While Neil Degrasse Tyson gazes skyward to uncover the secrets of the universe, Emily Dickinson looked to nature to unearth humanity’s metaphysical mysteries. Despite being raised in a Calvinist home, Dickinson was more interested in the relationship between nature and
God than saving herself from eternal damnation (McChesney, Sandra). Nature fascinated her from a young age. As a child, a curious Dickinson could be seen roaming barefoot through nearby woods gathering various specimens for her beloved herbarium (Leither, Sharon). “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass”, believed to have been written in 1865, encompasses aspects of Dickinson’s adventurous childhood while exploring emotions provoked upon coming across a snake.
Immediately, the reader is introduced to the snake or the “narrow fellow”. Like taking leisurely car ride around town, the snake “rides” through the grass. Dickinson uses personification to present the snake in a playful and posh manner.
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In the subsequent two lines, The speaker inquires if the reader has met the snake. The use of the word “you” appeals directly to the reader and creates a feeling of familiarity. The speaker also asks, “Did you not His notice instant is-”. The use of twisted syntax along with enjambment muddles the reader’s understanding of language therefore resulting in feelings of uneasiness and unfamiliarity. The reader’s emotions mirror the speaker’s emotions as his sense of security in nature is caught off guard by the presence of the snake (Estes, Angela). In addition to causing the reader feelings of uneasiness, the twisted syntax enables two interpretations of the line: Did the snake notice the reader or did the reader notice the snake? This inscrutable question heightens the overall sense of mystery and anxiousness looming over the poem.
Imagery is used to the second stanza to describe the snake slithering through the grass. Like Noah parts the Red Sea, the snake parts the blades of grass. The simile, “The Grass divides as with a Comb”, produces a clear image. The second line in the stanza alliteration employed with each the repetition of the letter s in the words “spotted”, “Shaft”, and “seen”. The recurring “s” sound creates a snakelike hissing sound that allows the words to flow, otherwise known as euphony (Kettler, Judi). The snake, or the “spotted Shaft”, continues to weave through the grass causing the grass cover and uncover “your feet”. Similar to being in cloudy ocean water, the reader is unsure what is lurking by his or her feet; Is it a snake or a shark?
In the third stanza, the reader learn about the snake’s preferences. The speaker continues to refer to the snake in a humanistic way. In the first line, the snake is referred to by the word “He”, thus making use of personification to give the snake gentlemanly characteristics. Assonance is present in the second line with the “o” vowel repeating in the words “too cool for Corn”.
In lines three and four, the focus moves from the snake to the speaker, who begins to reflect on boyhood. In a time of corsets, Emily Dickinson associated her affinity for nature and adventure with the masculinity. Consequently, Dickinson often referred herself childhood self as a boy (Leither, Sharon).
