As your final assessment for poetry, you will read and discuss a poem by Emily Dickinson. I happen to love the poem, perhaps because I can relate to it just a bit too much! Here is a link to the poem:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174990
Please read the poem carefully.
In a well-thought out post, write a 4-paragraph EXPLICATION of the poem. The poem has three stanzas, so I expect one paragraph per stanza and at least one other paragraph. For some help in explication, you migh want to look at the following links and/or the section on poetry explication in your book.
http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu/reading-writing/on-line/lit-poem.html
http://twp.duke.edu//uploads/assets/poetry.pdf
In your explication, you should PARAPHRASE the poem and discuss what you believe the poem means. You may support your response with references (mention them, but do not try to link to them). Please do NOT copy/paste or paraphrase from other sources. Think for yourselves!
You must support your answer with at least ONE example, drawn from your life or your observations.
For full credit, please comment on what at least ONE other classmate writes. Make sure your response is detailed.
You have until February 9 to complete your explication and until February 14 to comment on ONE of your classmates’ explications.
An Explication of Emily Dickinson’s “Success Is Counted Sweetest”
Emily Dickinson’s poem, “Success Is Counted Sweetest” evokes an image of the victor with a flag upraised, in triumph, as the defeated are lying there dying hearing the victor’s honeyed music. However, there is a message woven and hidden very deep within the poem. For instance, the victor does not know how sweet victory truly is. Unlike the victor, the defeated have tasted defeat enough to know just how much it means to succeed. In other words, you cannot know what success really is unless you’ve failed. “Success is counted sweetest; by those who ne’er succeed,” the ones who appreciate success are those that have never succeeded. It is not those who compete for success that appreciate it once they’ve succeeded but those who have never succeeded. “To Comprehend a nectar; requires sorest need,” to appreciate nectar you must be starving for it. To be content you must understand all the astounding aspects of nectar, not just have it because you can; it is only the starving that most appreciate it.
“Not one of all the purple Host; Who took the Flag today,” not one of the victors, “Can tell the definition; So clear of victory,” can really define the meaning of victory. The victorious people have lost the true meaning of victory and what it is to succeed. The victorious people do not feel the same commendation of victory as the defeated people. Therefore, they genuinely do not understand what victory is. By failing, you not only gain more knowledge than before but you gain the opportunity to perfect the errors you’ve made. This is also known as learning from your mistakes so that in the second time around you are aware and ready. It might appear as if being defeated is the most horrible thing in the world, but in reality it is not. It just gives you a life lesson you must learn for the future and the push that leads you to the real success; the one you entirely understand, deserve, and appreciate.
The meaning of this exquisite poem is quite straightforward even it may not appear so, as with many other complex poems written by Emily Dickinson. You do not know what success is unless you know what failure is. To know the feeling of success you first must know the feeling of failure to appreciate it as much. For example, throughout my life so far, I’ve faced success and embraced it with open arms only because I’ve worked extremely hard for it. However, I never truly understood what it meant. If you are used to always succeeding you lose what it really means to succeed. Many times I’ve conquered the numerous battles I’ve had with tests and with some defeats as well. Knowing what it’s like to fail really opens your eyes to recognize the true meaning behind succeeding. You don’t need a trophy to show you have succeeded or have been victorious; all you need is the will to acknowledge that just for trying you are as much as winner as the titled “winner” is.
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Michael Lawson Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
@Amirah Ahmed, This is a Really good explication. It was well thought out and easy to understand. The first paragraph sets up the background for other paragraphs by showing how success is viewed by the viewpoints of those who loose and by the viewpoints of those who win. I agree with the fact that the the winners don’t really know what the true meaning of victory really is and how since the defeated have been defeated so much that they kind of know what victory is to an extent from loosing over and over again. This is because they never actually experienced a true victory before, all they know of victory is what they just see how everyone else celebrates a victory. I like how you explained how being defeated is like a life lesson and that you learn from your mistakes so in the end you learn and improve from that defeat and you do not need to dwell on it. I also like your viewpoint on the poem of how you can’t experience victory unless you have experienced defeat.
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Jessica Broche Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
@Amirah Ahmed, I really liked how you thoroughly explained each stanza. The explication you provided brought a better understanding to me about what the poem was really about. Although your personal experience was very vague, “many times I’ve conquered the numerous battles I’ve had with tests and with some defeats as well”. You could have been more in depth and personal about a specific experience rather than generalize. But overall you did a really good job!
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To me success is counted sweetest meaning that out of everything you do. The things that you accomplish is the sweetest. We all get that feelingwhen we know that we are close to accomplishing what we want in life. Also by those who ne’er succeed , is that when your so close to succeededing you can taste it (comprehned a nectar). You know how that saying goes. But keep in mind that you must put effort and work in everything that you do to succeed.
Next, there are people who do things in life but cant tell you the things that they have accomplished. This means that they probably give up the hope of succeeding. I feel that this is a sad way to live and tell your life story.There are many things that i have succeeded in my life such as graduating high school even though I became pregnant and had twins.I can live to tell tis story. even some of the soldiers who fought can not tell you some of the victories. Probably because they didnt win the war.
Laslty, As he defeated-dying, on whose forbidden ear, the distant strains truimphs, burst agonized and clear. This to me means that when you look back at what you have accomplished (Defeated) you feel like you can celebrate. You can now enbrace that sweet feeling of success. But for those who never succeed will not know how to enjoy a moment such as this one.
Overall, I think that this poem is saying that not everyone succeeds in life. It is something that you must want. But if you dont know what succeess is you probably would not care if you dont have it. But once you do and when you dont succeed oyu will feel bad and defeated. Because i know how it feels to succeed and if i dont at something that i am trying to i feel distraught about it. But this makes me even more hungry of that sweetness of succeess.
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Adriana Said Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 11:37 pm
@Ciera Griffin enc1102,
I like how you put this poem into your own words. You gave different examples and explained it well. You also use some pieces from the poem to come up with an example. I agree definitely with you ” I know how it feels to succeed and if i dont, I am trying to distraught about it.But this makes me even more hungry of that sweetness of succeess.” You made me understand much more of the poem than what I thought about it.
