Emily Dickinson's "I like a look of Agony" page 356

Emily Dickinson’s poem, I like a look of Agony, encompasses imagery while describing death and pain. Dickinson’s careful word choice creates a picture of pain by using words such as, Throe and Convulsion, painting a scene of hurt. Her word choice is very important in conveying the right feeling of Anguish itself, and thus holding true to the title. In the second stanza Dickinson writes “The eyes glaze once—“, in other words death, a very disturbing image but one very relatable to anyone who has lost a family member or friend. When the reader relates to this very upsetting image, they are able to understand the feeling of the poem and grasp the objective of the author. These unpleasant images are essential when reading this poem, for one must feel the pain within the words to truly appreciate the poem. “Beads upon the Forehead” and “homely Anguish strung” are also used in the second stanza, which leaves the reader feeling forlorn and able to imagine the scene of anguish being described to them. There is a great deal of importance placed on the use of imagery in this poem, for without it the reader would not fully comprehend the meaning of this poem.

Irony is an essential literary device in any one of Emily Dickinson’s poems and in, I like a look of Agony, it is an absolutely critical element. The imagery used in this work creates a depressing picture and evokes a very sad feeling, which is contradicted by Dickinson’s title I like a look of Agony. Dickinson’s image sounds absolutely dreadful and incapable of being liked, but when the poems meaning is understood it is clear that Dickinson is really writing that she likes how agony is one emotion that is always genuine. Dickinson’s use of irony in this poem is exceptionally clever in the way she finds something likeable in agony while contradicting herself with a truth, that agony is never fake.

I felt that I like a look of Agony was a very clever and interesting poem. I found it remarkable the way Dickinson contradicts herself while still making sense, and shocking the reader with her irony. This poem is really about the way many emotions can be fake and not genuine, but agony is one that is never false. The last two lines say “The Beads upon the Forehead By homely Anguish strung” meaning the look on a one’s face after witnessing death is not pretend, it is true and it is the anguish of seeing a loved one die. Dickinson is saying that specific look cannot be fabricated, “because I know it’s true” as Dickinson said. Agony is something that is seen on one’s face after tragedy and Dickinson likes that it is always true and real unlike many emotions that can be easily faked.