Poem Analysis - As By The Dead We Love To Sit

Introduction: Longing for What is Lost

Emily Dickinson's "As By The Dead We Love To Sit" is a short but potent exploration of loss and the skewed perspective it creates. The poem examines how the absence of something or someone can paradoxically increase its perceived value. Its tone is melancholic and reflective, tinged with a hint of frustration as it grapples with the irrationality of human attachment. The poem begins with a statement of fact and gradually descends into a more complex, almost mathematical, analysis of grief.

The Paradox of Loss and Value

One central theme of the poem is the paradoxical increase in value that occurs when something is lost. The opening lines, "As by the dead we love to sit, / Become so wondrous dear," immediately establish this concept. The act of "sitting by the dead" suggests contemplation and remembrance, and the phrase "wondrous dear" indicates that the deceased become even more cherished in their absence. This is further emphasized in the second stanza with the line "As for the lost we grapple / Tho’ all the rest are here," which suggests that we obsess over what is missing even when we are surrounded by what remains.

Mortality's Skewed Perspective

The theme of mortality underlies the entire poem, shaping the perspective through which the speaker views loss. The "dead" and the "lost" serve as potent reminders of the fleeting nature of existence. Because life is temporary, the things within it can also become temporary. This fleeting reality shapes our perception of value in an illogical way. By using the death as a starting point, Dickinson brings the issue of mortality to the forefront of our minds and demonstrates how it amplifies our longings and regrets.

The Broken Mathematics of Grief

Dickinson introduces a compelling image of "broken mathematics" to describe how we assess the value of what is lost. This image suggests that grief defies logical calculation. The lines "In broken mathematics / We estimate our prize / Vast in its fading ration / To our penurious eyes!" highlight the discrepancy between the objective reality of loss and our subjective experience of it. The "fading ration" of what's gone appears "vast" to our "penurious eyes," meaning our perspective is skewed by our sense of deprivation. The word "penurious" suggests that our vision has become impoverished due to loss and what has been lost now appears to be greater than it actually was.

Concluding Thoughts: The Illogical Nature of Grief

In conclusion, "As By The Dead We Love To Sit" is a poignant meditation on the nature of loss and its impact on human perception. The poem exposes the illogical way in which we value what is absent, often exaggerating its significance in the face of mortality. Dickinson’s use of imagery and metaphor, especially the concept of "broken mathematics," effectively conveys the irrationality of grief and the human tendency to idealize what is no longer attainable. The poem ultimately serves as a reminder of the power of absence to shape our perceptions and distort our understanding of value.