134.1860.Did the Harebell loose her girdle
Franklin dates this poem as “the second half of 1860”
Did the Harebell loose her girdle
To the lover Bee
Would the Bee the Harebell hallow
Much as formerly?
Did the “Paradise”—persuaded—
Yield her moat of pearl—
Would the Eden be an Eden,
Or the Earl—an Earl?
……………………………………………………………………………….
My interpretation of ‘Did the Harebell loose her girdle’ [F134]:
Stanza 1.
Did the Harebell loose her girdle
To the lover Bee
Would the Bee the Harebell hallow
Much as formerly?
S1.
If the Harebell consented to sexual intercourse with lover Bee, would Bee still respect her in the morning?
Stanza 2.
“Did the “Paradise”—persuaded—
Yield her moat of pearl—
Would the Eden be an Eden,
Or the Earl—an Earl?”
S2.
If my vagina [paradise] were persuaded [or “seduced”] to yield its hymen [moat] to my lover, would our romantic love still exist, would my lover’s reputation be ruined?
ED copied neither this poem (F134) nor the preceding F133, ‘Mute – thy Coronation —’, into her fascicles even though she copied other poems of this vintage into fascicles.
…………………………………………………………………………………..
Almost all publications of this poem ignore ED’s underlining of four words: Line 3, “hallow”; Line 5, “persuaded”; Line 7, “be”; and Line 8, the second “Earl”. These omissions deny the reader important information. ED intended those words to be emphasized.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
A chronological timeline places this poem at a critical and vulnerable interval of ED’s life:
1855 March – ED, age 24, attends one of Rev. Wadsworth’s sermons and falls in love with him, from a distance.
1860 March – Rev. Charles Wadsworth visits ED in Amherst.
1860 “Second half” (Franklin) – ED composes ‘Mute — thy Coronation (F133)’
1860 “Second half” (Franklin) – ED composes ‘Did the harebell loose her girdle (F134)’
1861 Early – ED drafts the second surviving “Master” letter
1861 Summer – ED drafts the third surviving “Master” letter
Reverend Wadsworth (1814-1882) was a charismatic Presbyterian pastor at a large church in Philadelphia. He was 16 years older than ED, married and had two children.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
Given the chronological timeline, Wadsworth was probably the intended recipient of the three “Master Letters” and the protagonist of F133 and F134.
Reverend Wadsworth’s response to one ED’s letters shows deep concern for her mental and emotional condition:
“My Dear Miss Dickenson [sic]
“I am distressed beyond measure at your note, received this moment, – I can only imagine the affliction which has befallen, or is now befalling you.
“Believe me, be what it may, you have all my sympathy, and my constant, earnest prayers.
“I am very, very anxious to learn more definitely of your trial- and though I have no right to intrude upon your sorrow yet I beg you to write me, though it be but a word.
“In great haste
Sincerely and most
Affectionately Yours –“
The manuscript is unsigned and without date, but is in the handwriting of the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, with an embossed crest, “C.W.”
………………………………………………………………………..
Almost all publications of this poem ignore ED’s underlining of four words: Line 3, “hallow”; Line 5, “persuaded”; Line 7, “be”; and Line 8, the second “Earl”. These omissions deny the reader important information. ED intended those words to be emphasized.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
No wonder ED did not put this poem into a fascicle!
ED’s “Earl” was a conservative Presbyterian minister from Philadelphia, Charles Wadsworth, who, a month or two before ED wrote this poem, visited her at Homestead at her invitation. For an explication of their evening’s activities, see F856, ‘I play at riches’ at:
134.1860.Did the Harebell loose her girdle
Franklin dates this poem as “the second half of 1860”
Did the Harebell loose her girdle
To the lover Bee
Would the Bee the Harebell hallow
Much as formerly?
Did the “Paradise”—persuaded—
Yield her moat of pearl—
Would the Eden be an Eden,
Or the Earl—an Earl?
……………………………………………………………………………….
My interpretation of ‘Did the Harebell loose her girdle’ [F134]:
Stanza 1.
Did the Harebell loose her girdle
To the lover Bee
Would the Bee the Harebell hallow
Much as formerly?
S1.
If the Harebell consented to sexual intercourse with lover Bee, would Bee still respect her in the morning?
Stanza 2.
“Did the “Paradise”—persuaded—
Yield her moat of pearl—
Would the Eden be an Eden,
Or the Earl—an Earl?”
S2.
If my vagina [paradise] were persuaded [or “seduced”] to yield its hymen [moat] to my lover, would our romantic love still exist, would my lover’s reputation be ruined?
ED copied neither this poem (F134) nor the preceding F133, ‘Mute – thy Coronation —’, into her fascicles even though she copied other poems of this vintage into fascicles.
…………………………………………………………………………………..
Almost all publications of this poem ignore ED’s underlining of four words: Line 3, “hallow”; Line 5, “persuaded”; Line 7, “be”; and Line 8, the second “Earl”. These omissions deny the reader important information. ED intended those words to be emphasized.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
A chronological timeline places this poem at a critical and vulnerable interval of ED’s life:
1855 March – ED, age 24, attends one of Rev. Wadsworth’s sermons and falls in love with him, from a distance.
1860 March – Rev. Charles Wadsworth visits ED in Amherst.
1860 “Second half” (Franklin) – ED composes ‘Mute — thy Coronation (F133)’
1860 “Second half” (Franklin) – ED composes ‘Did the harebell loose her girdle (F134)’
1861 Early – ED drafts the second surviving “Master” letter
1861 Summer – ED drafts the third surviving “Master” letter
Reverend Wadsworth (1814-1882) was a charismatic Presbyterian pastor at a large church in Philadelphia. He was 16 years older than ED, married and had two children.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
Given the chronological timeline, Wadsworth was probably the intended recipient of the three “Master Letters” and the protagonist of F133 and F134.
Reverend Wadsworth’s response to one ED’s letters shows deep concern for her mental and emotional condition:
“My Dear Miss Dickenson [sic]
“I am distressed beyond measure at your note, received this moment, – I can only imagine the affliction which has befallen, or is now befalling you.
“Believe me, be what it may, you have all my sympathy, and my constant, earnest prayers.
“I am very, very anxious to learn more definitely of your trial- and though I have no right to intrude upon your sorrow yet I beg you to write me, though it be but a word.
“In great haste
Sincerely and most
Affectionately Yours –“
The manuscript is unsigned and without date, but is in the handwriting of the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, with an embossed crest, “C.W.”
………………………………………………………………………..
Almost all publications of this poem ignore ED’s underlining of four words: Line 3, “hallow”; Line 5, “persuaded”; Line 7, “be”; and Line 8, the second “Earl”. These omissions deny the reader important information. ED intended those words to be emphasized.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
No wonder ED did not put this poem into a fascicle!
ED’s “Earl” was a conservative Presbyterian minister from Philadelphia, Charles Wadsworth, who, a month or two before ED wrote this poem, visited her at Homestead at her invitation. For an explication of their evening’s activities, see F856, ‘I play at riches’ at:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….