The Dream by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Name: The Dream
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of love, longing, and the interplay between dreams and reality. The speaker expresses a deep emotional connection to a beloved, juxtaposing feelings of joy and sorrow. The initial lines convey a sense of resignation to the complexities of love, suggesting that whether the beloved laughs or the speaker weeps, the emotional experience remains significant. As the poem progresses, the speaker recounts a dream where they awaken to a haunting atmosphere, characterized by the eerie moonlight and unsettling sounds. This dream state symbolizes vulnerability and fear, particularly in the absence of the beloved. The imagery of the moonlight and the loose shutter evokes a sense of isolation and anxiety, amplifying the speaker's emotional turmoil. The longing for comfort from the beloved is palpable, yet the realization of their absence brings a chilling sense of loss. The coldness of the moonlight serves as a metaphor for the beloved's absence, highlighting the stark contrast between warmth and coldness in love. The repetition of the lines about weeping and laughter emphasizes the speaker's internal conflict and the complexity of their feelings. Ultimately, the poem encapsulates the duality of love—its capacity to bring both joy and pain. The speaker's reflections reveal a deep yearning for connection, underscoring the emotional weight of love and the haunting nature of dreams that blur the lines between reality and desire.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1911 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric · 213 words

First lines

Love, if I weep it will not matter, And if you laugh I shall not care;

Foolish am I to think about it, But it is good to feel you there.

Love, in my sleep I dreamed of waking,- White and awful the moonlight reached

Over the floor, and somewhere, somewhere

What this Textopian page supports

The Dream is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1911 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1911 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric, Modernism, Symbolism
Length: 213 words
Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that explores themes of love, longing, and emotional turmoil, characteristic of Millay's poetic style.
Romanticism — The poem embodies romantic themes, focusing on deep emotional experiences and the complexities of love.
Lyric — The poem expresses personal feelings and thoughts, typical of lyric poetry, emphasizing emotional expression.
Modernism — The poem's introspective nature and exploration of subjective experience align with modernist themes.