Analysis of Position of woman in poem “The Soul Selects Her Own Society”

Analysis of Position of woman in poem “The Soul Selects Her Own Society”

Women from the past until now regarded as a weak human. It is not comparable to men who are considered capable of doing something bigger than women. Women are not even considered worthy of receiving education or equivalent work with men. This led to a lot of women who rebelled in these circumstances. One of  them is a precursor of  RA Kartini Indonesian woman in the 20th century. She wanted equality of man and woman should assume and she want women may also receive the same education and work with men. The poem "The soul selects her own society" we will see views of the Emily Dickinson against women in his time.

The Soul Selects Her Own Society

Emily Dickinson

The soul selects her own society,
Then-shuts the door-
On her divine majority-
Obtrude no more.-

Unmoved - she notes the chariot's pausing
At her low gate-
Unmoved - an emperor is kneeling
Upon her mat-

I've known her-from an ample nation-
Choose one-
Then-close the valves of her attention-
Like stone-

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, Emily seldom go to the church and she did not want to socialize to society because of her innocence she like got into the big wave of the society, and at her era the world only recognize the man that do work and woman only do the housework , she is a clever woman but unfortunately until she die she never been a famous writer because at that time her poet got reject by news paper company , they think that Emily think a little to far.

1^st stanza

The Soul selects her own Society —

Then — shuts the Door —

To her divine Majority —

Obtrude no more —

In the 1^st line ”The Soul selects her own Society —“ Emily using personification as Soul is a thing that has no gender be it woman or a guy , but in Emily describe soul as her that chose her own society , then we move  to the 2^nd line  “ Then — shuts the Door —“ door in  life is a tool to get in or out from a room, this line has relation with the 1^st line because after the soul choose the society she found a home to come back in the community , this is interesting because at Emily’s time woman can’t choose their own occupation,  then on the 3^rd line To “her divine Majority —“ although Emily didn’t frequent visit the church but she has a strong believe in God “divine” on the other hand divine we can say that that is the society that the Soul choose  and the 4^th line Emily said “Obtrude no more —“  in front of God all of mankind is the same there is no class separate one to another in the society that she choose in this case “divine” there is no more Obtrude or desire to look good in front of the other .

In the 2^nd stanza

Unmoved, she notes the chariot's pausing
At her low gate;
Unmoved, an emperor is kneeling
Upon her mat.

The reader gets the sense that the speaker is separated from the world "Unmoved-" until "she notes the Chariots pausing-". Overall, she does not seem impressed by the "Chariots", they bother her not but she also notices that they arrive at her "low Gate-". Why have they stopped at her residence? These "Chariots" are coming for her, they wish to have her accompany them or be in her presence. Yet, she is "Unmoved-" even as an "Emperor be kneeling" in front of her gate. A powerful figure is kneeling at her gate yet she is apathetic to his arrival. What can be so important that she must make an emperor wait on her? We must remember, this "Emperor" is part of the other side, the "divine Majority". Everything beyond her closed door is a participant of the majority. A good ruler embodies the qualities of the religion that is spread across the land. She views this "Emperor" as a threat to her existence as he is "Upon her Mat-". He has come to change her, to take her away perhaps. Here I will hit a bit upon the feminist reading. During the 19th century, long before women are considered equals in America (about thirty years before women receive suffrage), men ruled. The "Emperor" is a masculine figure that comes knocking upon her door to do what rulers do best.

In the 3^rd stanza

I've known her from an ample nation
Choose one;
Then close the valves of her attention
Like stone.

 She will not have any of it. She remains "Unmoved" by his presence but yet she must "choose one-". What is this "one" that must be chosen? All we know is that she must choose "one" from the "Chariots" that await her outside. In this stanza, we have point that we must be able to think wisely about our choices in the future. Including choosing a life partner for us in the future, we have to choose the right one for us, if not we will just be wasting time with the wrong people. In choosing a partner, we only show one person who we think is very precise and is able to complement our lives.  After she chooses her "one" she is neglected, the "Valves of her attention-" shut "Like Stone-". Dickinson uses the simile to create the image of a heart of stone. Dickinson can be symbolically saying that her heart is closed to another “Emperor” in a chariot. It may also be symbolic that she thought the one she did let in was an “Emperor”.

if we understand this poem we will see him portray the woman should choose a man who would become his life partner. we can see from the "choose one". of the word "choose one" we also know that it really is not just one that came to him to make him a pair. position of woman in here just like it should. in choosing a life partner, she had to choose though he has not found the right one. he had to pick one and forget the other guy or do not open your heart for another man, it can be seen in the last stanza in lines 3 and 4. because as a woman, they should get married. such that the position of women in this poem “The Soul Selects Her Own Society” by Emily Dickinson.

By : Ridho Vandi Ambarita

NIM : 110705101 Sastra Inggris USU