This World is not Conclusion: Structure & Language Techniques

Structure and Language Techniques

Dickinson uses irregular capitalization and dash usage, which is characteristic of her poetic style.
The poem contains iambic trimeter in combination with irregular line lengths which contribute to its song-like nature.
There’s emphasis on the visual imagery created throughout, for instance, through phrases like “plank of reason” or “finished knowing”.
The poet uses personification (“Keeps beating—beating—”) to emphasize the intense sensory experience.
There’s a use of symbolism, where “Funeral” may represent mental distress or overthinking.

##Themes

This poem focuses on the theme of mental breakdown where a funeral serves as a metaphor.
It explores the experience of despair, mental agony, and isolation.
The poem touches upon the theme of external vs internal reality, showing the different perceptions of reality.

##Key Quotes

“I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” - metaphorically conveys the feeling of mental breakdown.
“And then a Plank in Reason, broke” - signifies shattering of rationality, indicating extreme mental distress.
“And Finished knowing - then - “ - signalling ultimate plunge into unknowingness or possibly death.

##Poet and Context

Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) was an American poet whose work, despite her own secluded nature, has garnered widespread acclaim.
Dickinson’s poems are known for their deep introspective quality and exploration of complex themes like death, identity, and nature.
This poem encapsulates her penchant for exploring mental states and the human psychology.
Dickinson’s unique poetic form, reflected in her peculiar use of dashes and capitalization, sets her work apart.
She was influenced by the Metaphysical poets and was ahead of her time in terms of her exploration of the human mind and emotions.