The Child’s faith is new

Introduction to Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she was one of the most important figures in American poetry. Some of her wonderful unique poems –about snow, about cats, about death. One of the recurring themes of her work is faith and religion, which she explores in ‘The Child’s faith is new’.

Dickinson was born in Amherst(am huhst ಅಮ್ಹೆರ್ಸ್ಟ್), Massachusetts(ma suh choo suhts ಮಸಾಚುಸೆಟ್ಸ್), into a prominent (famous) family with strong ties to its community. After studying at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she briefly attended the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (a training college for priests) before returning to her family's home in Amherst.

The Child’s faith is new Poem

The Child’s faith is new –

Whole – like His Principle –
Wide – like the Sunrise
On fresh Eyes –
Never had a Doubt –
Laughs – at a Scruple – (a feeling of doubt )

Believes all sham
But Paradise –

Credits the World –

Deems His Dominion
Broadest of Sovereignties – (supreme power)

And Caesar – mean –
In the Comparison –
Baseless Emperor –
Ruler of Nought –
Yet swaying(move slowly) all –

Grown bye and bye
To hold mistaken
His pretty estimates
Of Prickly Things
He gains the skill
Sorrowful – as certain –
Men – to anticipate
Instead of Kings –

Theme

The poem deals with the values of spirituality and humanism. It says that the journey of every man depends on his hope, faith and duty.

The Child’s Faith is New 

Summary

This poem explores the wide-eyed innocence that a child has when they first look out on the world, which eventually (in the end) gives way to a more jaded cynicism (tired, bored or lacking enthusiasm, made dull) involving a lowering of expectations, especially towards our fellow human beings. When we’re young, we are filled with faith in the world – ‘faith’ in the sense of ‘belief’ (true, credulity even) but also in the sense of ‘trust’ and optimism, hopefulness and confidence about the future).

Wide-eyed, we are alive to the wonders of the world around us: seeing the sunrise for the first time, and believing in everything which is false or fake (because we are innocent and don’t know any better) which is good which is bad. Caesar (a title used by Roman emperors), in comparison with the child’s perceived dominion (control) over the world, was a mean and empty ruler: the child feels in their heart that the whole world has been laid out specifically for them.But such boundless (limitless) optimism (the success of something), a sense that ‘the world is one’s oyster’(ಸಿಂಪಿ) (sea creature), is soon shown to be ‘mistaken’, and things which the child initially thought pretty are shown to be prickly(irritable), ugly and imperfect. The child comes to expect men to be men rather than kings: the child sees that everyone, no matter how grand they are supposed to be, has feet of clay, is mortal (subject to death) and flawed (imperfection, weakness) after all.

Continue to explore Dickinson’s poetry with Dickinson’s wonderful snake poem, ‘A narrow Fellow in the Grass’, her ‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’, and ‘I felt a Funeral – in my Brain‘.