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Emily Dickenson uses many metaphors in the poem “Success is counted sweetest”. She uses these metaphors to show the ways that success is either appreciated my people, or how it isn’t. In the first stanza, Dickenson says “success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed”. Now it is pretty obvious that she is saying how success has the best feeling to those who never experience it, but if you think about it, she is also saying how those who succeed never actually appreciate it. Now when Dickinson says “to comprehend nectar requires the sorest need” she is trying to say that in order to understand the “nectar” of success, you need to have a high desire for it.
In the second stanza, Dickinson paints a picture of people in a battle to take a flag and gives the viewpoint of the winning side. She says that out of all the people that took that flag, none of them can give a clear definition on victory. They won the actual battle and are celebrating it, but they don’t actually have the satisfaction of winning. There is something missing. Dickinson is trying to show again how those who experience success or “victory” as she says don’t really appreciate it and do not know what it feels live to have success.
Finally in the last Stanza, Dickinson shows the viewpoint of the people that lost the battle. She says “As he defeated – dying – On whose forbidden ear the distant strains of triumph burst agonized and clear!” By saying this, she shows how the winners are having a party and the losers can hear the party while they are “dying”. Even though these people lost and didn’t have the feeling of actually winning, they can somewhat see/taste what it feels like by hearing the other people celebrate and cheer.
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Dionismary Herrada Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 6:40 pm
@Michael Lawson, You did a really good job in paraphrasing the poem. It was written well enough to understand what Emily Dickinson meant by “success is counted sweetest”. Your interpretations were thoroughly explained in your responses. Although, you could of explained some of your own ideas about the poem not just interpret what Emily Dickinson wrote, perhaps some personal beliefs/examples. But overall your writing was very clear and to the point. So good job!
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As we encounter obstacles and adversities our failure alters our outlook of success. Emily Dickinson wrote “Success is Counted Sweetest” in order to portray that concept. The people who fall value victory so much more than the people who achieve and conquer their obstacles. Dickinson used war as an example which the victors couldn’t grasp the whole feeling of achievement that the defeated desired. To understand the value of success, one must fall and experience the hardships before obtaining the full value of success.
In order for the speaker to display the message to the reader, the speaker had to incorporate an optimistic attitude toward the soldiers that were succumbed. “Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed”, the choice of words demonstrates her admiration of their failure. The poem exhibits formal and vivid language to express the speaker’s ideas. Although the meaning of the poem cannot be quickly identified, Dickinson organized her ideas in three separate stanzas beginning with the main idea, proceeding with the victor’s stance and ending with the perception of the fallen.
Everyone at one point or another in their life has been able to relate to Dickinson’s poem. Playing basketball in high school has given me the ability to see through her eyes on both sides of the story. The constant repetition of drills felt endless as I didn’t feel my skills getting any better. Watching the opposing team from the bench making shot after shot crushed my heart as we tacked on another loss on the score sheets. Watching the celebration of the opposing team brought our hopes down a little more every time. But once our team pulled through together we embraced the victory whole heartedly because of how much we now value that triumph. If we had constantly one game after game, we would have taken our wins for granted and they would have lost their worth.
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Alexander Monsalve Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 11:47 am
@Jessica Broche, Jessy your interpretation of this poem was excellent. I can agree with it at many levels. Especially when you relate it to your own life and sports. I too played sports in highschool, especially soccer, and sucess had so much worth going up against the state champions for a second time after a loss. This poem is not only excellent, but a source of insparation according to our interpretations. Good Job.
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The poem Success is Counted Sweetest by Emily Dickinson, is a very true and touching poem. For example what the first stanza means to me is that success equals victory and victory is delicious but it’s desired by the ones that don’t get to experience victory but are so close to it that they can actually taste it. In other words being successful in life is great but it is actually valued by those that don’t exactly reach victory to its entirety.
In the second stanza of this poem my interpretation is that not everyone that accomplishes success or victory can express or describe the feeling of accomplishment. In other words you work very hard to accomplish your goals and once you get it there are no words that that can describe that emotion in words. Basically you need to live it and experience it all on your own to be able to describe it.
Finally on the last stanza Emily Dickinson expresses that the ones that are able to beat death and overcome failure can keep their head up and focused on the prize which would be victory and success in your life. You just always got to keep on striving for success and one day after some obstacles you will accomplish your victory.
This poem is a great poem to live life by or use as a motive. You strive for the best and don’t stop till you accomplish it. I always head for the best and always encourage my kids to do the same. And you r outcome will always be great as long as you strive for the best and fight for the greatest.
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Marta Chacon Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
@Sasha Zamora,
I agree with you, If you’ve had everything your whole life how can you value it? Like you said we have to work hard and try our best to get what we want. Nothing feels better than knowing you’ve accomplished everything you have through your own sweat and hard work. You said not everyone that accomplishes success and victory can express or describe the feeling of accomplishment, and you couldn’t be more correct. Like when I was younger my mom would buy me things and I was happy to have them, but now than i buy my own things i feel proud that i buy them through my hard work.We had a similar idea so good job!
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Explication: “Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson
In the poem, “Success is Counted Sweetest”, Emily Dickinson conveys an image of a battlefield, including the winners and the losers’ response to success. For example, the winners of the battle do not appreciate winning as much as the losers would have if they had won. The winners do not know exactly what it is like to lose. While the well-pleased winners are rejoicing in their victory, the lowly losers are seeing what victory truly means.
Moreover, there is a load of wonderful words in this poem. For instance, in the first stanza, “Success is counted sweetest, By those who ne’er succeed” hints at the theme of this poem. These two powerful lines reveal that success is more valued to those who have met failure. “To comprehend a nectar, Requires sorest need,” illustrates our appreciation of the things we receive after needing them most.
The next stanza displays the winning side experiencing victory. “Not one of all the purple Host, Who took the Flag today, Can tell the definition, So clear of victory;” no one from the royal army, who won the battle, knows what victory truly means although they have won. Dickinson uses the word “purple” to describe the Host because purple symbolizes Royalty. All in all, this is a royal army who has won the battle, lacking to notice their victory. In other words, this army has won many times before. They are wealthy, and have never experienced the lesson of losing. Therefore, they cannot comprehend the great significance of victory.
