“I dwell in Possibility,” begins Emily Dickinson’s poem of the same name: “A fairer House than Prose” (1-2). That poetry is as beautiful and as powerful as its possibilities are unbounded is, in fact, intimated throughout the entirety of Dickinson’s poem; indeed, Dickinson almost seems to have written “I dwell in Possibility” entirely in response to a personal and remarkably fervent desire to see poetry being celebrated for its “numerous” merits and virtues (3).
It is interesting to note that the word “poetry” itself cannot be found in the first stanza of Dickinson’s poem. In fact, Dickinson never refers to “poetry” by its own name; she refers to the art form as “Possibility” instead (1). The abstract noun “Possibility,” curiously enough, is just that: abstract. It defies definition which, in turn, lends Dickinson’s narrator’s definition of poetry a sense of preeminence. “Possibility” is, after all, as Dickinson’s narrator affirms, a much finer and much “fairer House than Prose” (2). This sentiment is itself noteworthy for several reasons. Dickinson’s employ of the comparative adjective “fairer,” for instance, is quite interesting; it is, after all, unclear whether Dickinson’s narrator considers poetry a more beautiful or more just art form than “Prose.” That she considers it a better art form than “Prose,” however, is insinuated by her employ of both the adjective “fairer” and the adjective “Superior” in the last line of this stanza (4), as both comparative adjectives carry incredibly positive denotations. The line “A fairer House than Prose” is also significant because it introduces Dickinson’s readers to the “House” analogy that stipples the entirety of Dickinson’s poem. …show more content…
That Dickinson chooses to liken poetry to a “House” at all is in and of itself fascinating, because the noun “House” connotes both comfort and security. Dickinson’s employ of the noun “House” – and of the entire “House” analogy – is therefore also indicative of her narrator’s perspective on the scope of the potential and power held by poetry. That the narrator believes this potential and power to be particularly prodigious is reiterated by Dickinson’s references to “numerous” “Windows” and “Doors” (3-4). The quantitative adjective “numerous” and the common concrete nouns “Windows” and “Doors” all speak to the notion of poetry’s being limitless – and they also speak to the notion of poetry’s functioning as an especially effective form of escape for its many patrons. The poem’s second stanza sees Dickinson elaborate upon the aforementioned “House” analogy. The “House,” Dickinson’s narrator asserts, is comprised of many “Chambers as the Cedars” (5). Dickinson’s reference to “Cedars” cannot go unnoticed here: cedar timber is, after all, thought to have been used in the construction of both David’s house and Solomon’s palace and temple. That Dickinson’s “House” resembles those great edifices indicates that Dickinson’s narrator, at least, believes that poetry is capable of communicating a brilliance of Biblical proportions to its consumers. The stanza’s second line then explains that these “Chambers” are “Impregnable of eye” (6). Dickinson’s employ of the adjective “Impregnable” lends her narrator’s definition of poetry a sense of unassailable glory and magnificence. The poet’s insertion of the phrase “of eye” is likewise fascinating; in sounding like the first person pronoun “I,” the common noun “eye” intimates that it is both bodily and psychologically impossible to ascertain, or even conceptualize, poetry’s power’s limits. The poem’s second stanza also sees Dickinson’s “House” being given “an everlasting Roof”: “The Gambrels of the Sky” (7-8). Dickinson’s use of the adjective “everlasting” is interesting, because it – like Dickinson’s earlier allusion to “the Cedars” of Lebanon – carries religious connotations; indeed, the adjective is often used to describe God’s actions, characteristics, and existence in both the Bible and the Quran. In loaning her “House” the very “Sky” for a “Roof,” Dickinson is also making a comment on the ineffable, unfathomable magnitude of poetry’s potential: it, she is arguing, can neither be contained nor restricted. In the third and final stanza of “I dwell in Possibility,” Dickinson’s narrator does not build upon her earlier descriptions of the “House”; instead, she focuses on what the “House” represents for its inhabitants. She mentions both “Visitors” and the existence of the option of “Occupation” (9-10), insinuating that poetry is a most obliging host. Dickinson’s narrator states that poetry is the “fairest” option offered to mankind (9); her utilization of
