Emily Dickinson: American Literature

Who is Emily Dickinson? § More than a century after her death, Emily Dickinson remains a stubborn enigma. § Who was this notoriously reclusive poet? § Why do her words continue to resonate so strongly with so many people?

No one really knows in what category Dickinson’s poetry is classified. Sometimes she’s classified as a Transcendentalist; sometimes as a Romantic.

Volumes of poetry found in her room § During lifetime wrote nearly 1,775 poems, but only 7 were published during lifetime- anonymously § At her death, more than 1,700 poems were discovered in her dresser drawers. Small packages of poetry discovered wrapped in ribbons.

Work was haphazardly published after death – mostly with editors changing her poems Not until 1955 did a publisher finally release and publish poemsas she wrote them. Poems were mostly untitled. Either first line is used as title or #. T. H. Johnson numbered all Dickinson’s known poems for his 3-volume edition of The Poems of Emily Dickinson by using clues as handwriting differences to infer the order of composition. Body of work:

“This is my letter to the world” Do you think Dickinson expected anyone to read her poems after her death? This is my letter to the world, That never wrote to me, The simple news that Nature told, With tender majesty. Her message is committed To hands I cannot see; For love of her, sweet countrymen, Judge tenderly of me! (c. 1862)

Her Home: 280 Main Street, Amherst, MA Dickinson was born in this brick house on Main Street in Amherst in 1830, lived there all her life, and died there in 1886.

A Sheltered Youth Raised in Amherst, MA – with parents, sister & brother After 1 year at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, she returned home and stayed rest of life in Amherst

Death entered her life early. § 1. Benjamin Newton, a law student who encouraged her writing died as a young man § 2. Emily and her sister nursed their mother through her ill health and witnessed her death. § 3. Also experienced the deaths of her father later in life, several friends, and her 8 year old nephew. § 4. She also wrote during the years of the Civil War and must have been affected by the reports of deaths at war. Several poems deal with theme of death.

“My life closed twice before its close” My life closed twice before its close— It yet remains to see If Immortality unveil A third event to me. So huge, so hopeless to conceive, As these that twice befell. Parting is all we know of heaven, And all we need of hell. Emily Dickinson

“I’ve seen a Dying Eye” I've seen a Dying Eye Run round and round a Room -- In search of Something -- as it seemed -- Then Cloudier become -- And then -- obscure with Fog -- And then -- be soldered down Without disclosing what it be 'Twere blessed to have seen -- Emily Dickinson

“I heard a Fly buzz- when I died-” (c. 1862) I heard a Fly buzz -- when I died -- The Stillness in the Room Was like the Stillness in the Air -- Between the Heaves of Storm -- The Eyes around -- had wrung them dry -- And Breaths were gathering firm For that last Onset -- when the King Be witnessed -- in the Room -- I willed my Keepsakes -- Signed away What portion of me be Assignable -- and then it was There interposed a Fly -- With Blue -- uncertain stumbling Buzz -- Between the light -- and me -- And then the Windows failed -- and then I could not see to see --Emily Dickinson

She did travel some in her youth with her family, but in 1862 something happened. § (wrote nearly 300 poems that year – averaged nearly a poem a day.) § It’s rumored that she met man & fell in love, an older, married pastor who moved to CA & she remained unmarried…. But this isn’t widely believed. § She began corresponding with Thomas Wentworth Higginson, literary critic, who helped publish her poetry. However, in a letter Higginson once wrote that her work was unfinished but promising. As an editor, he mangled her work after her death by “correcting” her unconventional punctuation & her purposeful deviations from grammatical propriety.

After 1864, Emily withdrew from society. She never left town or her house again. § She rarely ventured beyond her house & garden § Her closest friends were her brother, Austin; her sister, Lavinia; and Austin’s wife, Susan Huntington Dickinson. Lavinia never married. § In the later years of her life, she wore only white § She visited with townspeople & children by lowering items in a basket through window § She even refused to allow even a Dr. to treat & see her in person– he had to treat her through the door from another room

Died in 1886 § Eventually, she died at age of 56 of a kidney disease in the house in which she was born.

Read “Because I could not stop for death”

Success is counted sweetest By those who ne'er succeed. To comprehend a nectar Requires sorest need. Not one of all the purple host Who took the flag to-day Can tell the definition, So clear, of victory! As he, defeated, dying, On whose forbidden ear The distant strains of triumph Burst agonized and clear! “Success is counted sweetest”