Finally, in the last stanza, victory is recognized by the ones who have lost. “As he defeated – dying –
On whose forbidden ear, The distant strains of triumph, Burst agonized and clear!” In other words, those who were unfortunate to lose can hear in the distance the shouts of triumph from the opposing side. Ironically, this bitter instance taught them that victory means success from failure. In order for one to aim for success, they must be vulnerable in a sense that they are content with losing. They have done their finest, and that is what counts. After all, how can one know what success is if they have not known failure? Success cannot be valued if one has not known what it is like to fail. Similarly, in life we are presented with mountains and valleys. When we walk through a valley of some sort, we establish the foundation needed for climbing a mountain. We gain strength. When we finally reach the top of our mountain, we are forced to be thankful because of its beauty compared to the dullness of the valley. In the same way, when we finally reach success from failure, it is then, and only then that we can appreciate it.
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Amber Fernandez Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 11:28 am
@Nicole Jennings, I really like you explication it is well written and I pretty much got the same interpretation from the poem when I read it. I like the line you wrote “When we finally reach the top of our mountain, we are forced to be thankful because of its beauty compared to the dullness of the valley” Its very well thought out.
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Robert Foster Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 9:05 am
@Nicole Jennings, I agree with your entire explication of this poem. I found it difficult to distinguish between the different stanza’s of the poem, but you were able to do so. This is what I found most impressive about your explication.
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In the fist stanza, Dickinson describes the meaning of true success. Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed, meaning that success comes from those who fail, and learn from their previous losses. Have you ever had a friend who always cheated in school, or whose parents always bought them everything they asked for? These people have never worked to gain something they desired, such as good grades or worldly items. These people have never been given the opportunity to succeed because they have never failed. Success is always sweeter when you have felt failure. Think back to the last time you felt starved. Your body starts to shut down, your legs are shaking, and you can’t even think, you’re just too hungry. Think about how satisfying that first bite is, how immediately you start feeling better as you begin to refuel your body. Imagine never feeling hungry again, never being able to relish in that type of true satisfaction. For those who lack a hunger, a drive, satisfaction and success are mere dreams, but for the laborer, the person who has shed blood, sweat, and tears, recovering from many failures to attain even a small bite of victory, of success, is worth all of the hardships they endured.
The second and third stanza incorporates war to relay the meaning of success and failure. Dickinson explains that the victor will never appreciate their accomplishments as much as a defeated enemy will. The defeated will pine in silenced anguish-dying, as they listen to the strains of triumph from their victorious enemies, while the victorious will boast loudly, relishing in their success. For those who are victorious, success is a mere relief from what could have ended up being a devastating lost; the defeated however, are forced to lie in the wake of failure, starving and conquered.
Everyone has experienced a time when they have lost, or failed at doing something. When we work to gain success, the loss we feel is exaggerated. Sometimes, we relinquish everything we have, strength, positivity, and endurance just to reach a personal best, yet find ourselves drawing back an empty hand. That empty hand signifies more than a mere loss or failure, it signifies dissolution, we literally feel separated from our ability to succeed that is woven throughout us. Dickinson’s “Success is Counted Sweetest” renders that we should appreciate our inadequacies so that our triumphs will be better savored.
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Bria Bradshaw Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 11:33 am
@Natalie Neiling, I like how you incorporate hunger with victory to suggest that if we are “full” of success we may never seek more, resulting in the lack of drive. I agree with your statement of humans feeling disconnected from the world after failure. It is exaggerated, but like you said, we should cherish our deficits so that victory will be sweetest.
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Success is counted sweetest when success has been lacked. Someone who has not reached success or has not fully grasped it understands and appreciates what success really is because they don’t encounter it that often. Unlike a person who always succeeds in everything they do. The winner will eventually get tired of winning because it wont bring them the enjoyment as if they won for the first time so therefore the success isn’t as wanted. This is when people start taking things for granted because since they always win they see no appreciation in success anymore. But the loser will really appreciate the meaning of victory simply because losers don’t win that often. The point is that the winners might have succeeded but in the end it doesn’t count as much as if the losers won for the first time because they are more grateful and appreciative of their success, considering they never got to experience it.
In order to really know what success is, one must know what failure feels like. It takes a person that has not been very successful in life to actually understand and appreciate what the definition of success is. According to Dickinson not even the people who took the flag and felt so victorious can give the meaning of success. Those people simply didn’t get the “sweetest of the success”. Basically what Dickinson is saying is that those people succeeded but are they really content with their victory if in the end they know they will always have that triumph. The answer is no because people who always succeed don’t appreciate it as much as the ones that don’t.
I can relate a lot to the words in this poem because I have personally experienced it and I’m sure others have as well. Somewhere in life we all have experienced failure or success. I guess they come hand in hand. Throughout my school years I have overcome many obstacles that I never thought I would and because of that I have experienced success. Even though I have felt success, that does not mean I always succeed which is why I can relate to this poem. With that said, I can truly say I know when success is counted sweetest.
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Miranda Pitcher Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
@Dionismary Herrada, I agree with you completely. This is kind of the same thing I wrote.
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The opening stanza of this poem tells me that triumph is exactly that to the person or people who do not experience it. However, to actually feel the joy of winning, a person must first understand the feeling of defeat. “To comprehend a nectar requires surest need” means that to actually enjoy the full extent of the fruit you must have first not only needed the taste and nutrition of the fruit but also have been denied the opportunity to enjoy this fruit previously.
The second stanza means to me that just because a person is victorious in battle doesn’t absolutely mean that person can define the word victory. Winning at battle means so many more things besides just winning. For example, I participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006-2007. Just because I was able to come home after my tour with no injuries does not mean that I won. There is no clear definition of victory in war, I came home and many people say that the U.S. was victorious in Iraq. How can this be when so many people lost thier lives or suffered injuries that changed thier lives forever. That is what the second stanza means to me, that even though one side or the other may be labeled as a “winner”, there are no true winners in war. Even the victor has to gather thier dead.
