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  • Analysis: " To Undertake Is To Achieve" by Emily Dickinson

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    The poem says that to undertake something is to achieve it, though the undertaking is difficult due to obstacles. The poet faces two barriers - the strength of the obstacles themselves in writing poetry, and receiving only suspicion from critics who admire traditional forms and a few contemporary poets as the standards of good poetry. The analysis suggests the poem was Emily Dickinson's way of telling Thomas Higginson that her undertaking of writing unique poetry was an achievement, despite facing criticism from those who favored traditional styles.

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    1070_ToUndertakeIsToAchieve

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    The poem says that to undertake something is to achieve it, though the undertaking is difficult due to obstacles. The poet faces two barriers - the strength of the obstacles themselves in writing poetry, and receiving only suspicion from critics who admire traditional forms and a few contemporary poets as the standards of good poetry. The analysis suggests the poem was Emily Dickinson's way of telling Thomas Higginson that her undertaking of writing unique poetry was an achievement, despite facing criticism from those who favored traditional styles.

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    69 views1 page

    Analysis: " To Undertake Is To Achieve" by Emily Dickinson

    Uploaded by

    covenantcross
    The poem says that to undertake something is to achieve it, though the undertaking is difficult due to obstacles. The poet faces two barriers - the strength of the obstacles themselves in writing poetry, and receiving only suspicion from critics who admire traditional forms and a few contemporary poets as the standards of good poetry. The analysis suggests the poem was Emily Dickinson's way of telling Thomas Higginson that her undertaking of writing unique poetry was an achievement, despite facing criticism from those who favored traditional styles.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    "To undertake is to achieve"

    By Emily Dickinson
    [Analysis]
    To undertake is to achieve [1]
    Be Undertaking blent [2]
    With fortitude of obstacle [3]
    And toward encouragement [4]
    That fine Suspicion, Natures must [5]
    Permitted to revere [6]
    Departed Standards and the few [7]
    Criterion Sources here [8]
    Poem 1070 [F991]
    "To undertake is to achieve"
    Analysis by David Preest
    [Poem]
    Ruth Miller suggests that Emily in this poem is referring to her own undertaking to write poetry, and making points which she might have
    liked Thomas Higginson to hear. Emily says in effect:
    For me to undertake my sort of poems is quite an achievement, since this undertaking is mingled with two barriers to success: firstly the
    strength of the obstacle itself (it is hard to write a good poem), and secondly the fact that my only encouragement is suspicion from those
    Natures or critics who only admire traditional poetic forms (departed Standards) and the few contemporary poets whom they take to be
    the criterion of good poetry (Criterion Sources here).'
    Miller adds that if the poem was aimed at Higginson, it was written 'tongue in cheek,' as Emily in fact 'had no doubts whatever about her
    capacity for verse or her chance of success.'
    In line 2 the words 'Be Undertaking' would be more normally expressed as 'If undertaking is.'
    Lines 5-6 are a compressed form of 'that fine Suspicion [which] natures must [have who] permit themselves to revere.
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