Poem Analysis - Removed From Accident Of Loss

A State of Unknowing Bliss

Emily Dickinson's "Removed from Accident of Loss" is a contemplative poem exploring a state of naive contentment. The poem's tone is initially detached, almost analytical, before shifting towards a more compassionate understanding of the ignorance it describes. It presents a vision of someone untouched by the complexities of loss and gain, existing in a realm of uncomplicated simplicity. This creates a sense of both admiration and slight pity for this state of unawareness. The poem gently questions whether such innocence is truly desirable.

Untouched by the World's Implication

The poem centers around the theme of innocence and ignorance, specifically concerning wealth and worldly possessions. The speaker describes a state of being "Removed from Accident of Loss / By Accident of Gain," suggesting an individual whose life hasn't been shaped by financial anxieties or the pursuit of riches. This person's existence is "simple," indicating a life devoid of the struggles associated with acquisition and potential loss. The theme is developed through contrasting the speaker's understanding of riches with the unawareness of the "Brown Malay," suggesting a hierarchy of understanding and experience.

Pearls of Unconsciousness: Symbolism of Ignorance

A key symbol within the poem is the image of the "Pearls in Eastern Waters" and the "Brown Malay" who is "unconscious" of them. The pearls represent wealth and potential, lying just beneath the surface but inaccessible to someone lacking the knowledge or ambition to acquire them. The Malay symbolizes someone living in a state of natural ignorance, unaware of the treasures that surround him. This image suggests that happiness might stem from not knowing what one is missing. The poem poses the implicit question: is it better to be content in ignorance or to strive for something more, risking the "Accident of Loss?"

The Burden of Awareness

Another significant theme is the burden of awareness. The poem implies that knowing about the possibility of gain also introduces the possibility of loss. The Malay's "slow conception," should he ever "dream" of wealth, suggests that knowledge can disrupt a peaceful existence. The phrase "Dower's fraction" hints at a complex system of inheritance and societal expectations surrounding wealth, further emphasizing the potential complications of awareness. This subtly suggests that ignorance, while limiting, can also be a form of protection.

Dreams of What Might Be

The poem also explores the power, and potential disruptiveness, of dreams and imagination. The poem wonders whether the "Brown Malay" would be stirred by imagining the wealth, even a fraction of a "Dower," that might await him. This raises a question about the relationship between potential and contentment. Is the capacity to dream of more a blessing or a curse? The poem does not offer a simple answer, instead leaving the reader to ponder the implications of awareness and ambition.

Final Thoughts: The Value of Unknowing

In conclusion, "Removed from Accident of Loss" is a thoughtful meditation on the nature of innocence and the potential pitfalls of knowledge. Through its imagery and questioning tone, the poem explores the complex relationship between contentment and ambition. By juxtaposing the speaker's awareness with the Malay's supposed ignorance, Dickinson prompts the reader to consider whether true happiness lies in the pursuit of wealth and worldly possessions or in a state of simple, unburdened existence. The poem ultimately suggests that there is a certain value in the unawareness of loss, even if that unawareness stems from a lack of knowledge of gain.