In the final stanza, Dickinson is saying that the defeated are made aware of victory by hearing the “distant strains of triumph”, this is the whole poems idea. That a person does not fully comprehend the benefits of being a “winner” until they are actually the “loser”. Losing feeds the fire known as desire, and this makes a person more willing to suffer setbacks in pursuit of being victorious in the end. Do not let a bump in the road become a roadblock, but instead fix the problem and move on. Let it make you stronger.
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Zualett Garcia Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 11:48 pm
@Robert Foster, I agree with your first and last stanza. I like when you said “However, to actually feel the joy of winning, a person must first understand the feeling of defeat” I also believe that this poem is about someone who learns to appreciate something by first losing to it.
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Emily Dickenson wrote such a great poem “Success is counted sweetest”. The way she expresses these words “Success is counted sweetest; by those who ne’er succeed”. Mean’s that when people actually succeed they never really appreciate it. Then Dickenson said “To comprehend a nectar; requires sorest need”, In my understanding the nectar of success resources that you need to put much effort and aspiration in order to succeed in what you want.
On the following stanza, Emily Dickenson states “Not one of all the purple Host; who took the Flag today; can tell the definition; So clear of victory!” What Dickinson is trying to express to us is those who succeed or have victory don’t realize or value the fact that they have succeeded in life.
Next, in this stanza Dickinson say’s “As he defeated-dying-Oh whose forbidden ear the distant strains of triumph burst agonized and clear”. The meaning of these words are very clear as looking back to what your future hold’s you can see the many thing’s you have or haven’t accomplished which defeats the success you put towards yourself.
To put it briefly, The way I understood this poem is not a lot of people succeed in life, but those who really want to put effort and force. I succeeded in many ways from graduating high school to overcoming my shyness in singing to an audience! I really enjoyed this poem because it kind of related to me. This wonderful poem has maid me strive for more, meaning I refuse to give up my dreams.
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What’s sweeter than Revenge? Success
In “Success Is Counted Sweetest”, Emily Dickinson portrays the main point that success is sweetest to those who experience failure. I am the living, breathing proof of Dickinson’s assertion. After experiencing many obstacles in the game of life, there are many of us who quench the rejuvenating nectar to satisfy our thirst for success. One who encounters many successes seems to grow tiresome and takes these wonderful experiences for granted. Therefore, the first stanza is the foundation of the building and gains momentum through the progression of the poem.
Dickinson continues to support her assertion that success is more refreshing to those who have never experienced it. Through the use of a military metaphor, Dickinson employs the vital evidence of an army and successfully acquires the flag in their hands. It seems as though victory has been established. This stanza is dependent on the third stanza. Without it the reader would be left with an ambiguous perception of whether the mission was accomplished.
Finally, the assertion becomes a fact and is completely supported. In an instant, victory is stripped away and the soldier lays on the floor, becoming more and more closer to Death’s grasp. He listens to the cheers and celebratory actions of the enemy. It is at this point that the soldier comprehends the true meaning of victory. Notice how the army captured the flag, but did not show an expression of joy as compared to the enemy who filled the area with boisterous actions. Thus, those who yearn for success have encountered many failures.
This poem eradicates a common misconception. Those who see others fail simultaneously, begin to develop a negative mindset that the person “does not care” or “smart enough”. When, however, it takes that person more attempts to complete their objective. The poem is stupendous and gives the “little people” a voice in this tough society.
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Nicole Jennings Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 8:43 am
@Saarah Chaudhri, I like your explication, Sarah! It’s disappointing how many “successful” people take their achievements for granted. I really liked how you included that in your explication when you said, “One who encounters many successes seems to grow tiresome and takes these wonderful experiences for granted.” The way you flowed through your explication made it easy to understand. You said the first stanza sets the foundation, the second stanza supports Emily’s assertion, and in the third stanza that assertion becomes a fact – it made your explication flow nicely!
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Emily Dickenson wrote such a great poem “Success is counted sweetest”.
The way she expresses these words “Success is counted sweetest; by those
who ne’er succeed”. Mean’s that when people actually succeed they never
really appreciate it. Then Dickenson said “To comprehend a nectar; requires
sorest need”, In my understanding the nectar of success resources that you
need to put much effort and aspiration in order to succeed in what you want.
On the following stanza, Emily Dickenson states “Not one of all the purple
Host; who took the Flag today; can tell the definition; So clear of victory!”
What Dickinson is trying to express to us is those who succeed or have
victory don’t realize or value the fact that they have succeeded in life.
Next, in this stanza Dickinson say’s “As he defeated-dying-Oh whose
forbidden ear the distant strains of triumph burst agonized and clear”. The
meaning of these words are very clear as looking back to what your future
hold’s you can see the many thing’s you have or haven’t accomplished
which defeats the success you put towards yourself.
To put it briefly, The way I understood this poem is not a lot of people
succeed in life, but those who really want to put effort and force. I succeeded
in many ways from graduating high school to overcoming my shyness in
singing to an audience! I really enjoyed this poem because it kind of related
to me. This wonderful poem has maid me strive for more, meaning I refuse
to give up my dreams.
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Although this poem is only 3 very simple stanzas the meaning behind it, is a familiar territory for everyone. It mainly deals with the idea that failure leads to a deeper appreciation of success as Dickenson states in the first stanza. She says that success is far sweeter for those who usually don’t succeed. The people that don’t succeed have had a chance to taste failure which makes them more grateful about succeeding. Additionally, she talks about how in order to understand nectar you must desire it. What she means by this is that in order to truly comprehend something you must really want it first.
The second stanza is showing the perspective of the winning side of a war. It described how they had such a “clear victory” when they “took the flag.” Yet in the third stanza she depicts the war from the side of those who were losing. This time she writes about the soldiers that lay dying and how they have to listen to winning team rejoice in their victory. I think that by showing us the two sides, she shows the readers how losing team is most likely to appreciate winning more, now that they have lost.
In a nutshell those that succeed without trying, achieve less satisfaction than those who struggle and fight to succeed. This can be seen a lot in schools, there are people who didn’t do well in their classes at the beginning. After a while they studied longer and tried harder until they succeeded. In my opinion they have a better understanding of success than those that were passing without even trying. Furthermore, what Dickenson is trying to say is that failing (although it isn’t pleasant) makes succeeding more gratifying.
