death. Many in the academic community feel these books were poorly edited and are not true to Emily Dickinson's vision. Regardless, these are the most familiar versions for the public at large, the versions most often taught in school. We've also listed some more popular poems individually as well. In total our Emily Dickinson collection is over 400 poems.

http://www.online-literature.com/dickinson/

Emily Dickinson's Death Poems ( Free Essay )

Emily Dickinson's world was her father's home and garden in a small New England town. She lived most of her life within this private world. Her romantic visions and emotional intensity kept her from making all but a few friends.

http://www.freeessays.cc/db/37/pya173.shtml

Emily Dickinson's Views On Mortality

http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=27223

Term paper on Emily dickinson's because i could not stop for death

http://www.termpapergenie.com/EMILYDICKINSON.html

Answer 2

MUCH madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness.
’T is the majority
In this, as all, prevails. 5
Assent, and you are sane;
Demur,—you ’re straightway dangerous,
And handled with a chain.



The main, or at least most obvious, theme of this poem deals with the argument over the definition of sanity and its opposite, madness. Sanity is an ambiguous term.

It takes on its definition from its surroundings. What is considered sane in one society might be defined as crazy in another. The passage of time also alters the definition.

Dickinson is also correct in pointing out that the majority classifies what is sane and what is not. In any group, rules of conduct are determined by the majority. Deviation from this standard cannot be tolerated if the majority of the group is to "prevail." In some way, those who object must be ostracized or else they will threaten the group's goals. Although the words "sanity" and "madness" have definite meanings recognized by modern readers, in Dickinson's time, these concepts were often used when discussing women's rights or the attempts to suppress them.



Good luck

Answer 3

On one level, it is about the deceptive relationship between appearances and reality - about the coercive power of appearance when its 'truth' is enforced by the tyrannies of custom. However, the poem pursues 'Truth' at a different level, and in this sense, the poem is about itself.
The poem asks the question 'what is the Truth' and in its form it gives the answer to discover the truth, you must read between the lines.