Here’s a full analysis of the poem ‘'Twas the old-road - through pain’ by Emily Dickinson, tailored towards A-Level students but also suitable for those studying at any level. Enjoy and feel free to leave feedback if you found it useful!
Includes:
POEM
VOCABULARY
STORY / SUMMARY
SPEA...
‘Twas the old-road - through pain -
Emily Dickinson
'Twas the old — road — through pain —
That unfrequented — one —
With many a turn — and thorn —
That stops — at Heaven —
This — was the Town — she passed —
There — where she — rested — last —
Then — stepped more fast —
The little tracks — close prest —
Then — not so swift —
Slow — slow — as feet did weary — grow —
Then — stopped — no other track!
Wait! Look! Her little Book —
The leaf — at love — turned back —
Her very Hat —
And this worn shoe just fits the track —
Herself — though — fled!
Another bed — a short one —
Women make — tonight —
In Chambers bright —
Too out of sight — though —
For our hoarse Good Night —
To touch her Head!
VOCABULARY
‘Twas - it was
, Unfrequented - not often visited by people
Many a - lots of
Prest - pressed
Swift - fast
Weary - tired
Fled - run away
Hoarse - spoken in a rough voice
STORY/SUMMARY
Stanza 1: It was the old road - through pain - that one that isn’t very often used by
people - which has many turns to it and plants with thorns along with it - the road
that stops - at Heaven -
Stanza 2: This - was the Town - that she went past - there where she last lay to rest
(was buried - then - stepping quicker - little tracks - pressed closely together - then -
not so fast - slow - slow - as her feet grew tired - then - stopped - as there was no
other road to follow!
Stanza 3: Wait! Look! - the page of her little book - the pages - with love - have been
turned back - her real Hat and this worn shoe fits the track -
Stanza 4: Women make another bed tonight - a short one - in bright bedchambers -
too out of sight though for the hoarse ‘Good Night’ that we shout to her to reach her
head!
SPEAKER/VOICE
The speaker here starts off in an abstract fashion, describing the metaphorical idea of
a road to serve as an analogy for the journey we take through our lives. The road she
describes stops at ‘Heaven’, and it is also ‘unfrequented’ - not often travelled on -
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