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Saarah Chaudhri Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 8:06 am
@Stephanie Castillo, I completely understand what you’re saying!!!! In fact, it qualifies what I was saying inmy explication. I love how you clearly addressed the essay in a heartbeat, instead of feeding me fluff. However, I don’t see much of your commentary, but a repetition of the lines within your explication. I would work on that because commentary is the key to a perfect paper! But other than that, good job Stephanie!
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Emily Dickinson preaches about how to feel success at its greatest. She is saying how you can’t feel success if you’re already successful you have to know nothing about success to feel the greatness. In order to feel success you have to accomplish goals you set in your life, you can’t just be born into a perfect family and feel success because you’re already at the top.
In the second stanza she figuratively portrays a battle in which the winners are already expected and even though they claim victory their claim on success is in vain. In vain, due to the fact that sense of success was never absent to begin with. In other words the “purple hosts” never truly experienced success because at that point it had become more of a habit than chance. While on the other hand if they had experienced failure they would have obtained more success because they would have acquired new knowledge and experience of something new.
In the third stanza Dickinson portrays a man who has never felt success and is tormented by the way people tell him their experiences. He may feel like he has accomplished nothing in life, therefore he beats himself up about it. This man will die never knowing success.
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Success Is Counted Sweetest is an amazing poem that anyone can relate to. Everyone has heard the expression “nobody is perfect”, and this statement is completely true. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone, at some point in their life, will fail. It is the times in our lives when we lose or fail that we want victory the most. Nobody likes to be lesser than, or to be pushed around., When we are beaten by ourselves or others we are hurt. Sometimes we get back up and try again, but many times we just lay down defeated desperately seeking to have won. In the first stanza of the poem Dickinson explains this in the last two lines when she says, “To comprehend a nectar, requires sorest need”. This simply means that to understand the importance of victory, many times one must first know the feeling of being the loser.
In the second stanza of the poem, Dickinson writes about how difficult it is for a victorious person or team to understand what victory really is. Dickinson is telling us that for the victor to truly understand what victory is, the victor must first be the loser. To understand the greatness of a victory, one must understand the severity and the desire to win that remains inside of the loser.
The final stanza is about what it is like for the defeated to lay defeated on the ground watching as the victor wallows in his glory. Whilst the loser understands how difficult it is to be the loser, the victor is not generally thinking about his accomplishment, but about his celebration and pride.
I can relate to this poem remembering a time when I was having a team relay race with some friends. The race was a 750m race per person, with four players on a team. I was the second runner for my team, but shortly into my leg of the race, having a short lead, I fell in a small hole in the dirt, and fell into a pile of rocks. I had very deep cuts in my left leg, and along my left hip, and I lay there for a few seconds thinking about how both me, and my team were going to be crushed. I then realized how badly I wanted to win, so I scrambled up off of the ground and sprinted as fast as I could. I quickly caught back up to my opponent, and was just in front of him by the time we reached the end of our leg. my team did lose the race in the end, but I experienced a minor victory within the race. I was taken to the hospital to get a total of 47 stitches in my leg and hip, but was happy the whole time. I tasted the nectar which Dickinson refers to within the poem when I fell in that hole, and I got back up because I was determined not to lay there defeated.
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Raymond wills Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 8:06 am
@James Gates, your essay really did speak to me james i liked the way you used the reference nobody is perfect. but the thing that really got to me on your essay was your explanation on the race that your never gave up on even though you and your team lost. i feel that what happen and the courage for you to succeed is what made you a winner that day. you have inspired me to keep going at whatever i do in life and finish strong no matter what.
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Saarah Chaudhri Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 8:17 am
@James Gates, Love, love, LOVE the commentary you provided in the explication! You clearly get the point across and back it up with evidence that we can ALL relate too. Your explication has this certain flow, which keeps me interested and able to read with ease. The final paragraph which you include your personal experience is just exquisite! This has to be my favorite explication here. 🙂
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“Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed. To comprehend a nectar requires sorest need.” This stanza talks about success being the sweetest when you have first had a taste of lost or failure. There is no pleasure or satisfaction when something is given to you, but rather, challenged and worked for. A well known entrepreneur Russell Simmons once stated, “Success is a journey not a destination,” meaning accomplishing a goal or task is not success, but rather the journey.
“Not one of all the purple Host who took the Flag today, can tell the definition so clear of victory.” This stanza talks about a person in the army/military who was not able to gain the flag and can explain the true meaning of victory. In other words, the person who fought to win a battle got beat by the enemy. It is only when the enemy wins and celebrates their achievements, that the person can fully understand the true meaning of wining. By witnessing an opponent win, one can only appreciate its worth even more.
“As he defeated -dying- on whose forbidden ear the distant strains of triumph burst agonized and clear!” This stanza completes the second stanza. To conclude, this poem has to do with losing and understanding the value and worth once the opponent wins. It is at this point is when the person realizes the worth of reaching the top/winning.
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Success is counted sweetest by Emily Dickinson is a poem that speaks to most of us whether you’re an athlete, a mother, a student, or even a teacher; but what does this poem really mean? The poem is a writing that holds the message of you cannot succeed or know what success is unless you fail. Truly the ones who have lost know what the meaning of success is, By failing you not only gain knowledge but you also have the opportunity to correct the mistakes you made so that the next time around you come back ten time stronger. To comprehend nectar requires the sorest need. In other words nectar is what feeds many of the small birds and insects in our ecosystem. It’s not the fact that they know it’s there it’s the fact that they need it to survive they understand the meaning of the nectar; those who are hungry for success are the one that most appreciate it.
The second stanza of this poem states not one of the entire Purple host who took the flag can tell the definition as clear of victory as of the people that were defeated. The people who won really don’t know the meaning of success; they don’t share the same meaning the same pain as those who didn’t succeed. Yes the people lost but they gained the knowledge that they need to know so that the next time they come back better faster stronger (actual skills used in war). Losing may suck and you want to taste victory at that time and moment but it may take you to fall down and get back up to fully understand what you have to do to succeed. For example, People in sports no matter what sport fight for a championship, a championship that says that all their hard work has paid off. Some teams get to that championship game and don’t win, they understand what they have to do the next time so they go back to the drawing board and work at it create new plays watch game footage and practice day in and day out. Those people understand the true meaning of success.
