Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Emily Dickinson's poem "The Railway Train" presents a vivid and dynamic portrayal of a steam locomotive, capturing both its power and its almost animalistic qualities through metaphor and personification. The poem is a reflection on the industrial revolution's impact on the landscape, transforming the natural world with the advent of the railway.

The poem opens with the speaker expressing delight in observing the train: "I like to see it lap the Miles / And lick the Valleys up." Dickinson uses the verbs "lap" and "lick," which are typically associated with animals, to describe the train's movement. These verbs suggest a sense of hunger or desire, as if the train is consuming the distance and the landscape as it travels. This comparison imbues the train with a life-like, almost predatory quality, as it moves through the natural world with ease and dominance.

As the train continues its journey, it "stop[s] to feed itself at Tanks," which refers to the moment when the train stops to take on water or fuel. Here, the train is depicted as a creature that requires sustenance to continue its journey, further reinforcing its animalistic portrayal. The description of the train "Around a Pile of Mountains" emphasizes its prodigious strength and agility, as it navigates the challenging terrain with what seems like a single, effortless stride.

The poem then takes a more critical tone as the train "supercilious peer[s] / In Shanties - by the sides of Roads." The word "supercilious," meaning haughty or disdainful, suggests that the train, or perhaps the forces of industrialization it represents, looks down upon the humble dwellings it passes. This moment highlights the tension between the grandeur of the train and the simplicity of the rural life it disrupts. The train's presence seems to diminish or belittle the shanties, a reflection of the broader impact of industrialization on traditional ways of life.

Next, Dickinson describes how the train "pare[s]" a quarry "To fit its sides / And crawl between." The image of the train paring the quarry suggests that it shapes and molds the natural landscape to suit its needs, emphasizing the transformative and sometimes destructive power of industrial progress. The train's movement through the quarry is described as "crawl[ing]," a word that typically connotes something slow and deliberate, yet in this context, it also evokes the image of a powerful creature forcing its way through the earth, altering the landscape as it goes.

The train is then said to "complain[] all the while / In horrid - hooting stanza," a phrase that captures the noise and disturbance it creates. The use of "complain" suggests that the train's movement is accompanied by a cacophony of sound, which the speaker finds unpleasant or even horrifying. The phrase "hooting stanza" cleverly equates the train's whistle to a poetic verse, though it is one that is harsh and discordant, contrasting with the natural beauty of the surroundings.

As the train descends a hill, it "neigh[s] like Boanerges," a reference to the biblical term "Boanerges," meaning "sons of thunder." This simile enhances the image of the train as a powerful and commanding presence, with its whistle compared to the thunderous voice of a biblical figure. The train's descent is swift and forceful, like that of a galloping horse, further emphasizing its speed and might.

The poem concludes with the train coming to a stop: "And neigh like Boanerges - Then - prompter than a Star / Stop - docile and omnipotent / At its own stable door." Here, Dickinson captures the paradoxical nature of the train, which is both "docile and omnipotent." Despite its immense power, the train ultimately comes to rest in a stable, a place associated with animals. This final image reinforces the idea of the train as a domesticated force, one that, despite its dominance over the landscape, is ultimately controlled and contained by human ingenuity.

In "The Railway Train," Emily Dickinson masterfully uses metaphor and personification to explore the impact of industrialization on the natural world. The train is depicted as both a powerful, almost mythical creature and a product of human invention, highlighting the complex relationship between technology and nature. Through her evocative language and keen observations, Dickinson captures the awe and the ambivalence that marked the advent of the industrial age.

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