rough reflection of their own life and experiences. Emily writes from experiences that have occurred in and around her life, her writing technique requires the reader to delve deep into their soul to apply the meaning that will bring a feeling of peace and understanding. Poem #508 speaks to a woman who has endured the challenges of entering adulthood. Emily employs a female speaker to describe the emotions a woman faces leaving her childhood behind to enter adulthood and deciding whether to marry. There is sadness and resignation in the tone of the speaker. Aware she cannot remain under the security of her parents forever, she must decide to marry or become a spinster. Having limited opportunities as a woman in the nineteenth century, she is aware her most sensible choice is to marry. In the first stanza, the speaker's sadness is evident when she states, "I'm ceded- I've stopped being Theirs-" (1), implying that being given up to marriage, she is losing her identity she obtained through her parents. In order to become wed, she must exchange her family name for that of her husband's, therefore severing the bond she shares with her parents. The second stanza continues the sad tone as the speaker laments, "And They can put it with my Dolls, My Childhood, and the string of spools, I've finished threading-too-" (5-7). Her sadness at this point is the result of leaving all of her childhood dreams and trifles behind and giving up her family name, to enter her new life, as a wife. As her new life will take her in another direction, she no longer has room for the things that brought her pleasure as a child. Spiritual faith is prominent in the third stanza. It is apparent the speaker is to be married in a church before the eyes of God as she has chosen unlike when she was "Baptized, before, without the choice," (8) as an infant. Having the knowledge of her faith and what is expected of her as she reaches maturity, she dons her "small Diadem" (sma...
