Summary of Poem I Felt A Funeral in My Brain

Explore the summary of Emily Dickinson’s poem “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain”, a powerful depiction of mental anguish and inner turmoil. Understand its meaning, themes, and symbolism in simple language.

I Felt I Funeral in My Brain Summary By Emily Dickinson

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Summary of Poem I Felt A Funeral in My Brain By Emily Dickinson

Introduction

This poem by Emily Dickinson is a depiction of an internal funeral. The poet has experienced such pain within herself that makes her feel as if a funeral is taking place inside her brain. This experience reflects a state of mental instability, deep depression, and a state of soul being torn to pieces.

By using traditional events of death as symbols in the poem, Dickinson shows how mental death occurs slowly within the person – and he himself becomes a witness to it.

1. Imagination of funeral going on in the mind:

The poet says at the beginning of the poem:

“I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,

And Mourners to and fro…”

Here she tells that she feels as if a funeral is going on in her mind. Her world of thoughts is now immersed in the shadow of mourning. People (Mourners) come and go – just like mourning relatives roam around the house after a death.

This feeling is actually an expression of the mental breakdown happening within Dickinson. This is not just an imagination – but her living experience that her consciousness is slowly dying.

2. The beginning of the end of “Mind” – Crisis of Consciousness

As the poem progresses, she says:

“Kept treading – treading – till it seemed

That Sense was breaking through –”

Here “treading” i.e. the sound of feet walking, is repeated – as if the mourners are walking again and again. This repetition reflects the loneliness and restlessness within the mind. These sounds become so loud that it seems as if the senses are about to break.

Here the poetess tells that her mind is no longer able to handle this grief. Her emotions are breaking, thoughts are disintegrating. This is the beginning of mental disintegration.

3. Symbolism of the Service

“And when they all were seated,

A Service, like a Drum –”

Now the poet says that all the mourners sit down and a kind of worship/service begins – like a drum being played. The sound of the drum becomes a throbbing, unbearable echo.

This “Service” is a symbol of the social formality that is performed after death – but Dickinson connects it to the death within. The sound of the drum is a symbol of the turmoil, restlessness, and increasing tension within the mind.

4. Imagery of the coffin and the breakdown of the mind:

“And then I heard them lift a Box

And creak across my Soul –”

Here the poet says that she felt as if someone lifted a coffin (Box) and it went over her soul. This scene is part of the ritual of death — but Dickinson uses it as a symbol.

This box symbolizes her own thoughts, memories, and consciousness. When this box passes over her soul, it is as if her entire mental system is dying.

5. The last point of consciousness — the shattering mind

“And I, and Silence, some strange Race

Wrecked, solitary, here –”

Now the poet and ‘Silence’ are left alone — in a race that symbolizes destruction. They are broken, solitary, hopeless.

This is the moment when a human being is left alone at his innermost level — no thoughts, no voice, no hope.

This is the most important psychological point of the poem — where Dickinson shows that when thoughts, feelings, and consciousness all break down, the soul and silence stand face to face.

6. Final fall of consciousness – Plunging to Knowing – then finish – knowing – then

“And then a Plank in Reason, broke,

And I dropped down, and down –

And hit a World, at every plunge,

And Finished knowing – then -“

This is the most mysterious and deep part of the poem. The poet says that a plank of her reason breaks – that is, now her mental balance has completely deteriorated.

She starts falling – an infinite fall, as if the soul is now descending into a deep abyss. Every time she collides with a new ‘world’ – which is probably representing her old experiences or memories.

Finally she says: “Finished knowing – then -“

That is, now the process of knowing has also ended – consciousness, identity, understanding, all are finished.

This is the existentialist peak point of the poem – where Dickinson has erased that subtle difference between death, madness, spiritual fall and silence.

I Felt A Funeral in My Brain Themes

Mental breakdown : Funeral within the brain is a sign of mental breakdown

Soul and silence : In the final stage, only the duality of silence and soul remains

Symbolism of death : The entire poem connects mental death with the symbols of physical death

Madness and consciousness : The beginning of a person’s madness is shown by the disintegration of consciousness

Existence and disintegration : Human existence ends slowly – not physically, but mentally

Dickinson’s Poetic vision

Emily Dickinson very subtly captures the blurred line between death and life. In this poem she has:

depicted the death within – dying without the body,

showed the breakdown of consciousness and reasoning,

and finally reached a state where “knowing” ends – that is, the person forgets everything.

Human experience and learning

This poem is for all those who:

have gone through depression,

experienced deep loneliness,

or grappled with questions of existence.

This is Dickinson’s message that mental suffering can also be like a physical death, and it is also important to give words to that experience.

Conclusion

“I Felt a Funeral in My Brain” is a poem that not only depicts mental suffering, but makes it a spiritual and existential experience. It is one of Dickinson’s most intense and psychological poems.

“When the inner mind dies,

It does not bring peace –

It leaves a silence,

which is the loudest cry of the soul.”

Ayush Antiwal

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