Explication- Emily Dickinson poem, “Success is Counted Sweetest’’
Introduction
Emily Dickson’s poem titled ‘’Success Is Counted Sweetest’’ unveils a special vintage thought of success. Emily holds a belief that failure gives an individual the experience of depending on others assistance. This thus provides them with a feeling of the distinction between success and failure (Lehman, & Brehm, 2006). Despite the fact that the poem was developed through the use of the third persona it is a representation of individual’s lifestyles. The poem offers the thought that individuals who achieve success never appreciate it in real sense and those that fail of struggles to attain something truly appreciate the wonderful nature that they would derive from achieving. The poem thus presents the dilemma that success is not only counted sweetest by only the individual’s that for too long before achieving success but also by the individuals who Ne’er success (Lehman, & Brehm, 2006). There is nobody that actually appreciates victory to the highest desert as those who could appreciate it that high once they get the chance the ability to actually appreciate victory is lost.
The utterer in ‘’ Success Is Counted Sweetest’’ is in a period of anguish after the loss of a fight against another party (Dickinson, 2011). This is supported by the third stanza of this poem after the author makes a mention that the man is defeated and he is already in a dying moment. The man is in frustration due to the loss and he asserts that nobody can understand the implication of victory other than him. In the poem’s second stanza, the utterer asserts that the opponent who defeated him in the fight may not be able to comprehend the actual meaning of success. Emily, the author utilizes a purple color in an illustration of the feeling of royalty. This develops an additional thought that royal people are successful in their leadership roles and they hold no experience of failure. This thought is presented in the poem’s first stanza which makes that claim that victory’s nectar is only appreciated by the losing party. Nectar victory can be used by victors in their celebration as they are not worried of those that lost (Dickinson, 2011).
‘’ Success Is Counted Sweetest’’ poem is comprised of twelve distinct lines which made up the three complete stanzas. The poem, therefore, lacks a specific poem rhyme and this is essential because it allows the utterer to deliver the message with simplicity and it holds no complexity (Dickinson, 2011). Based on the fact that the poem can be classified as a free structured poem, this provides a wider ground for critical development and supporting of the developed thoughts. The poem’s author makes emphasizes on the basic thought that an individual can truly comprehend and understand the implication of victory only after a loss. This is supported by the poem’s lines which state that comprehending nectar necessitates painful need (Dickinson, 2011). The author states that an individual is supposed to experience pain before they can actually appreciate its significance. Through the writing of the poem the thought of maintaining humbleness is addressed in a manner that is not straight. Based on the ideas of the author humbleness can be sustained even when success has been achieved by gaining the experience of the sensation of loss.
The first two opening lines addresses victory in a direct manner with the following of two metaphors which are battle loss and starvation which makes the assertion that victory appreciation necessitates failure (Lehman, & Brehm, 2006). The following metaphor alters the poem’s scope thus increasing the reader’s ability to comprehend the intended messages. This is the statement made by the author that appreciation is no longer based on victory but it is based on desires as well as wants. For an individual to understand nectar the individual must understand all the surrounding characteristics of success which requires an experience that is not appealing. This generates the dilemma that when an individual is hungry they truly appreciate the wonderful feeling of being full, but after getting a bite and they are no longer needy the capability of appreciating is most immediately.
The last stanza of the poem presents another metaphor. The author illustrates both the perspectives of losing and those of winning in a fighting field. The winning side cannot understand the sensation of losing and neither can they get the sensation of appreciating success in comparison of those that have lost the match. The first four lines discuss the significance of victory and especially on the individuals who have never attained it (Lehman, & Brehm, 2006).
In summing up, success can be appreciated different based on the individual’s position. In addition, victory is understood and felt in a different manner as those that lose will always desire and appreciate it more. The ability to actually appreciate victory is transformed at the moment when victory is achieved. Generally ‘’Success Is Counted Sweetest’’ is a poem that creates a straight relation between the life of the author and the deep desire that she held in regard to succeeding but the chance to achieve victory was never achieved.
References
Dickinson, E. (2011). Delphi poet’s series: Complete works of Emily Dickinson (delphi classics). S.l.: Delphi Publishing Limited.
Lehman, D., & Brehm, J. (2006). The Oxford book of American poetry. Oxford [u.a.: Oxford Univ. Press.
