Suffering In Emily Dickinson's I Cried At Pain

In my opinion, no word in the English language could be defined more incorrectly than the word “pain.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines the term as “[a] highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury” (Definition). However, may I venture to say that we as a human race experience emotional and psychological pain more than its physical counterpart. In the Oxford Dictionary, there are a few alternate definitions that have been amended in an attempt to describe these sufferings. For example, the loss of a loved one would be regarded as “mental suffering or distress” (Definition). While this definition is not intrinsically incorrect, there is so much more behind the word that cannot be described on paper alone. By examining Emily Dickinson’s poem “I Cried at Pity – Not at Pain” and

True pain often brings sadness. When we are hurt, either physically, emotionally, or psychologically, there’s a desperation to feel better again. In addition, both poems have references to a higher power in them, “God” in the former, and “gods” in the latter. When people are in pain, they often try and justify their pain, often by blaming something they can be sure of in a difficult time. The speaker in “I Cried at Pity” did that by alluding to her future in heaven, and that no amount of material possessions she could have owned would have made her life better. In “A Last Word,” the speaker is describing how he has completed his purpose on Earth as set by the “gods.” One could assume both of these speakers are therefore expecting some form of life after death, which could be their comfort during pain. Lastly, both poems compare the speaker with other people. Dickinson’s compares the poor speaker to the rich elites, and likewise, Dowson’s reminds the reader that he knew no laughter or tears, just “vain things alone.” When pain enters into someone’s life, it is often quick and one tends to forget their life