Poem Analysis - Had We Our Senses

Introduction: A Delicate Dance with Madness

Emily Dickinson's "Had we our senses" is a short, unsettling exploration of the fragility of sanity and the potential dangers of heightened perception. The poem presents a world where fully realized senses are not necessarily a blessing, but a burden that could lead to madness and overwhelming despair. The tone is both cautionary and strangely accepting, as if the speaker has glimpsed the abyss and retreated, grateful for the protective veil of imperfect perception. A sense of relief, mingled with underlying anxiety, pervades the poem.

Theme: The Precarious Nature of Sanity

One of the main themes is the precarious nature of sanity. The opening lines, "Had we our senses / But perhaps ’tis well they’re not at Home," immediately suggest that perfect, unadulterated perception is a dangerous state. The speaker hints that our senses, if fully "at Home," would be too vulnerable to "Madness," implying that madness is a constant threat lurking just beneath the surface of our ordinary consciousness. The phrase "He’s liable with them" paints madness as an unwelcome guest, ready to take advantage of our fully functioning senses.

Imagery: Blindness as Protection

The second stanza introduces the powerful image of blindness as a form of protection. "Had we the eyes without our Head / How well that we are Blind" speaks to the idea that seeing the world in its full, unfiltered reality would be unbearable. The line "We could not look upon the Earth / So utterly unmoved" suggests that the world's indifference and suffering would be too overwhelming for a fully sensitive being to endure. This imagery creates a paradoxical situation where blindness, typically seen as a limitation, becomes a shield against despair.

Tone: Acceptance and Unease

The poem's tone is characterized by a blend of acceptance and unease. There's a resignation to the idea that our senses are deliberately dulled or incomplete, perhaps as a mercy. However, this acceptance is tinged with a sense of anxiety, a lingering fear of what might happen if the barriers were to fall. The word "unmoved" in the second stanza is particularly chilling, implying that the Earth's indifference is a fundamental and disturbing truth that we are fortunate not to fully comprehend.

Symbolism: Senses as Gatekeepers

The senses themselves function as symbols of access to reality. The poem suggests that they act as gatekeepers, filtering and shaping our perception to protect us from the full force of existence. The idea that our senses are not "at Home" implies that they are deliberately kept in a state of absence or incompleteness, perhaps by some higher power or simply by the inherent limitations of human consciousness. This raises questions about the nature of reality and whether true understanding is ultimately attainable or even desirable.

Conclusion: A Fragile Equilibrium

In conclusion, "Had we our senses" is a profound meditation on the fragile equilibrium between sanity and madness, perception and protection. Dickinson suggests that our limited senses are not a deficiency but a safeguard, shielding us from the unbearable truths of the world. The poem's enduring power lies in its ability to evoke a sense of wonder and apprehension, leaving us to contemplate the delicate balance between awareness and the potential for overwhelming despair. The poem implies that perhaps blissful ignorance is better than the curse of truly seeing.