English Literature - Poems - There's a Certain Slant of Light

Emily Dickinson (the poet) was known to have suffered with depression. The specific form of depression addressed in this poem is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. It is sometimes known as "winter depression" because the symptoms are more apparent and tend to be more severe during the winter, as demonstrated throughout this poem.

• "-" - Repeated use of dashes slows down the pace of the poem, perhaps showing how the poet struugles to continue through her depression.

• "oppresses, like the Heft Of Cathedral Tunes" - Simile - May refer to funeral bells, showing how, like the death of a loved one, the weather makes her feel heavy-hearted and subjects her to a great depression. - May also refer to the organ music that eminates from cathedrals. The organ is loud, overwhelming and nothing can drown it out, much like her depression. - Captialisation emphasises the magnitude of her depression, dragging her down.

• "Heft of Cathedral Tunes" + "Heavenly Hurt" - She is oppressed and hurt by her faith as not even it can console her, causing her doubt her religion. - Captialisation emphasises the magnitude of her depression, dragging her down.

• "-" - The poem ends with a dash + there is no use of definitive punctuation       (e.g. ; / .) used throughout the poem, showing how depression is a continual struggle, never ending.

• "We can find no scar" - Implies that you cannot see the impact that her depression has had on her, indicating an internal conflict. - Also implies that she has not healed and the wound is still open. She is still in pain.

• "internal difference" - Again indicates an internal conflict. "Difference" may suggest a difference (conflict) within herself i.e. she is fighting against herself to make it through.

• "none may teach it" - She cannot explain it/express it.

• "imperial affliction" - ("imperial" = strong/powerful) ("affliction" = pain or harm) - Suggests her depression is overpowering and painful.

• "When it comes, the Landscape listens - Shadows - hold their breath" - The poet states that the light ("it") comforts her and lifts her grievances. She feels as though she is being listened to and that the "shodows" are held at bay. - The personification in this phrase enhances her isolation as it is a person that should be listening, not the "landscape".

• "When it goes, 'tis like the Distance on the Look of Death" - The poet states that when her depression goes, death seems further away.

• "Shadows - hold their breath" + "Distance on the Look of Death" - In both of these phrases, the depression/"shadows" are never completely gone, they're simply holding their breath or distanced from her but they're always there. This shows how one can never be rid of depression, as it can always return.

• Uses a tight rhyme scheme (Always ABCB in each stanza - no exceptions). This may indicate how the poet feels constrained by her depression.

• Mostly uses a regular syllable count (Usually a 7 syllable line followed by a 5 syllable line) with the exception of the final stanza. This perhaps indicates that the poet feels out of control, as though she is overpowered by her depression.