229 Matching Annotations
  1. May 2021
    1. Love's a game, wanna play?" Ay

      She does not take these love games seriously, maybe meaning she doesn't take relationships seriously because it is all just a game for her and she is in control of it.

    2. You look like my next mistake

      This line implies that she has made mistakes before, meaning that she has targeted men before and dated them. She is experienced in these type of things which is a role reversal, because women are not expected to have as many past partners.

    3. I could show you incredible things

      Swift can show the person a new world, one that could be good or bad. She is reversing the roles, and being more dominant saying she can show the person more things.

    1. Itʹs full as Opera ‑

      When she changes into another person that is taught by a man she gains an audience immediately, people pay attention to her because a man taught her how to be. Despite not having the attributes she should have of a normal woman, she is respected because she was taught by man.

    2. Nor any Placard boast me ‑

      Placard= card, poster, billboard. She was able to get a full house despite not having her name out there. Dickinson imagines that her skills are so great and wonderful that she can get an audience without advertisement.

    3. Till I was out of sight, in sound,

      The people are pleased with her despite her bad performance. It could represent how some societies respect the individual person even if they are very unorthodox.

    4. Nor rolled on wheels of snow

      Could be a reference to how ballet dancers seem to be able to balance themselves while dancing. So she did not really act graceful while doing her dance.

    5. Nor tossed my shape in Eider Balls,

      Eider= a type of large sea duck. A reference to how Dickinson does not conform to the expectations set upon her by the audience.

    6. One Claw opon the air

      Could represent how some ballet dancers, move in a sort of non human way. It could also represent how women deform themselves for society's expectations of a perfect women.

    7. Or lay a Prima, mad,

      Dickinson again in her state of expressiveness would make others jealous because she has the ability to express her emotions and outshine others.

    8. In Pirouette to blanch a Troupe ‑

      Her being able to express herself would make others people pale. It might make the people who were unable to express themselves envy her.

    9. Would put itself abroad

      If she had been taught how to express herself, she would have been the most expressive person ever. She would have been the best at expressing herself and emotions, outshining others who have learned how to do it.

    10. That had I Ballet Knowledge

      The author is saying that if she had the knowledge of ballet, something that requires lots of stamina and movement, then she could be able to do something more grand.

    11. A Glee possesseth me

      This feeling of happiness she gets controls her, she is unable to do anything about being controlled because she was never taught what to do.