Civil War And The War Of 1812 example essay topic
A war devastates more than a single person for a small period of time: a war has a lasting effect. By explaining that her life "closed" twice before its actual close (her own death) she is explaining that the loss that she suffered on account of those two wars was almost as horrendous as if she herself had died. Then, in the next few lines, Dickinson wonders if "Immortality" would unveil such a thing ever again. "Immortality" is the future, since it is ongoing-unlike her own life. The thought is slightly terrifying, and almost unthinkable that she might have to face another such series of losses.
As is common with most poems, this one has two levels at which it can be read, the literal one (which has been previously discussed) and the universal level. At the universal level, it is the country of America itself who is speaking. It had been through two devastating wars. Here, the word "close" in line one represents the fact that the country could have been destroyed. The Civil War almost tore the country in half, leaving in it wake families devastated and land ravaged.
It was virtually impossible to conceive what would happen if there was another war, one worse than the last. Then, in the last two lines of the poem, it says that, "Parting is all that we know of heaven, and all we need of hell". This obvious religious reference is based upon several factors. First of all, war often seems like hell on earth. Secondly, many people turned to religion after the Civil War. They needed spiritual consolation and the hopes for a better future that a religious faith could provide.
This poem is representative of the time, conveying through words not the horror that was experienced in war itself, but how battle effected all those remaining at home, as well as the spirit of the country itself.
Bibliography
Poem 1732 by Emily Dickinson.