Analysis of Dickinsons Poem, My Life had Stood a Loaded Gun

â€Å"My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun† In the poem, â€Å"My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun,† published around 1863, Emily Dickinson effectively uses metaphorical language in making the speaker compare him/her self to a loaded gun. The speaker speaks as if he/she is a loaded gun waiting to expose their full potential. When reading this poem, one could definitely see religious connotations in that one cannot reach his/her full potential without The Master’s – God’s – help and direction. In â€Å"My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun,† the speaker speaks as if he/she is a loaded gun sitting in a corner until â€Å"The Owner† comes along and carries it away. The speaker goes on to tell of the time spent with The Owner: they â€Å"roam in Sovreign Woods† and they hunt a†¦show more content†¦The speaker has the power to kill when with the master, but without, only the power to die (23-24). The subject of this poem is the speaker and his/her life in the hands of The Owner. The point that the author is trying to make is that life is like a loaded gun, in that it has great potential, but cannot accomplish anything without the help of a master’s hand. The poem is very descriptive as to what is accomplished when the master takes control. I like this poem because I can relate it to the life of a Christian in the hands of God. The metaphors that Dickinson uses can be interpreted in different ways according to one’s beliefs, but I can definitely see religious connotations within this text. For example, The Owner can be seen as God, and in the fourth stanza the speaker states, And when at Night – Our good Day done – I guard My Master’s Head – ‘Tis better than the Eider-Duck’s Deep Pillow – to have shared – (13-16) In this, one could see that the speaker might be talking about death: â€Å"And when at Night –â€Å"; and how the speaker prefers the comfort of his/her faith over the comforts of the world: â€Å"I guard My Master’s Head - / ‘Tis better than the Eider-Duck’s / Deep Pillow – to have shared-† (13-16). The tone of this poem ranges from emptiness, to fullness, to joy, to complete satisfaction, and one can follow this progression through the stanzas. In the beginning, the subject, or character, was flatShow MoreRelatedFemale Oppression By Emily Dickinson And Charlotte Perkins Gilman1729 Words   |  7 Pagesof American Literature there has been a common theme of male oppression. 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