Emily Dickison

Break Away & Retreat

In her poem, “The Soul has Bandaged moments—“ Emily Dickinson portrays the idea of a women’s soul fighting for freedom and then stepping down from her platform. Dickinson personifies the Soul as a female entity torn between Fright and a Lover. In this poem Dickinson possesses the desire to fight against social standards imposed on women and the stereotypes of feminine behavior. The Soul is rendered helpless by fear at first, but finds the strength to break free. The freedom to love is described as seeming perfection, yet it is not without its dangers. The poem shows the female souls rebellion and the happiness that it brings when she finally breaks down to the “Lover”. This happiness is stifled, however and the cause is not clear. Poem #512 works to suggest that along with unbridled passion come vulnerability, the risk of loss, and thus a new cause for fear. The woman figure in the poem is described as being intimidated by the idea of letting h...