Who Shall Deliver Me?

By Christina Georgina Rossetti

Sonnet
    (The Argosy, Feb. 1866.)     God strengthen me to bear myself;     That heaviest weight of all to bear,     Inalienable weight of care.     All others are outside myself,     I lock my door and bar them out     The turmoil, tedium, gad-about.     I lock my door upon myself,     And bar them out; but who shall wall     Self from myself, most loathed of all?     If I could once lay down myself,     And start self-purged upon the race     That all must run! Death runs apace.     If I could set aside myself,     And start with lightened heart upon     The road by all men overgone!     God harden me against myself,     This coward with pathetic voice     Who craves for ease, and rest, and joys:     Myself, arch-traitor to myself;     My hollowest friend, my deadliest foe,     My clog whatever road I go.     Yet One there is can curb myself,     Can roll the strangling load from me,     Break off the yoke and set me free.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This free-verse poem by Emily Dickinson presents a speaker wrestling with the inescapable burden of selfhood. Structured as a single stanza of twenty-five lines, the poem unfolds in a series of urgent, incantatory phrases that mirror the speaker's internal struggle. The lack of rhyme and regular meter creates a sense of unrelenting pressure, while the repetitive use of myself underscores the speaker's fixation on their own consciousness. The poem pivots dramatically when the speaker shifts from despair to a plea for divine intervention, introducing a sense of hope. The closing lines suggest that only through external grace can the speaker find release from their own oppressive psyche. The final image of breaking free from bondage captures the poem's central tension between confinement and liberation.

Understanding the Sonnet

The sonnet is one of the most enduring and celebrated forms of poetry, known for its strict structure and profound themes. With a history spanning centuries, sonnets have been used to explore love, beauty, politics, and mortality, all within the confines of just 14 lines.

Sonnets are characterized by their precise form and rhyme scheme, which vary depending on the type of sonnet. Here’s a closer look:

  • Shakespearean (English) Sonnet: Composed of three quatrains followed by a final couplet, with a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This form often builds a complex argument or narrative, culminating in a powerful closing statement.
  • Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet: Divided into an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), with a typical rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the octave, followed by various patterns in the sestet such as CDECDE or CDCDCD. The octave usually presents a problem, with the sestet providing a resolution.
  • Meter: Sonnets are traditionally written in iambic pentameter, which gives the poem a rhythmic and melodic quality that enhances its emotional impact.

The sonnet’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to condense complex emotions and ideas into a small but potent package, making it a favorite form for poets seeking to explore profound themes with precision and elegance.