The tone of "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" is a light, humorous one, and one that is also inviting; however, at the same time there is an undertone of satire that is accompanied by sarcasm.
Emily Dickinson's playful invitation to her reader to join her in being a non-entity cleverly disguises her edgy satire so that it is not so stinging. For, she is really telling her readers that being a "somebody" and having fame...
The tone of "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" is a light, humorous one, and one that is also inviting; however, at the same time there is an undertone of satire that is accompanied by sarcasm.
Emily Dickinson's playful invitation to her reader to join her in being a non-entity cleverly disguises her edgy satire so that it is not so stinging. For, she is really telling her readers that being a "somebody" and having fame is often deceptive in its true value, and, therefore, not something to really admire or envy.
How public--like a Frog--
To tell one's name--the livelong June--
To an admiring Bog!
Satirizing the famous, saying that they must keep their names in the public consciousness lest they be forgotten, and mocking the people who admire the famous, calling them an "admiring Bog," a swamp that is stagnant and without any distinction, suggests that the fans along with the famous people lack any individuality and initiative of their own. Comparing them to a bog is certainly sarcastic in tone.
Clearly, then, Emily Dickinson's tone may be playful, but it is also potent in its underlying satire of the sacrifice of individuality that both the celebrity and the admirer suffer.
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