Loango 1

Yeltsin Loango

Professor Batty

English 102

December 11, 2017

Anchor Your Life

Writing itself has allowed people to express themselves freely without having to be afraid

of what others may think. Literature is a type of writing that has allowed people to express

themselves, to the time period they are living in. This type of writing is usually in the form of

novels, biographies, and poems. Emily Dickinson grew up writing letters to her family, soon she

found a passion for poetry and writes many poems, including "Wild nights - Wild nights" in the

year 1861. The poem consists of 12 lines, broken into 3 stanzas with the rhyme scheme of

ABBB, CDEF,GHIH. Throughout the poem I believe that Dickinson has found the one person

she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Just like I have my opinion, others have there's.

Many people view this essay in the sexual sense, where Dickinson is now capable of enjoying

her sexual life. Although many see it that way, I interpret it the way I do based on diction,

symbolism, and imagery used in the poem.

Poems aren't always the easiest to read and understand, because almost always the author

may sometimes mean more than one thing. I interpreted this poem in three different phases. The

first one being a wild night, the second at a port, third being garden of Eden. It's interesting how

she does this, in a certain way to allow her to jump between space and time. We see she goes

from an exciting teenager out at night in the first scene. Then jumps into more of a sailor picture

where her diction describes it. Then finally one can assume that Emily has reached a point of

satisfaction.
 [Loango] 2

To begin with the first setting of the poem we picture her out enjoying the night life.

Which includes hanging out with friends, to partying with others. Dickinson writes "Wild nights

should be Our luxury,"(line 3-4). Choosing luxury may be the perfect word for this context. As a

young person there is this desire in many to go out and have wild nights. In today's times this is

seen more than ever. Although many people aren't allowed sometimes this freedom, its a desire

in this context to go out and have fun. Interestingly she says "should be," because of the simple

fact that not everyone has the freedom to go out and have these wild nights. So, I find it unique

that it can connect to today's times very close. Everyone has their own ideas of what is luxurious,

wild, and fun for them.

Throughout the years authors have come to use objects to represent a certain idea. This is

known as symbolism. Dickinson uses symbolism in the 2nd stanza to show her search for her

love has come to end. In this stanza she writes "Futile the winds To a heart in port" (line 5-6).

This phrase can be split into two different scenarios to make it more understandable for the

reader. The first part says "futile the winds," which is basically saying the winds are pointless

and unnecessary. Its understand that way because of the word "futile," which means pointless.

Usually when hearing these words, you picture sailors. Therefore, if a sailor was to say this it's

would be wise to say that the ship is sailing smoothly and there is no need for winds.

The second part says "to a heart in port," representing the idea that her heart has come to

a destination. So, port as many know, is where all the boats are put when they have reached a

point of rest, or have no use to sail anymore. The idea these two lines are making is that the

winds that blow for sailing are pointless, therefore there's no need to sail anymore. As well as the

port representing the area you put a boat after sailing, for this reason she's saying her heart has

come to an end. Once again, we get a feeling that there is no need to keep sailing.
 [Loango] 3

She emphasizes that point once again in the following lines "Done with the compass

Done with the chart"(line 7-8). Both words, compass and chart, are symbols that usually

represent items of navigation. Dickinson uses the word "done", before both these to represent

there is no more need to navigate. In this case, navigate can mean the way she's navigating

through her own life. Putting all three of these together one can say her heart has reached a point

where there is no need to look for someone else. All the sailing, all the navigating she's done

looking for the right person has come to a final destination.

Out of the five senses, sight is one of the most utilized when reading a poem. The reason

behind this is because many authors purposely use certain words to make you picture in your

head what you are reading. The 3rd stanza of the poem uses imagery to make us imagine what

she's experiencing. For example, Dickinson writes "Rowing in Eden" (line 9) to illustrate a

peaceful place of some kind. When first reading this line, the first thing that pops up to anyone is

the Garden of Eden. Which can be compared to a paradise; a beautiful, joyful, away from all

troubles place. Dickinson doesnt stop there with imagery, she writes "Might I moor Tonight

In thee!"(line11-12). In this line the word moor, means to secure oneself or anchored. Another

person is presented in this part where she says "thee", these lines come together to have the

single meaning that she has secured herself in the arms of another and not moving from there.

When you're anchored to something nothing's going to detach you from anything. It paints the

perfect picture of an anchor being sent down so the boat is stable, in this case her and her love

life.

All this being said, one can judge quickly and maybe because of the line "wild nights-

should be our luxury" many people believe that Dickinson's overall theme were sexual desires.

"A poem on passion written in the conditional mood. It dwells not so much upon fantasies but
 [Loango] 4

rather speculates about what might be, should be"(Mayer). People that have this opinion

understand that Dickinson was under religion and was never able to have these luxurious nights.

They interpret it, in the sense where his line shows power, not only that but shows how chains

that where tying her down are now broke. Making it possible for this desire she has to come out

and do as she want. Although all this is presented I still believe the message Emily is trying to

send is she has found love.

Looking back historically to her times it explains how she was born and raised into

Christianity which opened my mind more into a deeper meaning of the poem. (Brand, Gerhard)

Is this why she mentions the Garden of Eden further in her poem? I believe so because not only

can she relate to it, but many others as well that aren't from that religion can understand. Since

it's something that mostly everyone can understand she does a great job to describe her poem in a

way many readers can follow along and understand.

The first time reading this poem I believed it had a sexual theme. After re-reading it and

having time to think about it I came to the decision that the theme was that she had found her one

true love. Dickinson made this message understandable with the imagery, symbolism, and

diction used throughout the poem. This poem goes out to everyone and doesnt have to be just

based on love. It gives an important meaning to what you may find luxurious now, won't be what

holds you down in the future. Poets do this purposely to get different peoples perspectives on it

and how they view it. There may never be just one interpretation of a poem. The way you view a

poem today, may be different from the way you view it tomorrow.
 [Loango] 5

Work Cited
Brand, Gerhard. "Emily Dickinson." Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, January.
EBSCOhost,
library.lavc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&A
N=88807014&site=eds-live.
Dickinson, Emily. Wild nights - Wild nights! (269) by Emily Dickinson. Poetry Foundation,
Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44087/wild-nights-wild-nights-269.
Mayer, Ruth. "'Arousing the Slumbering Woman's Nature': Poetry, Pornography, and Other
Nineteenth-Century Writing on Female Passion." Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism,
edited by Russel Whitaker, vol. 144, Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center,
The World's Most Trusted Dictionary Provider. Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford Dictionaries,
www.oxforddictionaries.com/.