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The Soul selects her own Society —
Then — shuts the Door —
To her divine Majority —
Present no more —

Unmoved — she notes the Chariots — pausing —
At her low Gate —
Unmoved — an Emperor be kneeling
Upon her Mat —

I've known her — from an ample nation —
Choose One —
Then — close the Valves of her attention —
Like Stone —

c. 1862

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1. What is the poem’s tone? Which words reveal this tone? Is the poem ironic?

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1. What is the poem’s tone? Which words reveal this tone? Is the poem ironic?

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Emily Dickinson writes this poem with her own interest in mind while reflecting on her personal values in relationships. The tone of hostility is projected as she states how the gates to her soul don't open for the people who approach her. The last two lines of the poem, "Then— close the Valves of her attention—/ Like Stone—" (Dickinson, lines 11-12) reveal that the decisions of who Emily Dickinson allows into her soul don't waver, as the gates close and turn into stone. The poem is straightforward as she makes her point clear.

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 3. What images does the poet use? How do the images relate to one another? Do these images form a unified pattern (a motif) throughout the poem?

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 3. What images does the poet use? How do the images relate to one another? Do these images form a unified pattern (a motif) throughout the poem?

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Emily Dickinson uses imagery of a door which only opens for who the narrator chooses and royalty. The imagery of royalty comes up when the narrator talks about how, "Chariots [are] pausing -- at her low gate" and how an "Emperor be kneeling / Upon her mat." The images are used to get a message across about how this woman isn't swayed by riches and royalty and won't let people into her circle, or in this case, through her door, just because they're well off. Instead she selects someone she loves and "Close[s] the valves of her attention."

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 4. What figures of speech are used? How do they contribute to the tone and meaning of the poem?

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 4. What figures of speech are used? How do they contribute to the tone and meaning of the poem?

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Personification is the backbone to Emily Dickinson's central motif of the poem. The first line of the poem personifies the soul by allowing autonomy, saying, "The Soul selects her own Society—" (Dickinson, line 1). Souls don't actually have this ability in real life, but Dickinson mentions it for readers to visualize the thought process of following the heart. She had to have believed her intuition was right for closing the gates and keeping others out of her soul.

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 6. What is the theme (the central idea) of this poem? Can you state it in a single sentence? Elaborate on your idea.

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 6. What is the theme (the central idea) of this poem? Can you state it in a single sentence? Elaborate on your idea.

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The theme of this poem is to be selective about the people you let into your life. The speaker is a woman who rejects most people from her life such as "an Emperor" with "Chariots--pausing--At her low Gate." Despite these well off people being interested in her she leaves them waiting at her gate and chooses only one person to let in. This ties in with Dickinson's idea of being careful about the people you surround yourself with.