酷我-北美枫

[ericcoliu]

The Mystery of Pain*: Thematic Review of Pain Has an Element of Blank

Poem lyrics of Pain Has an Element of Blank by Emily Dickinson

Pain has an element of blank;
It cannot recollect
When it began, or if there was
A time when it was not.
It has no future but itself,
Its infinite realms contain
Its past, enlightened to perceive
New periods of pain.

Review:

Dickinson was a long-time sufferer of pain, and thus had the first-hand experience of the overwhelming, apparent timelessness of pain. In the abovementioned poem, Dickinson aptly states that pain “cannot recollect / When it began” and that “it has no future but itself.” Hence, she proclaims “its infinite realms,” and she vividly portrays two aspects of pain, its timelessness and its irresistible dominance.

The whole poem is structured by references to time. In lines 1-4, pain is so overwhelming that it makes obscure our sense of ever having experienced anything but pain; we remember the past as having consisted only of pain. In lines 5-8, under the grip of pain, we see only continuing and relentless pain in the future; our lives and identities have become totally consumed by pain.

Throughout the whole poem, to express the overwhelming consequences of pain inflicted upon human beings, Dickinson uses only impersonal pronouns "it" and "its", to present the suffering experience from the viewpoint of pain in order to make important points about pain. Her poem personifies pain, meaning that it is pain which “cannot recollect,” “has no future,” and is “enlightened to perceive.” Intense pain so dominates us that it displaces everything else in our lives, having "an element of blank." If all that we are aware of is pain, then in a sense, we have become our pain; therefore, pain has de-personalized us and it has taken away our individuality and identity. The depersonalizing consequence of pain is so complete that there is no other feeling left; thus, the poem contains no words which express emotion.


Footnote:

*The key ideas expressed in this review are mainly drawn from the course notes for Core Studies course, Landmarks of Literature, prepared and taught by Professor Lilia Melan.
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[[ericcoliu]]

The Mystery of Pain*: Thematic Review of Pain Has an Element of Blank

Poem lyrics of Pain Has an Element of Blank by Emily Dickinson

Pain has an element of blank;
It cannot recollect
When it began, or if there was
A time when it was not.
It has no future but itself,
Its infinite realms contain
Its past, enlightened to perceive
New periods of pain.

Review:

Dickinson was a long-time sufferer of pain, and thus had the first-hand experience of the overwhelming, apparent timelessness of pain. In the abovementioned poem, Dickinson aptly states that pain “cannot recollect / When it began” and that “it has no future but itself.” Hence, she proclaims “its infinite realms,” and she vividly portrays two aspects of pain, its timelessness and its irresistible dominance.

The whole poem is structured by references to time. In lines 1-4, pain is so overwhelming that it makes obscure our sense of ever having experienced anything but pain; we remember the past as having consisted only of pain. In lines 5-8, under the grip of pain, we see only continuing and relentless pain in the future; our lives and identities have become totally consumed by pain.

Throughout the whole poem, to express the overwhelming consequences of pain inflicted upon human beings, Dickinson uses only impersonal pronouns "it" and "its", to present the suffering experience from the viewpoint of pain in order to make important points about pain. Her poem personifies pain, meaning that it is pain which “cannot recollect,” “has no future,” and is “enlightened to perceive.” Intense pain so dominates us that it displaces everything else in our lives, having "an element of blank." If all that we are aware of is pain, then in a sense, we have become our pain; therefore, pain has de-personalized us and it has taken away our individuality and identity. The depersonalizing consequence of pain is so complete that there is no other feeling left; thus, the poem contains no words which express emotion.


Footnote:

*The key ideas expressed in this review are mainly drawn from the course notes for Core Studies course, Landmarks of Literature, prepared and taught by Professor Lilia Melan.
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[anna]

Hi Eric,

As I mentioned, I just finished reading " A free Life" by Ha Jin.

In the book, Nan also experienced the endless numbness and pain. We always think pain was caused by the outside factors, too late to find it is our inner imperfection caused it.

Ideally we all search for content, but never know our true selves.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

Hi Eric,

As I mentioned, I just finished reading " A free Life" by Ha Jin.

In the book, Nan also experienced the endless numbness and pain. We always think pain was caused by the outside factors, too late to find it is our inner imperfection caused it.

Ideally we all search for content, but never know our true selves.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[ericcoliu]

[[ericcoliu]]

[anna]

Eric, good point.

Summary
Black Beauty was the only book written by Anna Sewell, although its continued popularity among children, particularly girls, has justified that effort. Sewell was, remarkably, paid only twenty pounds for the book and it was published three months before her death, in 1877. However, its immediate success gave her great pleasure and she died in the knowledge that the book had indeed encouraged people to treat animals less cruelly. It is the autobiography of a horse, the ‘Black Beauty’ of the title, who narrates it. Through various owners who ask different tasks of Black Beauty, he grows and has numerous adventures. He goes from being a riding and carriage horse through being a mistreated town cab horse to eventual happiness in a secure home. Notably, the animal keeps strength and good temper throughout his suffering and the story was extremely influential as pro-animal propaganda but it is also an extremely exciting and moving children’s story.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

Eric, good point.

Summary
Black Beauty was the only book written by Anna Sewell, although its continued popularity among children, particularly girls, has justified that effort. Sewell was, remarkably, paid only twenty pounds for the book and it was published three months before her death, in 1877. However, its immediate success gave her great pleasure and she died in the knowledge that the book had indeed encouraged people to treat animals less cruelly. It is the autobiography of a horse, the ‘Black Beauty’ of the title, who narrates it. Through various owners who ask different tasks of Black Beauty, he grows and has numerous adventures. He goes from being a riding and carriage horse through being a mistreated town cab horse to eventual happiness in a secure home. Notably, the animal keeps strength and good temper throughout his suffering and the story was extremely influential as pro-animal propaganda but it is also an extremely exciting and moving children’s story.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com