Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson ( )  Known for her sometimes sad, reserved nature, looking back on her childhood, she described herself as a “mourner among the children.”  Grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts.  Her grandfather helped found Amherst College; her father was a lawyer and congressman.  Known for her sometimes sad, reserved nature, looking back on her childhood, she described herself as a “mourner among the children.”  Grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts.  Her grandfather helped found Amherst College; her father was a lawyer and congressman.

Emily Dickinson - Education  Graduated from Amherst Academy  Began an all-female seminary (Now Mount Holyoke College) but came home after one year because of bad health and because she refused to officially join the Congregational Church  Though committed to her faith, she was not comfortable conforming to the expectations of institutional religion  Graduated from Amherst Academy  Began an all-female seminary (Now Mount Holyoke College) but came home after one year because of bad health and because she refused to officially join the Congregational Church  Though committed to her faith, she was not comfortable conforming to the expectations of institutional religion

Emily Dickinson - Education  She was an extremely skillful gardener and studied botany in college and even assembled an extensive herbarium (a book of pressed plants) that included more than 400 specimens, and she labeled each with its Latin name.  This love of nature shows up her poems, many of which— such as this poem to the right—are about the natural world.  She was also an extremely skilled pianist.  She was an extremely skillful gardener and studied botany in college and even assembled an extensive herbarium (a book of pressed plants) that included more than 400 specimens, and she labeled each with its Latin name.  This love of nature shows up her poems, many of which— such as this poem to the right—are about the natural world.  She was also an extremely skilled pianist.

Emily Dickinson – Love Life  She was engaged to a man named George while in college, but her father made her end it— some scholars believe it was because he was too poor.  Recently discovered letters show, despite her father’s request, she carried on secret communication with George, even into the first years of his marriage  The heartbreak of this experience is thought to have inspired many of poems about love.  She was engaged to a man named George while in college, but her father made her end it— some scholars believe it was because he was too poor.  Recently discovered letters show, despite her father’s request, she carried on secret communication with George, even into the first years of his marriage  The heartbreak of this experience is thought to have inspired many of poems about love.

Emily Dickinson – Love Life  Later in life, a widower—her father’s age—proposed, but Dickinson turned him down, declaring, "Don't you know that you are happiest while I withhold and not confer?”

Emily Dickinson  Many of her poems address death.  Her bedroom window looked out over a burial ground.  She lost many friends and family members early in her life and constantly questioned the nature of mortality.  Many of her poems address death.  Her bedroom window looked out over a burial ground.  She lost many friends and family members early in her life and constantly questioned the nature of mortality.

 Later in life, she withdrew from social life and lived in seclusion--rarely leaving her room and choosing to communicate with through letters or, sometimes, even talking to visitors through her bedroom door.  Found in her notes was this statement: “Area--no test of depth.”  Later in life, she withdrew from social life and lived in seclusion--rarely leaving her room and choosing to communicate with through letters or, sometimes, even talking to visitors through her bedroom door.  Found in her notes was this statement: “Area--no test of depth.”

 Later in life, she was known for only wearing white dresses.  She earned the following nicknames: “The Myth of Amherst” and “The Nun of Amherst”  But after her death that nickname changed to …  Later in life, she was known for only wearing white dresses.  She earned the following nicknames: “The Myth of Amherst” and “The Nun of Amherst”  But after her death that nickname changed to …

Emily Dickinson  She wrote 1,800 poems, but only seven were published while she was alive. (anonymously and heavily edited against her will).  She rewrote clean copies of all her poems and carefully bundled them into manuscripts, which suggests she dreamed of posthumous success as a poet.  She died at 56 in 1886 of Bright’s Disease, and her sister Lavinia began publishing her poems.  She wrote 1,800 poems, but only seven were published while she was alive. (anonymously and heavily edited against her will).  She rewrote clean copies of all her poems and carefully bundled them into manuscripts, which suggests she dreamed of posthumous success as a poet.  She died at 56 in 1886 of Bright’s Disease, and her sister Lavinia began publishing her poems.

WRITING STYLE  Though she began writing in the Romantic era, her poems broke away from the conventions of the Fireside poets.  Her style was seen as very unconventional—using a lot of dashes, unusual capitalization, odd imagery, and slant and eye rhymes.  When her poems were first published, editors altered and changed them to make them more conventional.  Rather than more traditional pentameter, she often used trimeter and tetrameter, a meter similar to the rhythm of hymns.  Full, unaltered versions of her poems were not published until  Though she began writing in the Romantic era, her poems broke away from the conventions of the Fireside poets.  Her style was seen as very unconventional—using a lot of dashes, unusual capitalization, odd imagery, and slant and eye rhymes.  When her poems were first published, editors altered and changed them to make them more conventional.  Rather than more traditional pentameter, she often used trimeter and tetrameter, a meter similar to the rhythm of hymns.  Full, unaltered versions of her poems were not published until 1955.

Emily Dickinson  Her writing is also known for its wit and cleverness. “To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, -- One clover, and a bee, And reverie. The reverie alone will do If bees are few.”

DICKINSON’S DEFINITION OF POETRY  “If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can warm me I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry….Is there any other way?” Emily needing emergency care after reading a great poem!

DICKINSON TATS