It is interesting to note that the word “poetry” itself cannot be found in the first stanza of Dickinson’s poem. In fact, Dickinson never refers to “poetry” by its own name; she refers to the art form as “Possibility” instead (1). The abstract noun “Possibility,” curiously enough, is just that: abstract. It defies definition which, in turn, lends Dickinson’s narrator’s definition of poetry a sense of preeminence. “Possibility” is, after all, as Dickinson’s narrator affirms, a much finer and much “fairer House than Prose” (2). This sentiment is itself noteworthy for several reasons. Dickinson’s employ of the comparative adjective “fairer,” for instance, is quite interesting; it is, after all, unclear whether Dickinson’s narrator considers poetry a more beautiful or more just art form than “Prose.” That she considers it a better art form than “Prose,” however, is insinuated by her employ of both the adjective “fairer” and the adjective “Superior” in the last line of this stanza (4), as both comparative adjectives carry incredibly positive denotations. The line “A fairer House than Prose” is also significant because it introduces Dickinson’s readers to the “House” analogy that stipples the entirety of Dickinson’s poem. …show more content…
That Dickinson chooses to liken poetry to a “House” at all is in and of itself fascinating, because the noun “House” connotes both comfort and security. Dickinson’s employ of the noun “House” – and of the entire “House” analogy – is therefore also indicative of her narrator’s perspective on the scope of the potential and power held by poetry. That the narrator believes this potential and power to be particularly prodigious is reiterated by Dickinson’s references to “numerous” “Windows” and “Doors” (3-4). The quantitative adjective “numerous” and the common concrete nouns “Windows” and “Doors” all speak to the notion of poetry’s being limitless – and they also speak to the notion of poetry’s functioning as an especially effective form of escape for its many patrons. The poem’s second stanza sees Dickinson elaborate upon the aforementioned “House” analogy. The “House,” Dickinson’s narrator asserts, is comprised of many “Chambers as the Cedars” (5). Dickinson’s reference to “Cedars” cannot go unnoticed here: cedar timber is, after all, thought to have been used in the construction of both David’s house and Solomon’s palace and temple. That Dickinson’s “House” resembles those great edifices indicates that Dickinson’s narrator, at least, believes that poetry is capable of communicating a brilliance of Biblical proportions to its consumers. The stanza’s second line then explains that these “Chambers” are “Impregnable of eye” (6). Dickinson’s employ of the adjective “Impregnable” lends her narrator’s definition of poetry a sense of unassailable glory and magnificence. The poet’s insertion of the phrase “of eye” is likewise fascinating; in sounding like the first person pronoun “I,” the common noun “eye” intimates that it is both bodily and psychologically impossible to ascertain, or even conceptualize, poetry’s power’s limits. The poem’s second stanza also sees Dickinson’s “House” being given “an everlasting Roof”: “The Gambrels of the Sky” (7-8). Dickinson’s use of the adjective “everlasting” is interesting, because it – like Dickinson’s earlier allusion to “the Cedars” of Lebanon – carries religious connotations; indeed, the adjective is often used to describe God’s actions, characteristics, and existence in both the Bible and the Quran. In loaning her “House” the very “Sky” for a “Roof,” Dickinson is also making a comment on the ineffable, unfathomable magnitude of poetry’s potential: it, she is arguing, can neither be contained nor restricted. In the third and final stanza of “I dwell in Possibility,” Dickinson’s narrator does not build upon her earlier descriptions of the “House”; instead, she focuses on what the “House” represents for its inhabitants. She mentions both “Visitors” and the existence of the option of “Occupation” (9-10), insinuating that poetry is a most obliging host. Dickinson’s narrator states that poetry is the “fairest” option offered to mankind (9); her utilization of