![]() In this case Dickinson uses dashes to replace the use of parentheses because while parentheses are a subtle way to add key notes, dashes are a more intrusive, blunt method to make a side statement. When she writes, “When it comes, the Landscape listens – / Shadows – hold their breath – / When it goes, ‘tis like the Distance / On the look of Death –” the dashes still end the lines but they also put emphasis on the statement “hold their breath” because being sandwiched between two dashes on the same line draws the reader’s attention. In addition, throughout the poem Dickinson uses dashes to frame specific terms. When she uses the dashes as commas like the stanza from above it shifts the focus on the words that follow the dash, so the phrase “that oppresses” is meant to resonate with the reader. The dashes create an emphasis on parts of the sentence and take on the role of either commas or parentheses. For example when she writes, “There’s a certain Slant of light, / Winter Afternoons – / That oppresses, like the Heft / Of Cathedral Tunes –” the dash separates the first and second line from the third and fourth line allowing for each to hold individual significance but not disconnecting the train of thought. The lines in the poem are split into fragments by these dashes and beauty of a dash is that is allows the continuation of a sentence without a blunt end such as a semicolon or period, instead the reader is visually able to move from one fragment to the other following the line. I think the dashes allow Dickinson to make words and phrases seem more important and thought provoking as well as create a certain style to her writing. However, really understanding why Dickinson uses dashes is difficult because every part of the poem uses them a bit differently. Dickinson’s use of dashes is interesting because it’s one of the many things that makes her poetry different from other poetry. ![]()
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