What Soft — Cherubic Creatures —
These Gentlewomen are —
One would as soon assault a Plush —
Or violate a Star —

Such Dimity Convictions —
A Horror so refined
Of freckled Human Nature —
Of Deity — ashamed —

It’s such a common — Glory —
A Fisherman’s — Degree —
Redemption — Brittle Lady —
Be so — ashamed of Thee —

Analysis, meaning and summary of Emily Dickinson's poem What Soft — Cherubic Creatures

2 Comments

  1. KAKA says:

    Women shouldn’t be ashamed of “their actions as well as their unworldly perfections and charming attitudes.” That is just ignorant in itself.

  2. Meaghan says:

    “What soft Cherubic creatures/these gentle women are!” (1,2) Is that not the essence of every women? Society has labeled women as fragile creatures with only one real desire in the world, to cater to a man’s needs and stay tucked away in the corner, hidden away from the worries of the business world, the wars, and affairs of that “butch” nature. Yet, it is almost inevitable that in every era of this world, a rebel is born. One woman who stands and breaks the stereotype society so maliciously hangs over our heads. Times, however, have changed. In the world we live today women have strong upper hands in the way things are run in this country. A chance to stand and lea women on that path of justice in a male dominated society seldom shoes its face and yet so many women fail to see how much they truly are worth. As a young child and through out my early teens I was and occasionally still am a victim of verbal abuse from certain members of the family as well as so called “friends.” I was made to feel worthless and ignorant. I was classicized for my beliefs and my dreams. My self love and confidence was torn down. My self worth should have been something that was highly treasured in my life and doubting that worth for a second is something that I am deeply ashamed of now that I am older and more passionate about my goals in life. My worth should never be measured by what other people see me as, but what I see in myself and the appreciation that I hold for having the courage to be an individual.
    In Emily Dickinson’s poem What soft Cherubic creatures, she expresses her opinion of how women are viewed in society. She speaks of how women should be ashamed of their actions as well as their unworldly perfections and charming attitudes. Emily reveals to us, again, her nonconformist side, as well as showing us that she is not afraid to be 100% honest when it comes to her feelings of a certain subject. Ms. Dickinson is raw and brutally honest and that is something that I can easily relate to. Women have lowered their standards in order to participate in what society has made us to believe is right. Most little girls are brought up believing that life is about falling in love, getting married, having a family, and living in this perfect home in the country or the heart of a beautiful city. They have a vision in their mind of their wedding day and the “perfect” husband. But, is any of that real? How much of that is reality, is any? A refined nature and perfect etiquette, charming expressions and fancy finger foods…is that what being a woman has come to?! When are women going to wake up and realize that we do not live in a perfect world? Love is not like the movies, life is not like the story books, and we women are not as perfect as we seem or want to be seen. I am sorry to say, but the way media, television, and music portray women, scarcely skims that surface of what I am like. The charming smile, sitting up straight and stereotypical nature is wasted on me. Some may call me a rebel, others, a poser, but whatever you view me as, there is on thing for certain, I am nothing like the dainty pin up girl you find in magazines. I am my own person and for that I am proud. I am as far from ‘daddy’s little girl’ as one could possibly be and the fact that I have to fall into the same category as the girls from Laguna Beach and Miss Seventeen frankly disgusts me. But, the words of Emily seems to sum it all up for me quite fine, “Such dimity convictions,/A horror so refined/Of freckled human nature,/of Deity ashamed,-“(5-8)

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