Question

Read and analyze Emily Dickinson’s poem titled "Hope is a Thing with Feathers." 

 
Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all,

 
And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm

 
I’ve heard it in the chillest land, 

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

 
In 4 or more complete sentences, explain how the poet uses metaphor in this poem. What is the comparison? Give examples and evidence from the poem to prove your point.

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

In this poem, Emily Dickinson uses the metaphor of hope being compared to a bird with feathers that perches in the soul. The comparison suggests that just like a bird, hope is fragile and delicate, yet resilient and persistent. This metaphor is evident in lines such as "Hope is the thing with feathers" and "That perches in the soul." The poet continues to develop this comparison by describing how hope sings a tune without words and never stops, just like a bird's song. Additionally, the image of hope as a bird that can withstand even the fiercest storms further reinforces this metaphor, as seen in lines like "And sweetest in the gale is heard" and "That could abash the little bird." Overall, Dickinson uses the metaphor of a bird to portray hope as a powerful and comforting presence in one's life.