While many of Dickinson’s poems stand out due to their overt religiosity, “598” struck me in particular. Much of it is dedicated to expounding upon the power and grandiosity of human imagination- represented here as the brain being “wider than the sky” and “deeper than the sea” (1679-1680), with the capacity to hold and absorb any information- but the last stanza specifically runs a comparison between the human mind and God himself. The brain is not more impressive than God, unlike its relationship with the sky and the sea, but it is “just the weight of God” (1680) and differs only as much as a syllable from a sound.
Oddly, this reads almost like sacrilege. Most theological arguments don’t quite touch on a direct comparison between God and man which places them on the same level. Man might be made in God’s image, but he is not meant to exist as God does, nor should he think himself capable of encompassing everything that God is and can do. That would be an arrogance the likes of which got the Tower of Babel’s builders in such trouble. But Dickinson still draws that connection, and she does it out of love for God. Her dedication to poetry and to creation is akin to godliness; it is a spirituality in and of itself and because it is a product of her imagination, that imagination becomes holy.
I also found this interesting while reading. However, in addition to just comparing man to God, this poem also places the human brain on a pedestal in a way. She claims the mind is as deep as the sea and wider than the sky, all descriptions that provide greatness to humanity. I found this interesting as the grandiosity of man seemed to rival God through the entire poem. This makes this idea of placing man and god as equal central to the poem, even before it is overtly claimed in the final lines. This makes the idea of a strong connection between man and god central to the poem, and I was curious as to what would inspire Dickinson to think this, especially seeing how it could be interpreted as sinful.
I was also really intrigued by this poem. I feel like this can sort of play into Dickinson’s somewhat complicated relationship with religion that we discussed in class. Maybe this could be her attempt to subvert typical expressions of religion? Or maybe it is supposed to be read as sinful and is acting as a critique onpeople who attempt to place man before god.
Mal and Aubrey, I agree with both of you and was similarly captivated by “598.” I am wondering if the contradiction that you point out–about man being compared to God and how that is sacrilegious–might be resolved by reading “598” in conjunction with “788.” The reason I suggest this is that while talking about her objections to publication, Dickinson writes that “Thought belong to Him who gave it-.” The capitalization of “him,” as well as the use of “corporeal illustration” two lines after suggests that Dickinson is saying that God gives humankind thought. So perhaps in “598” Dickinson is not just espousing the greatness of the human brain, but saying that God is in fact all the greater because he fills such a brain.