Here’s a full analysis of the poem 'The Wind - tapped like a tired Man’ 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
SPEAK...
The Wind - tapped like a tired Man -
Emily Dickinson
The Wind — tapped like a tired Man —
And like a Host — "Come in"
I boldly answered — entered then
My Residence within
A Rapid — footless Guest —
To offer whom a Chair
Were as impossible as hand
A Sofa to the Air —
No Bone had He to bind Him —
His Speech was like the Push
Of numerous Humming Birds at once
From a superior Bush —
His Countenance — a Billow —
His Fingers, as He passed
Let go a music — as of tunes
Blown tremulous in Glass —
He visited — still flitting —
Then like a timid Man
Again, He tapped — 'twas flurriedly —
And I became alone —
VOCABULARY
Boldly - confidently
Rapid - fast
, Numerous - many
Superior - better, more important
Countenance - appearance, face
Billow - the shape that material makes when it expands in air
Tremulous - trembling, particularly in relation to a sound
Flitting - moving quickly about
Timid - quiet and shy
Flurriedly - in a rush or hurry
STORY/SUMMARY
Stanza 1: The wind - tapped like a tired man - on the door of my house - and like a
host I boldly told it to “Come in” - then it entered the inside of my home.
Stanza 2: A fast - footless Guest - it was as impossible to offer him a chair to sit on as
if I had offered a sofa to the air itself.
Stanza 3: He had no bones to contain his spirit - his speech sounded like the push of a
load of hummingbirds speaking at once, from an important bush -
Stanza 4: His facial expression - was just a billow - his fingers as he passed by played
music - that sounded like tunes made by blowing through trembling glass -
Stanza 5: He visited me - still dashing about here and there - then like a shy man
again, he tapped and asked to be let out - it was flurriedly that he rushed out - and I
became alone -
SPEAKER/VOICE
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