Summary Of Emily Dickinson 465

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The speaker in Emily Dickinson’s poem 465 reflects on the distracting power of the insignificant as a fly interrupts her final moments, concluding that death is not as important an event as one may think. In contemplating death, many expect a momentous experience, some sort of light that gathers us into a blissful afterworld. As the speaker approaches her final moment, she waits calmly, in a silence that is almost tangible. Though her loved ones are sad as they surround her, she has accepted that it is her time to go, as shown by the way she refers to them in lines 5 and 6—“Eyes” and “Breaths”, instead of people (5,6). However, she finds that a fly has taken all her attention from this experience, the “final Onset” in which “the King” is expected to appear in the room (7). Though the speaker is essentially waiting for God to come and take her, this miniscule insect has stolen the moment. The presence of the fly, to her, signifies the insignificance of the day-to-day cares that often take precedence over more meaningful pursuits. As she watches this insect dominate her final time on earth, becoming …show more content…

The “portions of [her that] be/ Assignable” are taken care of, leaving only her soul (10,11). Though it is not explicitly stated, it can be inferred from the presence of the fly and the deep significance it