Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Emily Dickinson's "Publication - is the Auction" offers a rich commentary on the commodification of intellectual and artistic labor. This poem is particularly revealing when situated within the 19th-century American context, an era marked by an emergent literary marketplace and the increasing commercialization of authorship. Written in four quatrains, the poem uses the metaphor of an auction to critically examine the implications of publishing one's thoughts.

The poem opens with a stinging critique of the literary marketplace: "Publication - is the Auction / Of the Mind of Man -". Dickinson likens the act of publishing to selling one's thoughts to the highest bidder. This is an unsettling portrayal of how the public sphere commodifies intellectual labor, reducing it to a "foul" transaction that one can only justify through poverty. By framing publication as an economic necessity, Dickinson underscores the spiritual cost associated with sharing one's creative work in a commercial arena.

The second stanza presents an alternative, almost monastic, perspective. It suggests that the speaker and their comrades would rather "From Our Garret go / White - unto the White Creator - / Than invest - Our Snow -". In other words, they would prefer their thoughts to remain pure and untouched, offered up to a divine "Creator" rather than sullied by the world of commerce. The imagery of whiteness and snow embodies purity and virginity, contrasting starkly with the dirty business of publication.

The third stanza digs even deeper into the ethics of publishing. Dickinson argues that "Thought belong to Him who gave it -", suggesting that ideas are a divine gift. Consequently, selling one's thoughts betrays not only oneself but also the "Him Who bear / It's Corporeal illustration". By monetizing intellectual property, one sells not just ideas but "The Royal Air," which may refer to the divine or transcendental quality imbued in true artistic or intellectual endeavor.

The concluding stanza serves as both a warning and a plea. "In the Parcel - Be the Merchant / Of the Heavenly Grace -" is an indictment of those who package and sell inspiration, equating it to a violation of the sacred. Yet, the poem closes with an urgent ethical directive: "But reduce no Human Spirit / To Disgrace of Price -". This line delivers a powerful critique against commodifying something as intimate and personal as human thought or spiritual conviction. It serves as a caution against turning individual creativity into a marketable product, at the expense of its intrinsic value.

The notion that Emily Dickinson was unhappy with her work being criticized adds another layer of complexity to the poem. While the poem's primary focus is on the commodification of intellectual labor, viewed through the lens of Dickinson's potential concerns about criticism, it takes on a different hue. The poem's theme then extends to encapsulate not just the commercial but also the critical marketplace-a venue where artistic and intellectual products are not only sold but also appraised, judged, and sometimes devalued. By adding the idea that Dickinson may have been resistant to or concerned about criticism, "Publication - is the Auction" becomes a complex interrogation of both the economic and critical aspects of artistic production. It becomes a protest against the reductive forces that try to evaluate art in terms that are anathema to the artist: the crude metrics of commerce and potentially shallow judgments of critics.

Overall, Emily Dickinson's "Publication - is the Auction" engages with the complex dynamics of public discourse and the literary marketplace. It is a nuanced critique that questions the ethics of turning thought into commodity and calls for a sanctity of intellectual and artistic endeavors. By using rich metaphor and ethical questioning, Dickinson confronts the reader with the spiritual, ethical, and economic dimensions of publication, making the poem deeply resonant even in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.

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