Success is Counted Sweetest | A Poem by Emily Dickinson | Explanation and Analysis

Success is something that most people want in life. Everyone likes to win and achieve their goals. However, Emily Dickinson, a famous American poet, creates a different analysis of success in her poem Success is counted sweetest. She tells us that people who do not succeed often understand success better than those who always win. This idea may seem unusual at first, but when we think about it deeply, it makes sense. In this video, we will cover the explanation and analysis of the poem “Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson. Explanation of “Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson. This poem teaches us an important lesson about success and failure. It tells us that success is most deeply understood by those who have not achieved it. People who always win may not fully appreciate their victories, but those who experience failure know how precious success is. The poet uses strong images, such as a thirsty person craving nectar and a dying soldier hearing the victory celebrations, to help us understand this idea. These images make the poem more powerful and emotional. Analysis of “Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson. An analysis of Emily Dickinson's poem "Success is counted sweetest" reveals that it is a short but deep poem about the idea of success. The poem consists of three stanzas, each with four lines. It is written in simple language, but its meaning is complex. The main theme of the poem is success. The poet tells us that people who never succeed value success the most. This idea might seem strange at first, but when we think about it, it makes sense. A person who is always successful may not understand the true meaning of success. However, a person who fails many times knows how important success is. The poet compares this idea to a person who is very thirsty. Only a very thirsty person can truly understand the sweetness of water or nectar. Here, nectar means something very sweet and desirable, like honey. The poet is telling us that success is most appreciated by those who have experienced failure. Another important theme in the poem is the difference between victory and defeat. The poet talks about a battle, where one side wins and the other side loses. The victorious soldiers, called the "purple Host," have won the battle and taken the enemy's flag. The word "Host" here means an army, and "purple" is often used to represent royalty or nobility. This suggests that the victorious army is powerful and important. However, Dickinson says that these soldiers, even though they have won, cannot truly define victory as clearly as the dying soldier who has lost the battle. The defeated soldier understands victory better because he has lost it. He hears the sound of triumph from far away, and it is painful for him. This teaches us that people who have never won something will always desire it more than those who already have it. The poem contains many important symbols. One major symbol is "nectar". Nectar is a sweet liquid found in flowers, but in this poem, it represents success. Just like only a very thirsty person truly appreciates water, only someone who has never succeeded can truly appreciate victory. Another symbol is the "purple Host," which represents an army of victorious soldiers. The "Flag" represents triumph, as capturing the enemy’s flag in battle is a sign of winning. The "forbidden ear" of the dying soldier represents those who are excluded from success. He is not part of the victory, but he understands its value more than anyone else. The poem also contains several literary devices, which are techniques poets use to make their writing more effective. The structure of the poem is simple but effective. It consists of three stanzas with four lines each. This structure is called a quatrain. The rhyme scheme follows a pattern where the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme. For example, in the first stanza, "succeed" rhymes with "need". This gives the poem a musical quality. The poem is also written in common meter, which is a pattern of alternating lines with eight and six syllables. This type of meter is often used in hymns and folk songs, making the poem sound familiar and easy to read.