As Imperceptibly as Greif

Question 1

Point 1 - Dickinson describes the end of summer using natural imagery

Answer 1

‘The summer lapsed away’ - showing the passing of seasons
‘As Twilight long begun’ - showing that the beginning of the grief has began
‘The dusk drew in earlier’ - Dusk has negative connotations and shows bleak images

Question 2

Point 2 - Dickinson seems to suggest that the grieving process is inevitable

Answer 2

‘As imperceptibly as grief’ - showing that grief is slow and gradual
‘Dusk drew earlier’ and ‘morning foreign shone’ - these changes are inventible
‘without a wing or service of a keel’ - showing that summer needs no support to happen because it is inventible

Question 3

Point 3 - The grieving process is bittersweet, but ultimately involves a movement into something better

Answer 3

‘sequestered afternoon’ - shows peace
‘quietness distilled’ - shows peace
‘our summer made her light escape’ - shows that summer has moved on to something better and it happens naturally
‘into the beautiful’ - this shows that there is something better waiting on the other side of grief

Question 4

Context

Answer 4

• Often looked after the sick and dying in her community
• Influenced by romantic poets in her natural imagery
• Her poems often focus on themes of death and the afterlife

Question 5

Techniques

Answer 5

Natural imagery, personifications