This poem is fantastic and the meaning is straightforward you don’t know what success is until you really fail. Even in my life I could use this poem as an outlook to see that even if I fail no matter on what I am still looked as a winner. Understanding failure will only make me stronger as a man and a person trying to chase my goals.
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James Gates Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 10:37 am
@Raymond Wills, you used the perfect analogy for me by using sports to explain this poem. Your explication made me think about my personal goals and achievements in athletics. From a young age, I was a very obese child. I remember running around with my friends and trailing behind them far behind. The feeling made me feel weak and pathetic until I turned about fourteen and decided to do something about it. I started to eat healthily, run, work out, and begin a new chapter in my life. Today, I can run faster and for longer than all of my friends, and a simple race across a field and winning means the world to me because it proves that all of my hard work was worth it. I have finally tasted the nectar referred to in this poem. I agree with your conclusion that understanding failure will only make you a better and stronger man.
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In the first stanza she says “Success is counted sweetest, By those who ne’er succeed.” This means that that the people who have tried and failed on something will feel a greater sense of accomplishment, than the person who succeeds right away. When she states “To comprehend a nectar, Requires sorest need.” This to me means that you dont feel success unless you have worked hard for it. It is not succeeding if it is handed over to you.
In the second stanza “Not one of all the purple Host, Who took the Flag today. Can tell the definition, So clear of Victory” She is saying that not everybody quite understands the meaning of victory. When watching the opposing side win you learn to value victory more and so when the next time comes around you will fight harder to get that sense of accomplishment.
In the final stanza she states “As he defeated–dying– On whose forbidden ear. The distant strains of triumph, Burst agonized and clear!” At this point the person has lost and in now basking in his opponents celebreation for winning. Now they are truly understandding what success feels like.
When I read this poem I thought back to when i was in my JROTC program back in high school. We had competitions and even when we won i never felt as happy as my classmates. I now understand why! When it came to marching and making my uniform look sharp it was easy. I never struggled like the others to get it right, it came to me quick. I didnt accomplish anything because I never had the feeling of failure!
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“Man is destined to face challenges in life. Life is not a bed of roses. Obstacles and difficulties are bound to come in the way. All desire for success.”-MANISH RAJKOOMAR. Emily Dickcinson wrote “Success is Counted Sweetest” in order to characterize her poem. People who succeed never truly appreciate it, it is only those who fail, or who lack something, that can truly appreciate how wonderful it would be if they did succeed. Dickinson says for someone “To comprehend a nectar, Requires sorest need” is like saying only someone who is starving and homeless can truly appreciate food and shelter.
In the last two stanzas Dickinson’s uses examples of war, like when the purple hosts took the flag declaring victory only he didn’t really know what victory was, they couldn’t feel or enjoy it, the defeated soldier, dying, fully comprehends the meaning of victory when he hears the enemy celebrating although he has been defeated he can understand what they should be feeling. He has won this knowledge by paying so high a price, with defeat and with his death.
I can relate to Dickinson’s poem, when I was in high school I was a really good runner. I did well in cross country and track and almost always came in between the first five. It wasn’t until one day that I lost that I really understood what it felt like to lose and really comprehended that winning is sweet, it feels good and feels like you’ve accomplished what you wanted too. I’ve failed a couple of other times but it has made me appreciate myself more and to fully understand victory.
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Natalie Neiling Reply:
February 12th, 2012 at 9:57 am
@Laisha Cruz, I like how you stated that “he has won this by paying so high a price, with defeat and with his death”. I think that although the poem used war in a literal sense, in life we all feel defeated sometimes, and many times it feels like our drive has been crushed, or murdered when we experience a difficult defeat. We all take things for granted at times, living in homes, wearing fresh clothes, eating, and even going to school are rights to us, not privileges; that is why so many of us only put half of our heart into what we accomplish on an everyday basis. However, a homeless person, for example, treats a meal like a privilege, and cherishes his success in being able to attain nourishment.
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Success is counted sweetest by Emily Dickinson
When I first read this poem the first thought that came to my mind was, you can’t really appreciate victory without knowing defeat. In the first stanza the author is saying people who never succeed appreciate it more when they do, rather than those who are always victorious. She uses the “nectar” to represent the sweetest of success and no one can comprehend that in less they have the desire for it.
In the second stanza the color purple represents honor. She is referring to soldiers at on a battle field at war, fighting for their lives. Soldiers now days can’t really define victor because they don’t know the meaning of defeat. Soldiers many years ago were surrounded by defeat and death.
In the last stanza I think the author is talking about death and God. “The distant strains of triumph burst agonized and clear!” These two lines talk about Gods return, the bible says triumphs will sound when he returns. As the soldiers lie there defeated and dying they hear triumphs sound as God appears to them.
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Andres Hortensi Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 12:05 am
@Amber Fernandez,
Our interpretation of this poem was simaler. We both had the same undersanding of the first two stanzas. But your interpretation of the third stanza was diffrent then. Your interpretation of the third one allows me to view it from a diffrent perspective, which would of been hard for me two alone. So thanks for that and I think you did a good job.
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Emily Dickenson’s poem “Success is counted sweetest” is a character description of us, humans. We crave the things we don’t have, and have the things we don’t want. We marvel at something which is not within our reach, and when we’re finally able to reach it, that need to have it vanishes. “Success is counted sweetest, by those who ne’er succeeded” Those who’ve never reached what they want, value it more, they will do anything to achieve their goals. “To comprehend a nectar, requires sorest need”, we only know how amazing something can be by living the exact opposite. How can you want warmth if you’ve never been cold? How can you want money if you’ve never been poor?
We see day in and day out millionaires wasting their money on building toilets made of gold and even cars with diamonds. Why? Because they’ve been wealthy since they had a conscience, they don’t know what it means to have a need and they don’t appreciate what they’re blessed with. “Not one of all the Purple Host, who took the flag today” Those who won and gained victory. “Can tell the definition, so clear of victory”, they cannot explain what this victory means to them. They don’t hold it more valuable than those who don’t have it.
