Poem Analysis - Love Thou Art High

An Unreachable Love

Emily Dickinson's "Love Thou Art High" explores the daunting nature of love, depicting it as something grand and almost unattainable. The poem’s tone begins with a sense of longing and acknowledgment of love's immensity, gradually shifting to a hopeful, albeit hypothetical, contemplation of conquering its challenges through companionship. The overall mood is one of yearning tempered by a resilient, imaginative spirit. Dickinson uses vivid imagery and conditional statements to convey the overwhelming yet enticing nature of love.

The Burden of Solitude

One of the poem's central themes is the overwhelming burden of solitude in the face of love's challenges. In each stanza, Dickinson emphasizes her inability to reach or traverse love alone. "I cannot climb thee," "I cannot cross thee," highlight the speaker's personal limitations. The remedy proposed is always the presence of "Two" – a companion to share the burden. The poem suggests that love's heights and depths are too vast for a single individual to conquer, underscoring the necessity of shared experience and mutual support.

Love's Immensity and the Power of Partnership

The poem develops the theme of love's immensity through powerful imagery of height, depth, and mystery. Love is "high" like Chimborazo, a towering mountain, "deep," requiring a vessel to cross, and "veiled," hidden from casual observation. This scale emphasizes the profound commitment required to truly experience love. However, the conditional clauses "were it Two," "were there Two," present a hypothetical solution: the power of partnership. The image of "Taking turns at the Chimborazo" suggests shared labor and perseverance, while "Rower, and Yacht some sovereign Summer" evokes a journey undertaken together, potentially enabling them to "reach the Sun." These scenarios highlight how shared effort can transform an impossible task into a potential achievement.

Veiled Love and Eternity

The final stanza introduces the theme of love's relationship to eternity and mortality. Love is "Veiled," implying a hidden, almost mystical quality. Those who behold it "Smile and alter and prattle and die," suggesting that love, though beautiful, is fleeting and intertwined with human mortality. Dickinson contrasts this transient experience with "Eternity," which she personifies as being "Nicknamed by God" as "Bliss." The line "Bliss were an Oddity without thee" suggests that true bliss, the kind that lasts for eternity, can only exist through love. Love, therefore, is portrayed as the bridge between our mortal existence and an eternal state of happiness, offering meaning beyond the temporal.

Symbolism and Shared Journeys

Several potent symbols enrich the poem. Chimborazo represents an insurmountable challenge, embodying the struggle to attain love's highest potential. The "Yacht" symbolizes a shared vessel, suggesting a collaborative journey through the depths of love. The "Sun" represents the ultimate achievement or fulfillment that love can bring. The "veil" is also a powerful symbol, representing the mysterious, inscrutable nature of love and how it is only truly understood by those who have experienced it deeply. Are these symbols simply representations of love or do they represent something more? Perhaps they are commentary on religion.

The Significance of Togetherness

In conclusion, "Love Thou Art High" is a poignant exploration of love's daunting yet irresistible nature. Dickinson uses vivid imagery and conditional scenarios to highlight the overwhelming challenge of confronting love's vastness alone. The poem emphasizes the importance of companionship and shared effort in overcoming these challenges, suggesting that true fulfillment and even a glimpse of eternity can only be achieved through love experienced together. The significance of togetherness underscores the poem's central message: love, in its most profound form, is a shared journey that transcends individual limitations.