If i can stop one heart from breaking analysis

Poetry Analysis

I.Poem

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking

by Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest,

I shall not live in vain.

II.The Analysis:

a.Aspects of Form

1. Introduction

“If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking” by Emily Dickinson is one stanza with

seven lines. Poe referred to this poem as a ballad, and like a ballad poem, the

poem uses the choice of words and repetition that can create a mournful effect on

the reader. Dickinson expresses a desire to avoid someone from getting their heart

shattered. A broken heart might result from a relationship, a death, or any of life's

regular tribulations. She claims that if she can save just one person from facing

this kind of pain, her life will not have been in vain (without success or result).

She goes on to say, "If I can ease one Life the Aching / Or cool one Pain." In these

two words, she reiterates her initial point, which is that she wants to alleviate the

sorrow and pain in the lives of at least one individual. The adjective "cool"

implies that the pain is intense, possibly red, such as fury. She would be

differentiating the hot wrath in this person's breaking heart in order to soothe the

suffering. Dickinson also emphasized "aching" and "pain" in these two lines,

indicating that they are key themes in the poem. "Or help one fainting Robin /

Unto his Nest again," begins the next line. This opportunity could be viewed as

assisting a person who has lost control of their life and needs to be brought back

into line. In this case, the robin represents someone who is experiencing

heartbreak, perhaps to the point of wanting to give up and "faint," but Dickinson

wants to put this person back on track, into their "nest." The poem concludes with

a repetition of the line "I shall not live in vain." Dickinson seemed to imply that

someone's life is more valuable if they are concerned with helping others. She

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