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As I read it, the stress is on the word 'see'. If I marry the person to the style, I can see her saying that, in her kind of flippant, half arrogant way...
another way - to see.. what she wants to see, but the scoundrel Squirrels will not let her, least not here on Earth.
Hepburn married businessman & playboy Ludlow Ogden Smith in 1928 and divorced him 6 years later. They famously got a second divorce in 1942 before he remarried because he wasn't sure that their Mexican divorce was legal! She had a long term affair with Spencer Tracey but never married him and no affair with Humph that I ever heard about. She did star alongside him in the brilliant 'African Queen' though.
I'm not sure about the last line, I can see it both ways. I like that in a poem. If it means the same every time you read it, it's too obvious IMHO.
Yes, a poem for all seasons. So, why be precise, when we should just enjoy the colours it splashes on us. I feel if I read it again and again, Katherine will end up married to Tracy.. somewhere in those words. (nope, I don't know why)
If you read this poem again, taking into account The Squirrels graspless manners to experience the transcendental aspect of tint, then you'll see in stanzas 1, 4, 5, 6, that she is trying to find an angle to grasp this transcendental aspect of The Tint. But to no avail. But yet, she continues throughout the poem to find an angle to grasps The Tint nontheless-even to her very last moments of existence-she refuses to understand The Tint through any other means, except grasping: Until the Cheated EyeQuote:
The third stanza transports the experience beyond that: "The Moments of Dominion / That happen on the Soul / And leave it with a Discontent / Too exquisite - to tell-" This is a deep phenomena she's talking about, obviously because of the allusions, spiritual, trascendental.
Shuts arrogantly
Unnamable,Quote:
If you are looking for a poem more horrible than Crow and one that asks almost as many questions, try More Light! More Light! by Anthony Hecht. It’s a harrowing read.
Wow! How absent or unconcious must the soul be to torture for amusement.
Read Raymond Carver's Cathedral, you will see a similar thing developing as in Dickinson's Tint poem.
I agree. I can read it both ways. But I'm not sure it changes the meaning that much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Xamonas Chegwe
Why do you say to no avail? The third stanza states that those things "happen on the soul". But I will say that I'm not getting the fifth stanza as I should. The "Mystery" and the squirrels confuse me. Perhaps we should focus on this stanza. Any thoughts out there?Quote:
Originally Posted by ktd222
Because if you read this stanza:Quote:
The third stanza states that those things "happen on the soul".
The Moments of Dominion
That happen on the Soul
And leave it with a Discontent
Too exquisite -- to tell --
The Moments of Dominion that happen on the Soul; not the Soul causes the Moments of Dominion to happen. She still isn't understanding, even though The Moments of Dominion has happened on her Soul. Her Soul has yet to fully understand, hence, on her Soul. There is this thing going on where just like the Tint and she, the Soul still isn't able to take the Moments of Dominion in, which is another way of saying the Soul hasn't grasped.
The eager look -- on Landscapes --
As if they just repressed
Some Secret -- that was pushing
Like Chariots -- in the Vest --
The Pleading of the Summer --
That other Prank -- of Snow --
That Cushions Mystery with Tulle,
For fear the Squirrels -- know.
These two stanzas are about she suspecting the Lanscape knowing 'something, 'Some Secret -- that was pushing Like Chariots -- in the Vest --.' Yet, she is unable to unlock the secret. I'll let others comment.
I mostly agree with ktd about the 'Happen on the soul' line - think of it as 'happen upon' if you prefer, not 'happen in'.
The moments find the soul and change it, leaving it confused in a beautiful yet disturbing way but offering it no explanation. That's my take on that stanza.
Yes, I agree here too, its the moments that cause the emotions, her soul is being affected. When you write "... Soul hasn't grasped", you make me confused with 'Their graspless manners'. I think its at the "Summer/Winter" point in the flow that she is summing up something. "Their graspless manners" indicates the Squirrels that do not understand, cannot grasp (it), cannot 'see' (it). And, manners = their habits.Quote:
Originally Posted by ktd222
I don't know that she is confused, rather she is merely feeling and enjoying, but like I wrote earlier, its as though, and at the Summer/Winter point, she becomes upset at the Squirrels (and what they represent).Quote:
Originally Posted by Xamonas Chegwe
If they do not understand, then how is it that they can 'mock us'? I'm not saying your wrong, but not understanding and mocking seems to contridict each other.Quote:
Their graspless manners" indicates the Squirrels that do not understand, cannot grasp