Emily Dickinson writes her poems using words that can be translated differently by nearly every reader. Though she presents obvious truth when reading the surface of her poems, she provides a creative, much deeper meaning behind the first impression if one dares to expand their minds outside of their normal thought range.
“I know that He exists” is a substantial poem that twists the ideas and opinions of our views about God and the life we were created to live. The theme of the poem is based from God “hid[ing]” from mankind. In the first line, the persona uses “He” referring to God.The persona knows “He exist” but does not know where he is. Emily using imagery in line three “He has hid his rare life,” and in line six “the fond Ambush” allows us to understand that she thinks God is hiding from mankind.
Enemies “hid” from their opponent and “Ambush” them and “prove piercing earnest”. The persona must be calling God the enemy of mankind. Although, God is doing a “fond Ambush” on her, but this is not Him being mean. He is performing a loving, affectionate ambush on her.
What kind of enemy would attack with a loving, overindulgent ambush?God means the creator of the universe, but the noun’s connotation suggests grace, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, and a friend who is always there for you. Emily applies verbal irony calling God, the creator of the universe, an enemy. An enemy is known as an opponent that wants to harm you. Emily suggests that God, as our enemy, wants to love us. Emily is only beginning to surpass the boundary of thought most ever engage in. Secondly, Emily uses the happy terms play, bliss, glee, glaze to describe and eternal “Death.
” The word play is jest and fun. A play is also a performance done by actors who follow a story.Emily may be saying “play” but wants us to think of the persona being the main actor in a “play” called life. She calls life short by using “instant’s play. ” She could very well be asking, “If God’s loving, affectionate happiness resulted in death would it ‘Look to expensive’. ” The word “Bliss” in line seven suggest having fun while playing a game, but she changes the game, making it serious “In Death’s-stiff-stare.
” Death seems like such a terrible word, but Emily adds verbal irony on this serious line. Just before saying “In Death’s –stiff-stare” she opens that line with “Should the glee-glaze” making “Death” seem bright and delightful.There is no possible way that death could be joyous. “Would not the jest” that God is “playing” on man have “crawled too far? ” Finally, Emily describes the earnings God is supposedly giving to mankind. Gross’s connotation means something nasty, dirty, and unclean. I first thought the persona was referring to the sinful nature we are all born with.
Again using verbal irony, I believe Emily wants readers to associate gross with total income from sales, salary, etc. , before any deductions are made. What is it mankind is earning from God? In line seven Emily states, “Earn her own surprise”; but who is her?The last pronoun used in line six was “Bliss. ” Maybe she is stating mankind “earns” happiness from a “surprise” attack from God, our enemy. In conclusion, if happiness on earth resulted in eternal damnation would the happiness be worth the punishment; however, would a horrible life on earth leading man to heaven be your more preferred choice? I think Emily may also be asking a question to her readers, “Do you have enough faith in God to accept the horrible life on earth which would lead you to eternal life? ” Though God did not arrange life as this, question yourself whether you would still accept Him if the circumstances were as these.