“As he defeated – dying –, on whose forbidden ear, The distant strains of triumph, burst agonized and clear!” The ones who have never had such can really explain what it would mean to have it. Who can value a trophy more? The athlete who has them up in a display, bathing in dust? Or the one who’s never won one and has a shiny place in his living room saved for when he wins it?
Dickenson uses words like nectar, sorest need, and forbidden ear to describe the fallen in this war. She makes us readers see from the eyes of those who failed. If we fail time after time what will we do? Try even harder, and prepare even more to the point where success is not something we want, but something we need. She really lets the reader know that this poem is not about who succeeds, but what success means to those who never have.
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Laisha Cruz Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
@Marta Chacon,
Whoa! This, for me, was the PERFECT interpretation. From the first two sentences I felt like you wrote everything that I was trying to write in the hour it took me to write my interpretation. You used a significant amount of analogies and metaphors to get your point across. The explication you provided brought a better understanding to me about what the poem was really about.
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Amirah Ahmed Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
@Marta Chacon,
Your explication of the poem was extremely interesting!I found your statment of, “we crave the things we don’t have and have the things we don’t want,” very true! Your interpretation made me see the poem differently then how I originally saw it. Your statment, “how can you want warmth if you’ve never been cold” really struck a point. I found that statment somewhat similar to a statment I made in my own interpretation. Overall I enjoyed reading your explication! It was very well written and it was interesting to see the way you saw Emily Dickinson’s message in her poem.
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Amber Gonzales Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
@Marta Chacon, this was a great interpretation of the poem. I like your examples and how you compare the meaning of the poem to millionaires. I agree with you on the people who waste there money and never appreciate what they have. I also agree if you fail it makes you strive harder to do better.
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Alexander Monsalve
Mr. Blanco
Enc 1102
9 February 2012
Poem Explication
With vivid imagery and such a clear concept, “Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson can easily be an all-time favorite. A factor to this favoritism is the word choice that sets the tone for this poem. It forces the reader to feel the optimism of the defeated soldiers, as well as force them to look up the history of certain words such as purple Host (the etymology). With such a descriptive poem, one can’t help but admire this writing.
Dickinson describes success as being sweet in the first two lines. She points out the fact that those who never succeed have a tendency of valuing success more. She goes on to say that, “To comprehend a nectar requires sorest need,” (Dickinson 3) to end this stanza. She was explaining that to understand the value (feeling that comes from success) of success we need to experience the hardships of trial and error.
In the following stanza, Dickinson compares success to a battlefield were an army wins and the others are defeated. Not any of the warriors in the army that triumphed actually understands the fulfilling feeling of conquering because they don’t feel defeat. It’s kind of like the concept of how do you know what joy is if you have never cried? In this master piece, Dickinson demonstrates this passion of success allowing readers the ability to relate.
This poem rings true in my life having experience defeat on the soccer field many times. It’s that moment when your best wasn’t enough followed by a moment of great sorrow. Tears consumed my eyes and the lack of air due to my constricted nostrils cut the oxygen making that moment seem surreal. We lost, the crowd’s rowdiness dies out, and the sour taste of defeat lingers in my mouth. But o how sweet it is when we lift that trophy knowing that success is worth that much more through all those tears, sweat, and blood. Emily Dickinson was right success is counted sweetest after death.
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Alexander Monsalve
Mr. Blanco
Enc 1102
9 February 2012
Poem Explication
With vivid imagery and such a clear concept, “Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson can easily be an all-time favorite. A factor to this favoritism is the word choice that sets the tone for this poem. It forces the reader to feel the optimism of the defeated soldiers, as well as force them to look up the history of certain words such as purple Host (the etymology). With such a descriptive poem, one can’t help but admire this writing.
Dickinson describes success as being sweet in the first two lines. She points out the fact that those who never succeed have a tendency of valuing success more. She goes on to say that, “To comprehend a nectar requires sorest need,” (Dickinson 3) to end this stanza. She was explaining that to understand the value (feeling that comes from success) of success we need to experience the hardships of trial and error.
In the following stanza, Dickinson compares success to a battlefield were an army wins and the others are defeated. Not any of the warriors in the army that triumphed actually understands the fulfilling feeling of conquering because they don’t feel defeat. It’s kind of like the concept of how do you know what joy is if you have never cried? In this master piece, Dickinson demonstrates this passion of success allowing readers the ability to relate.
This poem rings true in my life having experience defeat on the soccer field many times. It’s that moment when your best wasn’t enough followed by a moment of great sorrow. Tears consumed my eyes and the lack of air due to my constricted nostrils cut the oxygen making that moment seem surreal. We lost, the crowd’s rowdiness dies out, and the sour taste of defeat lingers in my mouth. But o how sweet it is when we lift that trophy knowing that success is worth that much more through all those tears, sweat, and blood. Emily Dickinson was right success is counted sweetest after death.
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Success is counted sweetest the theme of this poem is that only those who have not succeeded feel that success is very important. The loser craves success unlike the winner who has a neutral emotion on success. The first stanza the speaker declares that those who “ne’er succeed” feel that success is the best thing possible or “counted sweetest.” Those who have never succeeded are the ones that yearn for that feeling of success. Unlike ones that have succeeded the desire dies. To understand how desire works one needs to have desire. “To comprehend a nectar/ requires sorest need.” The nectar represents the thing desired this is because nectar is something that is sweet.
The second stanza says that the winners cannot clearly state what victory is. “Purple host” refers to the winning team. The third stanza finishes the thought of the second stanza that those victors do not understand victory as well as the defeated do. The “forbidden ear” isn’t literally dying but suffering from the defeat. To the ones that lost “distant strains of triumph/ Burt agonized and clear!” This meaning that the losers hear the cheering and music playing differently than the winners do. By losing and suffering this defeat will make the desire to win stay in their hearts, while the winners indulge in their victory. He gains the knowledge by paying the ultimate price with the anguish of defeat. Those who succeed never truly appreciate it only the ones who fail or lack truly appreciate how wonderful it would be to succeed. You need to understand the negative side of a situation fully in order to appreciate the positive.
