Question

Why did Emily Dickinson MOST LIKELY use the phrase A black, as of a spectre's cloak in the first stanza of the poem?

A) to illustrate a bad dream
B) to emphasize how cold it was
C) to make the poem slightly comic
D) to create a feeling of darkness and gloom

Answer 1

D. to create a feeling of darkness and gloom

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

D) to create a feeling of darkness and gloom

A spectre is like a ghost, so comparing the setting to being as black as the cloak of a ghost creates a feeling of darkness and gloom. It shows that death might be part of the theme right away, setting the tone for the rest of the poem to continue with that darkness.