Reflections on a Tragic Shipwreck

1. The Shipwreck By Emily Dickinson

2. The title The word “The” (a definite article) shows that the poem is about a specific shipwreck. Provides context (what happened). The Shipwreck Reveals the setting - the ocean (where it happened) The title implies that a tragedy took place, usually involving the loss of lives, grief and mourning. Sets the overall tone of the poem. It is sad/mournful

3. a b Structure 1. 2. 3. 4. Glee! The great storm is over! Four have recovered the land; Forty gone down together Into the boiling sand. c b Poem has 16 lines 4 Stanzas with 4 lines each d 5. 6. 7. 8. Ring, for the scant salvation! Toll, for the bonnie souls,— Neighbor and friend and bridegroom, Spinning upon the shoals! e Rhyme scheme/pattern: abcb defe ghih jklk f Similar form to a ballad but is NOT a ballad. e Stanza 1 & 2 focus on the positive news that 4 people have survived the shipwreck. (Happiness/relief) g 9. 10. When winter shakes the door, 11. Till the children ask, “But the forty? 12. Did they come back no more?” How they will tell the shipwreck h Stanza 3 & 4 focus on the negative news that 40 people have died in the shipwreck. (Grief/mourning) i h j 13. Then a silence suffuses the story, 14. And a softness the teller’s eye; 15. And the children no further question, 16. And only the waves reply. k l k

4. People are happy the storm is over & 4 people survived. Joyful/celebratory tone (emphasised by the exclamation mark). A terrible/big storm 1. Glee! The great storm is over! Shows a sense of relief. But it is ironic - people are relieved that the storm is over, but 40 people died as a result of the storm. 4 People have survived & made it back to land / the shore. Survived 2. Four have recovered the land; A euphemism (nicer way of saying) 40 people died. Implies they drown and sank to the bottom of the ocean. 3. Forty gone down together A change in tone: From celebration to grief & mourning. 4. Into the boiling sand. The rough waves and movement of the water caused the sand at the bottom of the sea to move violently (looks like it is bubbling/boiling). Emphasises the violent nature of the storm

5. They are thankful that there are 4 survivors. But the celebration of those who survived is tainted/lessened by the loss of so many others Celebratory ringing of a bell for survivors. They ring the bell to draw the attention of the people. CONTRAST: Line 5 celebratory bell, Line 6 funeral mourning bell. Exclamation mark highlights the sorrow, shock and distress of the people saved by grace of God very few 5. Ring, for the scant salvation! Alliteration of ‘s’emphasises harshness Slow ringing of a funeral bell for the 40 who died (Grief, mourning, sadness). Ringing of a bell Beloved “Souls” emphasises death 6. Toll, for the bonnie souls, — Dash shows a pause to think about the deceased. “Neighbour & friend” shows it’s personal. The deceased were members of the community, people knew them well. A big loss. 7. Neighbour and friend and bridegroom, “bridegroom” increases the shock of their death. Implies that a man who died had just started a new life. It also implies that his wife was one of the survivors. This adds to the sad tone. Tossed around (no control) Where the sea is shallow 8. Spinning upon the shoals! People’s bodies are being tossed around uncontrollably / helplessly. Shows irony. People did NOT die in deep waters. They died close to the shore because of the big waves/storm that sent them spinning/tossed around. They could not swim to safety, so they drowned all together

6. Winter is associated with death. Literally, the personification refers to winter ‘shaking’ the door because it is cold and windy outside. How will they tell others about the shipwreck and the fate of those who died? 9. How they will tell the shipwreck Figuratively, the personification refers to the death of the 40 people. The door is symbolic to their life (which was taken). 10. When winter shakes the door, The initial celebration stops when the children start asking questions about the 40 people who did not survive. 11. Till the children ask, “But the forty? 12. Did they come back no more?” The disbelief of the children is shown here.

7. The alliteration/sibilance of s emphasises the speaker’s sadness. It also slows down the pace and creates an almost respectful silence. Silence gradually spread among the adults, because they could not offer any explanation that would help the children understand and come to terms with their loss. This creates a mournful tone. to spread gradually 13. Then a silence suffuses the story, Creates a sombre tone. The storyteller is reminded (by the questions of the children) of the deaths and how they have all lost a loved one. The children could sense that the adults could not really answer their questions (it was difficult for them). Their own grief causes them to stop asking questions. 14. And a softness the teller’s eye; they stop asking, have nothing to say 15. And the children no further question, This shows & emphasises the pathos (sense of pity) This emphasises the silence of the adults and the children. There is nothing that can be said to offer comfort. 16. And only the waves reply. Anaphora (repetition of the word ‘and’) emphasises the long deafening silence Personification - the waves are given the ability to speak/reply. All that can be heard is the sound of crashing waves

8. Themes & Contrasts Theme/contrast Theme/contrast Positive aspect Positive aspect Negative aspect Negative aspect Relief vs Grief Relief after the storm Grief over the lost Celebration vs Mourning Ringing bells for survivors Tolling bells for the deceased Saved vs Lost Four survivors Forty lost to the sea Life vs Death Survivors' return Focus on those who died Response to Loss of Life Storytelling and questions Silence and emotional weight

9. Summary This poem illustrates the impact of a shipwreck on a community. At the start of the poem, the community feels joy and relief because the storm that caused the shipwreck has passed, and there were four survivors. However, attention soon shifts to the forty other people who died. A bell is rung to celebrate the survivors, but also a funeral bell tolls to mourn the deceased. The poem proceeds to depict how adults in the community tell the children about the shipwreck during winter. When the children ask about the forty who died, the adults become quiet and emotional. The poem ends on a sad, reflective note, suggesting that it shows how people deal with the complex mix of joy and sorrow that accompanies a major tragedy.