Poet's Predicament: A Common Topic and Contrasting Approaches in "I Measure Every Grief I Meet" and "The Day Is Done" Jessica Galloway 9th Grade

The poems "I Measure Every Grief I Meet" by Emily Dickinson and "The Day Is Done" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow both focus on the theme of sorrow, but do so in markedly different manners. While Dickinson approaches the topic in a very nonchalant way, Longfellow approaches it in a negative manner. Even though the two poets have different writing styles, both of their poems reflect the grief and sorrow they experienced throughout their lives. The poems give readers an idea about how both poets deal with the burden of their grief, a common topic despite notable divergences in style

Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on December 10, 1830. She spent 1840 until 1847 at Amherst Academy, and then a year at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary studying science, history, philosophy, and literature. Emily began writing seriously in the 1850s, and after several failed relationships, she became a recluse. Historians believe that she suffered from an unknown trauma in the early 1860’s, which led to her prolific writing. In 1862 alone, Dickinson wrote over three hundred poems. In 1886, she was diagnosed with Bright’s Disease, a type of kidney disease, and she died on May 15 of that year. After her death, Dickinson’s family found her...