Poem Analysis - What Would I Give To See His Face

Yearning and Bartering for a Glimpse

Emily Dickinson's "What Would I Give To See His Face?" is a passionate exploration of desire and sacrifice. The poem begins with a simple, yearning question and evolves into a feverish attempt to quantify the worth of seeing a beloved's face. The tone is initially reflective but quickly becomes frenzied and almost desperate as the speaker tallies up increasingly extravagant offerings. This builds towards a final, almost triumphant, acceptance of the unequal exchange.

Love's Immeasurable Value

One of the central themes is undeniably love, specifically the consuming desire to be near the object of affection. The poem demonstrates the speaker's willingness to surrender everything for just one hour of the "Sovereign's face." This highlights the overwhelming power of love and its ability to overshadow all other values. Further developing this theme of love is the idea of sacrifice. The speaker is ready to give up not only tangible possessions but also abstract concepts like joy (represented by the Bobolink and June) and freedom (the "Navies of Butterflies"). The willingness to make these sacrifices underscores the depth of the speaker's feelings. The poem also hints at the potential for spiritual yearning. The use of terms like "Sovereign" and the near-religious fervor with which the speaker approaches the "Ecstatic Contract" suggests that the beloved holds a position of almost divine importance in the speaker's life.

Nature as Currency

Dickinson uses vivid imagery from nature to illustrate the value the speaker places on seeing the face. The Bobolink symbolizes joy and freedom, while June, with her associated roses, represents the height of summer's beauty and vitality. These are not simply pretty images; they are things the speaker treasures. Furthermore, the extravagant offering of "Roses a day from Zanzibar" and "Bees by the furlong" emphasizes the speaker's desperation and the boundless lengths to which she's willing to go. The "Straits of Blue" and "Navies of Butterflies" create a sense of expansive beauty and freedom, highlighting the magnitude of what the speaker is prepared to relinquish.

"Shylock? Say!": A Desperate Bargain

The reference to Shylock from Shakespeare's *The Merchant of Venice* is particularly striking. It casts the exchange in a darker, more unsettling light. It raises the question of whether this desire is healthy, or if it's bordering on obsessive. The comparison suggests that the speaker is aware of the potential for exploitation and the high stakes involved. It might even imply that the speaker feels vulnerable and powerless in the face of this all-consuming desire. The repeated use of words like “bond”, and “pay” highlight this idea of a debt needing to be satisfied, further driving the idea of a dangerous and unhinged bargaining taking place.

Bliss and Bitter Grace

In conclusion, "What Would I Give To See His Face?" is a powerful exploration of love's consuming nature and the sacrifices it demands. The poem masterfully utilizes vivid imagery and a dramatic shift in tone to convey the speaker's overwhelming desire and the almost desperate lengths to which they are willing to go to fulfill it. The ending, with its juxtaposed "Ecstatic Contract!" and "Niggard Grace!" leaves us pondering the true cost of such devotion and whether the fleeting "Kingdom's worth of Bliss" can truly compensate for the immeasurable losses. The poem ultimately speaks to the complex and often contradictory nature of love, leaving the reader to question the balance between passionate desire and personal sacrifice.