My life had stood- a Loaded Gun: Key Quotes

“My life had stood- a Loaded Gun: Poet & Context”

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson was an American poet born in 1830, renowned for her innovative use of form and syntax.
Dickinson led a life of relative isolation in Amherst, Massachusetts and the majority of her poems were discovered posthumously.

Contextual Background

The period of Dickinson’s writings was characterized by a strict and conservative societal framework, especially for women. It was rare for women to assert the level of independence and authority that Dickinson demonstrates in her poetry.
Although well educated, Dickinson did not fit into the traditional expectations of the Victorian women, and her poems often explore this struggle.
Dickinson’s poems frequently contemplate death, a common topic in the 19th century, considering the high mortality rates and the US Civil War.

“My life had stood- a Loaded Gun” and the Dickinson canon

This poem is often considered as one of Dickinson’s most enigmatic and personally reflective pieces.
Critics suggests that the poem explores the idea of power from the perspective of the poet’s personal life.
In her broader oeuvre, it communicates with her other works on themes like death, power, self-identity and the nature of artistry.