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Emily Dickinson Poetry Comparison Essay

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When it comes to analyzing poems, or comparing and contrasting, there are many different elements to consider. No two poems are the same. Although Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise”, Emily Dickinson’s “Wild Nights – Wild Nights!” and the legendary William Shakespeare’s “Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds” differ in many ways, they contain several similarities, including theme, language, rhyme scheme, meter, and stanza forms. The first similarity that these poems contain is the theme. “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou has a theme of rebellion, using metaphors, similes, and irony. Her nonchalant attitude about the way she is perceived by society, shows rebellion. She sticks up for why she is the way she is and is basically telling the audience to deal with it, whether they like it or not. “This poem's main message is about people's prejudice …show more content…

Emily Dickinson shows rebellion as she talks about wild nights figuratively. At the time the story was written, her wild behavior would have been frowned upon since she is a lady. In Dickinson’s first stanza, an image of two lovers is visible as the audience reads “were I with thee” and “our luxury”. In comparison to the theme of Emily Dickenson’s “Wild Nights”, William Shakespeare’s “Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds” shows readers the theme of true love with the help of metaphors, personification, and symbolism. William Shakespeare talks about what love is, what love isn’t and what love cannot possibly be. The poem itself is used as Shakespeare’s own personal way to define love. Onward, when it comes to the rhythm of these poems, “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou has an ABCB rhythm and is a fixed and lyrical poem. Her poem is well written and has a set stanza form which proves to readers that her poem is formal. It also involves emotion, which makes it a lyrical

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