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Emily DickinsonA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
At first, the “Gentlemen” (Line 2) symbolize something relatively uncomplicated. They represent the rulers and governors of society. As proper, powerful men, their faith and minds are of the utmost concern since they have the most authority. Thus, the speaker addresses them. The “Gentlemen” symbolize leaders, and leaders should know when to rely on intuition and when to pivot toward something more concrete.
Then again, the “Gentlemen” also represent something somewhat ridiculous. The speaker turns the common noun into a proper noun. They make up a class for the men, which suggests the men’s power is made up—that is, it’s a construct of society. These men can’t see better than others. They’re not born with greater abilities—they merely exist in a time with sharply unbalanced gender norms; prejudices that make men seem superior to other genders. Here, the “Gentlemen” symbolize sexism and the inflated, unfounded power society often assigns to men.
In a contemporary context, the “Gentlemen” could symbolize people in general. All humans, whether they’re “Gentlemen” or not, struggle with when to make a choice based on faith and when to make a decision centered on another type of reasoning. Every person could use some advice about what to do “[i]n an Emergency” (Line 4), so, in a gender-inclusive reading, “Gentlemen” symbolize humanity because people of all genders face the tension between reason and intangible emotions and convictions.
By Emily Dickinson
A Bird, came down the Walk
A Bird, came down the Walk
Emily Dickinson
A Clock stopped—
A Clock stopped—
Emily Dickinson
A narrow Fellow in the Grass (1096)
A narrow Fellow in the Grass (1096)
Emily Dickinson
Because I Could Not Stop for Death
Because I Could Not Stop for Death
Emily Dickinson
Fame Is a Fickle Food (1702)
Fame Is a Fickle Food (1702)
Emily Dickinson
Hope is a strange invention
Hope is a strange invention
Emily Dickinson
"Hope" Is the Thing with Feathers
"Hope" Is the Thing with Feathers
Emily Dickinson
I Can Wade Grief
I Can Wade Grief
Emily Dickinson
I Felt a Cleaving in my Mind
I Felt a Cleaving in my Mind
Emily Dickinson
I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain
I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain
Emily Dickinson
If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking
If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking
Emily Dickinson
If I should die
If I should die
Emily Dickinson
If you were coming in the fall
If you were coming in the fall
Emily Dickinson
I heard a Fly buzz — when I died
I heard a Fly buzz — when I died
Emily Dickinson
I'm Nobody! Who Are You?
I'm Nobody! Who Are You?
Emily Dickinson
Much Madness is divinest Sense—
Much Madness is divinest Sense—
Emily Dickinson
Success Is Counted Sweetest
Success Is Counted Sweetest
Emily Dickinson
Tell all the truth but tell it slant
Tell all the truth but tell it slant
Emily Dickinson
The Only News I Know
The Only News I Know
Emily Dickinson
There is no Frigate like a Book
There is no Frigate like a Book
Emily Dickinson