The Soul selects her own Society (303) by Emily Dickinson

Full Text

The Soul selects her own Society —
Then — shuts the Door —
To her divine Majority —
Present no more —

Unmoved — she notes the Chariots — pausing —
At her low Gate —
Unmoved — an Emperor be kneeling
Upon her Mat —

I've known her — from an ample nation —
Choose One —
Then — close the Valves of her attention —
Like Stone —

Overview

Dickinson's manifesto of introversion. The soul chooses its circle and rejects everyone else—even emperors. "Valves" closing "like Stone" makes the heart sound like both a door and a body organ shutting down. The poem celebrates exclusion as a form of power: true sovereignty is saying no.

Line-by-Line Analysis

Lines 1-4

"Divine Majority"—the soul's chosen few. The door shuts permanently. This isn't indecision; it's decisive closure.

Lines 9-12

Choosing "One" from an "ample nation" suggests ruthless selectivity. "Valves of attention" makes consciousness a controlled flow.

Themes

• Spiritual autonomy
• Deliberate isolation
• The power of refusal
• Selective attention

Literary Devices

Metaphor

"Valves of her attention" — Attention as a valve suggests the soul controls flow—what enters, what doesn't.

Anaphora

"Unmoved" — Repetition emphasizes immovability—the soul cannot be persuaded or impressed.

Historical Context

Dickinson lived increasingly reclusively after her late twenties. This poem may describe her own choices—she saw few visitors in later years, corresponding instead through letters. Her seclusion was deliberate, not defeat.