A Throe Upon the Features
The poem explores themes of mortality and the afterlife, with a focus on the speaker's emotional state as they confront their own death. The poem begins by describing the speaker's physical appearance, noting that their features are worn and weathered, like a landscape shaped by time and experience. This imagery suggests that the speaker has been through many trials and tribulations in life. As the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the speaker is not just describing their physical appearance, but also their emotional state. They describe themselves as being "tired" and "worn", suggesting a sense of exhaustion and depletion. The second half of the poem shifts focus to the idea of death, with the speaker describing it as a kind of "throe" or convulsion that will soon overtake them. This imagery suggests that death is not just a passive event, but an active force that will seize hold of the speaker's life and carry them away. Throughout the poem, the speaker's tone is one of resignation and acceptance. They seem to be acknowledging that their time on earth is coming to an end, and that they are powerless to stop it. This sense of powerlessness is underscored by the image of the "throe" as a kind of inevitable force that will soon consume them. Overall, the poem presents a bleak and unflinching vision of mortality, one in which death is not just a distant possibility, but an imminent reality that looms large over the speaker's life.
By Emily Dickinson · First published 1890 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Philosophical · 62 words
First lines
A throe upon the features A hurry in the breath, An ecstasy of parting Denominated "Death," --
An anguish at the mention, Which, when to patience grown, I 've known permission given To rejoin its own.
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A Throe Upon the Features is listed on Textopian as a poem by Emily Dickinson, dated 1890 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Emily Dickinson
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Philosophical, Metaphysical
- Length: 62 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a focus on rhythm and meter.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and reflections on death.
- Philosophical — The themes explore existential concepts such as death and the afterlife.
- Metaphysical — The poem delves into abstract ideas and the nature of existence.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Nature Imagery · Death and Mortality · Existentialism · Philosophy · Mortality · Life Cycle · Seasonal Change · Symbolism · Imagery