“Hope” by Emily Brontë
Hope Was but a timid friend;
She sat without the grated den,
Watching how my fate would tend,
Even as selfish-hearted men.
She was cruel in her fear;
Through the bars one dreary day,
I looked out to see her there,
And she turned her face away!
Like a false guard, false watch keeping,
Still, in strife, she whispered peace;
She would sing while I was weeping;
If I listened, she would cease.
False she was, and unrelenting;
When my last joys strewed the ground,
Even Sorrow saw, repenting,
Those sad relics scattered round;
Hope, whose whisper would have given
Balm to all my frenzied pain,
Stretched her wings, and soared to heaven,
Went, and ne’er returned again!
In the first line of her poem, Brontë speaks of Hope as “a timid friend” – one who will not come close, but will always be present and dependable. In line 2, Brontë reveals something about the narrator – that they are in a space of imprisonment, as evidenced by the words “grated den.” This may be a literal prison, but it is more likely that the prison discussed here is figurative, as it is simply a place in which Hope does not reside. Continuing, Brontë discusses Hope’s distant interest – “watching how my fate would tend” – and compares it to “selfish-hearted men.” In this context, men are discussed as being interested only in themselves and their purposes, which was – and might still be – common mindset. Brontë states that Hope lives outside of the affairs of others, and only becomes concerned if something if her own is involved.
Starting with line 5, the second stanza begins. Brontë tells of an instance of an exchange between the narrator and Hope. She describes the narrator looking “through the bars” – strengthening the prison imagery – to see Hope, who then turned her attention away. This entire scenario is tied back to line 5, “She was cruel in her fear” – the exchange of emotion that occurs when one attempts to know Hope is one that can only result in Hope scurrying away, for Hope does not and will not come closer than she must.
The third stanza further exemplifies the torturous relationship one has with Hope, a relationship of ebb and flow, that swings back and forth. Brontë wishes to convey that the further one gets from Hope, the more she wants to make herself known. Brontë describes Hope as “a false guard,” as if she offers no real protection from the outside, but instead keeps one in their own “prison.” This is reflective of the essence of the poem, that Hope may not be the savior she is portrayed to be. However, Brontë explains that Hope is still kindhearted, and that “she whispered peace” and would “sing” to the narrator, comforting her in troubled times. But again, if the narrator would come close to Hope’s singing, “she would cease.” This is another instance of Hope’s fickle and distant nature.
Brontë then confidently states through the narrator’s voice that Hope is indeed false. The fourth stanza confirms that Hope’s torturous nature results in far more bad than good. Another scenario is given, starting on line 14, in which the narrator lets go of her dreams, as well as Hope – for there is no chance of reaching the “goodness” that Hope offers. Brontë imagines Sorrow being shocked beyond itself, feeling remorseful about the things that it caused and the “sad relics” of the narrator’s emotions and dreams.
The poem closes with one final, spiteful thought toward Hope. The narrator angrily tells of how Hope could have taken away all of “my frenzied pain,” eradicating it from the narrator’s very self. However, Hope chose not to help, only to taunt, and so she “Stretched her wings, and soared to heaven/Went, and ne’er returned again.” This final message leaves the gem that Hope, while she may be real in essence, leaves only lonesomeness, disappointment and anguish.
Cyrus Waters 
I feel you nailed this analysis i agree with every thing you said. I thought the line “She was cruel in her fear” was interesting. It gave me the impression that her cruelness was not intentional but she was driven away by here own fears and insecurity’s.
A “grated den” is sort of like a lion pit, where a person is thrown in with the lion. You really don’t have a chance and thus no hope. I did my analyse on the same poem and I agree with your assessment of it. Emily does portray hope as cruel and something that will betray you, as you pointed out. Have you looked into her history at all? I found out her mother died when she was three and that had something to do with her hope leaving her.
What a cynical poem, but I suppose that’s just how Emily rolls.
Still, I do like how she details the gradual descent from a hopeful young one into a cynical, bitter adult, even if I don’t like the subject matter. Even more fortunate people than Emily can find that, as real life takes hold, it becomes harder to hold on to hope. Emily endured genuine tragedy, so she has the privilege to be outright spiteful towards the idea of hope.
Me, I’ll hold on to hope, because I’d rather be optimistic and bright instead of some of the bitter folks I know.