Much Madness is divinest Sense

Much Madness is divinest Sense
Emily Dickinson

In this poem, Dickinson questions society on its views of what is considered sane. She begins the poem by stating that madness makes sense and making sense is madness. She continues by stating that a majority of people look to make sense. "much Sense- the starkest Madness- 'Tis the Majority" (Dickinson). She challenges the view that those who present madness are insane. Indeed throughout history, many great figures presented mad claims for their time that now the world holds as facts and common knowledge. For example, most people no longer think that the world is flat. Of course this seems elementary, but at the time, this proposal was outlandish. People who question authority, whether it be  government,  religion, or science, tend to be cast out as madmen. And if being labeled insane were not enough, people even go as far to label the dissenters as dangerous. Questioning authority provides essential changes to society. Without questioning tradition, the world would be like the town portrayed in "The Lottery". Dissent makes far greater sense than blindly following the sane path.