Journal: Emily Dickinson’s “Much madness is divinest sense”
January 18, 2008
In this journal entry, we were asked to develop a thesis statement regarding Emily Dickinson’s use of figurative language in “Much madness is divinest sense” to convey her feelings. Then I was instructed to copy change her piece.
Thesis: Emily Dickinson’s poem, “Much madness is divinest sense” accurately conveys the idea of the diviness of love and how it is also mad at the same time through her use of a paradox.
Her beauty is pain to my eye
In my novice heart
Agonizing pain, her blunt beauty
‘Tis for all to see
In all, for all, her’s
See, and you could know
Heart, –you’re my conscious coma
Do you keep me near?
I copy changed this poem to create another paradox comparing beauty to pain. In this comparison, seeing her beauty is pain to the weak hearted, mostly because they recognize this undying beauty and know that they will never be able to have a chance with such a beautiful, delicate creature.
