I Felt a Funeral in my Brain : Quotations
I Felt a Funeral in my Brain is a notable literary work by Emily Dickinson. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of I Felt a Funeral in my Brain.
Quotations
Quotations:
“I felt a Funeral, in my Brain”
“Mourners to and fro”
The opening line introduces the poem’s central metaphor, setting the tone for the exploration of the speaker’s mental anguish.
“And when they all were seated,
“Service, like a Drum,”
This short line reflects the rhythm of the funeral, symbolizing the death of reason. These show the speaker’s suffering. The poem captures the feeling of being trapped in one’s mind, unable to escape the cycle of despair.
“Kept beating – beating – till I thought
My mind was going numb -”
Here, Dickinson reveals the feeling of inevitability and relentless progression toward mental collapse. The poem’s structure becomes a reflection of the speaker’s decaying mind.
“And then a Plank in Reason, broke,
And I dropped down, and down”
The lines convey a deep sense of alienation and despair. This theme of isolation is a powerful aspect of Dickinson’s work. She suffers from the pain of being separated from others and her sense of self.
“And Finished knowing – then -”
The closing line suggests the speaker’s ultimate loss of understanding or awareness, leaving the reader with a sense of unresolved mystery.
Moral Lesson: The poem shows that reason is fragile. Life holds mysteries we cannot always understand. Despair and madness are parts of human life. Death is inevitable and cannot be escaped. These truths teach us to stay humble. Not everything in life can be explained clearly. We must accept the limits of knowledge and control.