Summary

The poem begins with the assertion that no one is an "island" (1). Everyone is part of a bigger whole. Even if a small piece of dirt washes away from Europe, the continent has become smaller, just as much as if it were an entire peninsula. The same is true with people: if one person dies, all people have lost something. Every death is, in a very real way, our own.

Analysis

This poem begins with a metaphor that has entered into the public consciousness. Most people have heard it, though most probably do not know where it comes from. This metaphor has a straightforward meaning: imagine what it would mean to be an island. An island can stand entirely on its own, without any connection to a broader landmass. This, the speaker insists, is the one thing a person cannot be, as we are...