I personally can relate to this poem because I haven’t always succeeded at the choices I have made in my life. But I do feel that these failures where necessary in order for me to appreciate the small success I have began to experience in my life. Quitting college when I was working felt like the right decision at the time. When I saw how unsuccessful this job was for me and my future I felt the feeling of not being successful in my life. I was lacking what I wanted out of life and feeling like a failure for settling at a dead end job that I hate. I knew at that point in time this wasn’t working for me anymore and that I could do better. Now I strive for success in college in order to reach my goal of becoming a pharmacist. This is a desire to make a better life for myself. I have felt what being unsuccessful feels like and it makes me appreciate the successes I am experiencing now to reach the biggest success in life a college degree and career.
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Winning is an accomplishment all humans love to endure, and learn to appreciate; but appreciation comes when one has lost. This poem does a great job at portraying the fact that those who lack “qualifications” exalts a humans desire to succeed. Dickinson’s piece is a depiction of everyone’s reality, especially my own. For instance, I tend to get “tunnel-vision” when I see something that I think I can conquer; then I find out that I’ve lost. As a result, I have acquired a competitive personality that enables my determined persona to exude. Losing is what ignites the ambition in myself, therefore when one exceeds their obstacle, success is sweetest.
The value of success can only be apprehended when one has experienced failure. For the most part, humans would not know the importance of accomplishments. According to the poem, “Success is counted sweetest, by those who ne’er succeed.” Those that never achieve are driven until that goal is met and from there continued triumph is pursued. The poem states that others can never understand the triumpher, for the excitement lies behind the burdensome journey. Emily Dickinson symbolizes the nectar of a flower as success, with which one “requires the sorest need.” The introduction characterizes victory and proud representation that the reader can relate to.
In the following stanza, Dickinson states that the victorious cannot denote victory like the others who have not had a taste of success. “The purple Host” walks around with “the Flag” after conquering a battle, while the defeated yearns for success.
The author exaggerates the losers circumstance by emphasizing the defeated as “dying” to further imply that losing is agonizing enough. In addition, the defeated soldiers must live with the sounds of triumph from the “Host” through his “forbidden ear.” “The distant strains of triumph, burst agonized and clear!” The underdog must bear the sounds of success until he has encountered the sweetest. The sweetest is wanted universally, and the human race subliminally strives for it.
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‘Success is counted sweetest’ by Emily Dickinson has many meanings to people. To me it means the best way for revenge is to be successful. You never experience succeeding at something if you haven’t already gone through failure.
In the second stanza of poem, she begins to describe the color purple as Honor “Not one of all the purple Host who took the Flag today can tell the definition So clear of victory”. She is explaining how the victorious people back then—even now don’t comprehend what it is to have victory, but by failing you gain knowledge which turns into wisdom.
All in all, the last stanza is now being viewed by people who have lost the battle. With that being said those same people, even myself can go into life with a positive mind set because we have overcame an obstacle and lived on to see the victory.
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In the first stanza of “success is counted sweetest “ by Emily Dickenson the first two line means that those who accomplish less feel more success with the triumph they do accomplish than those who succeed constantly. In order to taste the nectar –which “nectar” is a metaphor for a great victory- in life of a success you have to go through pain and suffering in order to understand what it is and feels like to succeed in an obstacle. Being in college and getting here has been my victory being the first in my family to reach for something greater and even though I haven’t graduated yet I have somewhat tasted the “nectar” that is soon to come.
The second stanza means that the people “the purple host” who didn’t have to fight for what they want and got it easy “who took the flag today” can’t explain and understand what it is or took to win the battle that the person beforehand had to go threw in order to get the current person where they are today.
Finally the last stanza. “On whose forbidden ear “is a replacement for the people who are unsuccessful. In all it is saying that those who have experienced victory show it whether it is intentional or not and it can be seen by those who haven’t been successful with the pride that is shown by those who have “The distant strains of triumph Burst agonized and clear! “
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Explication of Success Is Counted Sweetest
The first stanza begins with the sentence “Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed”. This refers to people who do not have something and desire it more just due to lack of it. An example of this would be someone who has saved money, and wants buy a new car, but it instead has to pay the pills. That possibility of getting that new car is what makes the idea of the new car even more exciting. The following sentence “To comprehend a nectar requires sorest need”. This meaning that to truly appreciate wealth and success or “nectar”, there must a true need for it or must be worked hard for.
The second stanza and third seem to have a correlation, both pertaining to victory. The second stanza suggests that people who have been successful are not as satisfied as they should be, perhaps because they did not desire it truly. The third stanza goes on to say that people who have been unsuccessful do know what it means to be victorious. Like in life, the unfortunate would be more capable of valuing achievements of challenges they have attempted.
People will always desire what they do not have and have not acquired, and will not be thankful for what they do possess. Success Is Counted Sweetest is poem that conveys that very messages. What should be taken from this poem is that we should always comprehend what we have already attained. The desire for more and more is a request that will not be met. Unless it something that is firmly for something that is sorely needed. Only then will success and victory be understood and seen for what it correctly is.
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Like Professor Blanco, I too thoroughly enjoyed this poem. I found it unique, very staright forward and honest on her part. When people succed some of them never accept to themselves that they don’t really know how to appreciate their success, how to just take in the moment and feel grateful for it instead of taking it for granted, as if it comes along all the time. Their first instinct is usually greed, they usually think “how can I get more”. I believe that only the people who have never had a taste of true success or may lack something, can learn to appreciate having what others take for granted. In Emily Dickinsons poem, Sucess is Counted Sweetest, this is what I believe she was trying to get across.
First Stanza
In the first stanza what I understand Dickinson is trying to communicate is that those people who succeed never absolutely appreciate what that means but those who have fail or are missing what others have know how to appreciate how wonderful it can be if they were to succeed. The last sentence, changes the meaning of the stanza. It is no longer just about succeeding in life but also about wishing for something. It says that only those who have tasted failure can comprehend how sweet success can be.
Second && Third Stanza
The second and third stanza give reference to some form of war. She expalins how even though the soldiers fought and won the battle they still can not understand the definition of victory. The soldiers don’t really appreciate that they have been declared victors. She also say’s that does who lost the battle felt the great pain of it, she might even imply that for some to get at the top and succeed they have to step on other people.
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