This stanza contributes to the main idea of hope and its impacts through the extended metaphor of the little bird.

The poet has extended this metaphor further, saying that the bird of hope is vulnerable to extremely windy conditions. It can tolerate only a slight gale, but when it turns into a storm, the bird is vulnerable and becomes silent. In fact, this little bird of hope has a limit. However, when the weather becomes stormy, it silences this tune. It becomes the sweetest thing a person could hear. Meanings of Stanza -2Įmily Dickinson, in this stanza, states that this has been heard during the gale. She might have the poet in mind who never stops hoping against hope. This extended metaphor contributes to the main theme of hope and its positive impacts, presenting it as a bird that never stops singing. The best thing about this nightingale type of creature is that it never stops singing, and obviously, this is a positive song. She states that it sits in the soul and sings positivity even without using words and only using the tune. GradeSaver, 15 February 2022 Web.Emily Dickinson beautifully presents hope as a creature with wings. 'Hope is the Thing with Feathers Themes'. Next Section Quotes and Analysis Previous Section Glossary Buy Study Guide How To Cite in MLA Format Melendez, John. Seafaring is often used culturally as a symbol for hardship and endurance, which is noted in the poem's descriptions of storms and gales. The use of seafaring imagery is also significant in Dickinson's depiction of human suffering. This weather represents the hardships humans face, such as loss and grief. This optimism is subtly implied by the bird's song being described as 'sweetest' in a dramatic 'gale.' Human sufferingĭickinson refers repeatedly to the inhospitable nature of the dark and stormy weather in the poem's setting.

The speaker appears optimistic about the human ability to hope and survive through suffering. Human endurance is a significant aspect of the poem and is symbolized by the strong little bird, who sings and endures extreme weather conditions. The poem concludes on a softly optimistic note, maintaining that hope is a force to be reckoned with, still singing in the face of adversity. Dickinson uses the features and characteristics of a bird to illustrate her opinions about human hope in times of hardship. Hope is depicted as a little bird that continues to sing even in face of trouble and pain. Hope is the main theme of the poem and is the subject of its central metaphor.

Hope is the thing with feathers