I'm "wife" I've finished that

by Emily Dickinson
I'm "wife" I've finished that
That other state
I'm Czar I'm "Woman" now
It's safer so
How odd the Girl's life looks
Behind this soft Eclipse
I think that Earth feels so
To folks in Heaven now
This being comfort then
That other kind was pain
But why compare?
I'm "Wife"! Stop there!

Feminist Literary Criticism

Feminist literary criticism is looking at literature and authors from a
feminist point of view. feminist literary criticism is linked to feminist politics. It
has needed to shake up the certainties of male-dominated culture. In the
Emily Dickinsons poem, Im wife; Ive finished that, it showed the womans
difference of freedom when they are married and have not married. It is not
surprised if this poem is connected to feminism. Dickinsons poetry reflects her
loneliness, as we know that in the 1860s, Emily lived in almost total physical
isolation from the outside world. Many of Dickinsons poems discuss female
identity in relation to males and her own identity in accordance to religion, life
and love.
In this poem Emily want to show the difference of to be woman and
wife. This poem told about a feeling of a young woman who is turning into a
woman, especially a wife that looks safer and more comfortable, but dismisses
her from becoming a full human being with no self power and self identity
anymore. In the first stanza she writes Im wife; Ive finished that / Im Woman
now: Its safer so, what she means here is that now since she was married, she
become a complete woman. I think the message that she is trying to say is that
every girl have to get married in order for become a complete woman. But we
know that as a wife the women must go along with her husband. It is not as
freedom as they are a woman that can do everything without interference of
others. A woman can become a Czar, but a wife can only becomes a wife.
Commonly her life will be dominated by her own husband.
In the second stanza she compares the single and married status into the
earth-heaven assumption. Being single is represented by the rough life and
realities of the earth and then a married womans life is compare to being in
Heaven. The last stanza begins with the lines This being comfort, then/ That
other kind was pain; these two lines describes about Emilys feeling toward
marriage. She said that the marriage will being comfort but on the other side she
also mention that marriage can also bring the other kind of pain.
She end up this poem by saying that there is no need to compare both the
scenarios since she is now a Wife. Again, she uses the word Wife to represent
her status. That to us it is indicate that she is trying to mock the behavior of
society in the middle of nineteenth century for pressuring girls to get married,
have a family, have children and have a typical lifestyle.

Perspective Psychology
Perspective Psychology studies human behavior in relation to the environment
and the mental processes that occur in behavior. Sigmund Freud was a
psychologist that differentiates how we analyze the psychological aspects as "id",
"superego" and "ego". According to Freud's "id" is set by the 'pleasure principle',
containing the basic needs and feelings. "Superego" is something that comes from
outside ourselves and provides an optional way for us whether it is good or not.
Then, the "ego" is the way how we choose and decide to do the "id" or not.
From the poem "I'm 'wife' - I've finished it" by Emily Dickinson, we can find the
"id", "superego" and "ego" as we understand the intent of the poem. In the first
stanza she writes "I'm a wife; I've finished it / I Women now: It's safer so,"
meaning here is that now since she got married, she became a complete woman.
The "id" is about she refused to become a complete human being without the
power of self and identity again. Because later as wives, women have to go along
with her husband and that means they do not have freedom anymore. Then the
"superego", it comes from the social status of the people in the mid-nineteenth
century. When the public pressure the women to get married, have a family, have
children and have a distinctive lifestyle. The latter is the "ego", although she
refused to subject the marriage or because she wanted freedom. However, it turns
out she cannot do it because it collided with a status that is given society. So in the
end she remained in social status as "wife," the only identity she shows she
deserves to be appreciated in her environment.
The poem shows us about life and marriage issues and how Dickinson had to live
in mid-nineteenth century. This poem also focuses on the identity of women in
relation to men and her identity in accordance with the experience of his life.
Emily Dickinson is enduring the most influential poets in the world. Personal life
and her mysteries sometimes overshadowed her achievements in poetry and her
remarkable innovations in the form of poetry. The majority of his poems seem to
have a sad tone to it; this otherwise. Poem "I'm 'wife' - I've finished it" contains
about identity, it shows us that she is trying to mock the behavior of people in that
era to suppress women to marry. She said that the wedding would be a comfort
but on the other hand she also mentions that marriage can also carry other types of
pain. From the words of Emily Dickinson, we can conclude that she voiced
freedom for women. It means a woman who can do everything without the
intervention of others, men. A woman can be a "Czar" and determine its own
course, but "wife" can only be a wife. She uses the word 'wife' to represent its
status because of the mid-nineteenth century; it is safer to have a mate.