Emily Emily DickinsonDickinsonAlong with Walt Whitman, Along with Walt Whitman,

Dickinson is credited with bringing Dickinson is credited with bringing American poetry into the 20American poetry into the 20thth

centurycentury

Family and LifeFamily and Life

• Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) born (1830-1886) born in Amherst, in Amherst, MassachusettsMassachusetts

Father: Edward Father: Edward DickinsonDickinson

Lawyer Lawyer Treasurer of Amherst Treasurer of Amherst

CollegeCollegeStrict head-of-the-Strict head-of-the-

househouse

Dickinson’s EducationDickinson’s Education

• Extensive for young women of the Extensive for young women of the periodperiod

Dickinson in SeclusionDickinson in Seclusion

• 1853 Dickinson began to lead a 1853 Dickinson began to lead a rather solitary liferather solitary life

• By 30 years of age, essentially By 30 years of age, essentially withdrawn from societywithdrawn from society

• Solitude did not turn morbid until Solitude did not turn morbid until 1874 (when her father died)1874 (when her father died)

• After 1874, Dickinson practically After 1874, Dickinson practically never left the family house.never left the family house.

Possible reasons for Possible reasons for seclusion…seclusion…• Love for Charles Wadsworth (41 year old, Love for Charles Wadsworth (41 year old,

married, with a family) – he eventually married, with a family) – he eventually moved to San Franciscomoved to San Francisco

• Cared for Judge Otis P. Lord of Salem (a Cared for Judge Otis P. Lord of Salem (a widower and old family friend) – widower and old family friend) – considered marriageconsidered marriage

• She was an idealist in human relations, She was an idealist in human relations, expecting too much of people – and of God expecting too much of people – and of God and religion (her poetry indicates a and religion (her poetry indicates a disenchantment both with present life and disenchantment both with present life and with the promise of heavenwith the promise of heaven

Dickinson was EccentricDickinson was Eccentric

• She always dressed in white and She always dressed in white and preferred to socialize through letters preferred to socialize through letters and to confide her deepest thoughts and to confide her deepest thoughts in her poemsin her poems

Dickinson wrote 1775 Dickinson wrote 1775 PoemsPoems• Only seven were published during her Only seven were published during her

lifetime… and they were published lifetime… and they were published anonymously anonymously

• After Emily Dickinson’s death, her sister After Emily Dickinson’s death, her sister discovered hundreds of her poems and discovered hundreds of her poems and persuaded Thomas Higginson, persuaded Thomas Higginson, Dickinson’s friend/mentor, and Mabel Dickinson’s friend/mentor, and Mabel Loomis Todd, a family friend to publish Loomis Todd, a family friend to publish the poems.the poems.

• Editors of her work freely made changes Editors of her work freely made changes because her poems did not meet the because her poems did not meet the conventional standards such as rhymes conventional standards such as rhymes and meter, punctuation and diction.and meter, punctuation and diction.

• Dickinson was given to erratic and Dickinson was given to erratic and uncommon punctuation and extensive uncommon punctuation and extensive use of capital letters.use of capital letters.

• Her poems were untitled- titles we see Her poems were untitled- titles we see come from the first line of each poem.come from the first line of each poem.

• 1950’s- her estate was given to Harvard 1950’s- her estate was given to Harvard University and a more authentic version University and a more authentic version finally reached the public.finally reached the public.

Dickinson’s ThemesDickinson’s Themes• Dickinson wrote mainly about Dickinson wrote mainly about

universal themes: nature, love, universal themes: nature, love, death, immortality, and Goddeath, immortality, and God

• Wrote about common things, tooWrote about common things, too• Most powerful poetry dwells on time, Most powerful poetry dwells on time,

death, and eternity… (later in her life death, and eternity… (later in her life her questions about death and her questions about death and immortality became somewhat immortality became somewhat morbid – almost grotesque)morbid – almost grotesque)

How to read Dickinson’s How to read Dickinson’s poetrypoetry• Poems often appear simple, but reading her Poems often appear simple, but reading her

poetry requires careful attention, often to what is poetry requires careful attention, often to what is notnot said said

• She makes unstated shifts in perspective – She makes unstated shifts in perspective – frequently investigating her subject by turning it frequently investigating her subject by turning it all around, considering it from differing attitudes all around, considering it from differing attitudes and points of viewand points of view

• She was one of the first American poets to map She was one of the first American poets to map careful the interior landscape of feeling, exploring careful the interior landscape of feeling, exploring the terrain of the subconscious before it was the terrain of the subconscious before it was “discovered” decades later by Sigmund Freud.“discovered” decades later by Sigmund Freud.

• Concealment of personal facts and private Concealment of personal facts and private thoughts is the very framework of her poetrythoughts is the very framework of her poetry