If "A Man may make a Remark," then who may not? An analysis of Emily Dickinson’s poem 952

Emily Dickinson is known for her distinctive, unconventional style of poetry, paying little heed to the norms of grammar and punctuation, resulting in a unique corpus of literature that defies expectations. In her poem that opens "A Man may make a Remark," we encounter an exemplary example of how that unique style leads to unexpected meanings; while at the surface level of the poem we receive a warning about the importance of speaking with care, on a closer look, assisted by Dickinson’s disregard for convention, we uncover a poignant plea for social equality, hidden just beneath the surface of the poem.

The poem’s caution against speaking rashly is made clear through the metaphors, particularly in the first half of the poem, where speech is compared to lighting a fuse – a small action that has an outsized effect. The transfer to the world of explosives invites us to recognize that the effect is often destructive, and cannot be easily repaired; similarly, words can have lasting impacts and the damage to relationships can often be difficult to fix. The metaphor in the second half, still from the realm of explosives, compares words to the elements of the gunpowder, found in harmless charcoal before it is used to make fire – teaching us that words, often harmless, simple things, can become agents of destruction when used in particular ways. The potential danger inherent in speech is thus made clear, and, we are cautioned, "let us [use] care" and "skill" when using our words (lines 5 and 6).

However, that language of "let us" – repeated twice – clues us in to the underlying message of the poem; "let us" does not only mean "we should," but also "allow us to." The very first line holds the double meaning at the core of the poem; a "Man" may make a remark. The word "Man" refers to all of humankind, showing the power of language – but also utilizes the specific meaning of "Man" to refer to the male gender, pointing out that the same power of language is not generally afforded to women. When we take into consideration the language and word choice of specific "let us," written from the perspective of a woman, combined with the statement that a "Man" may make a remark, our perspective on the poem changes and allows us to view this alternate interpretation.

This interpretation gains strength when we examine the syntax surrounding these phrases. After each instance of "let us" in the anaphora featured in the second stanza, following the word which "let us" refers to, Dickinson places a dash, creating a cesura and inviting us to take these words – "let us divide" and "let us discourse" – as a single unit, allowing us to read these phrases as first requesting to be allowed to partake in the discussion to the same degree, and once that first step has been achieved, then the "skill" and "care" can come into play. Similarly, after the opening statement, "A Man may make a Remark," a dash is placed as well, leading to us reading this phrase as its own, independent thought, with the corollary that a woman may not necessarily "make a Remark."

The metaphors in the poem play into this interpretation as well. The act of the man making a remark is portrayed as lighting a dormant fuse, using the spark – or fire – to do so. In the second half, however, we are informed that "powder" exists in charcoal before fire (line 7); when creating explosive gunpowder, charcoal is an essential component. Metaphorically, at a surface level, this refers to the potential of words, showing that words have the potential for harm even before they are turned into the fire (the spark in the first half) that lights the fuse. When we look at this second half of the metaphor coming directly after the pleas of "let us divide" and "let us discourse," though, that concept of potential finds itself in a different host: those who are not given the platform to speak. Like charcoal, the essence of the fire is present; the "powder" that will create the spark is there, waiting to be extracted. When the powder is extracted from the charcoal, then it can directly create the power, but even when it is still in the form of charcoal the potential exists for it to become this explosive substance. Even when women are not given the same platform or afforded the same audience that men are, the poem hints, that potential for impactful speech still exists. Just because they have not yet "let us," as Dickinson writes, doesn’t mean that the "powder" is not there waiting to be extracted, with just as powerful an explosive potential as the powder that has already been refined.

That is not to say that the speech waiting to be given a platform is unrefined, however. What we initially took as cautionary advice, to employ care and skill in our speech, takes on the added aspect of already being elements that have been incorporated into women’s speech. "Let us discourse," Dickinson writes, and then adds, "with care" – implying that this is an aspect that has already been taken into account. In other words, this line could be paraphrased as "Give us (i.e. women) the same platform for speech as the men – and we will speak with care." The same concept applies to the previous line; "with skill" modifies the request, and indicates that the skill has already been incorporated into the speech. Retaining the message that skill and care must be employed when speaking, the poem also subtly tells us that these are already aspects that have been incorporated into the speech waiting to be paid the same attention as the "Man."

While centuries have passed since "A Man may make a Remark" was written, its dual themes – whether both those themes were intended by the poet or came about later as a result of shifting connotations – remain very much relevant today. Insensitive and careless speech drives wedges between people, isolates individuals, and fuels enmity; when used well, however, words can create the strongest bonds between people possible. Unfortunately, despite significant social progress in the past couple centuries, certain voices are still given more weight than others, and women are still often spoken over and ignored, making "let us" a very real plea that is still applicable today. Both the concept of being careful in the way we speak and being conscious of disparities in who is platformed are elements that the poem imparts to us as readers, and allows us to incorporate those thoughts into our daily lives – perhaps changing how we behave, if we let it.