1. EMILY DICKINSON 1830–1886)

2. HER LIFE Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1830. Throughout her life, she seldom left her house. The people with whom she came in contact, however, had an enormous impact on her thoughts and poetry. Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1830. Throughout her life, she seldom left her house. The people with whom she came in contact, however, had an enormous impact on her thoughts and poetry.

3. RECLUSIVE INDIVIDUAL By the 1860s, Dickinson lived in almost total physical isolation from the outside world, but actively maintained many correspondences and read widely.

4. CHRONIC PAIN Dickinson herself was afflicted for some time with her own illness affecting the kidneys, symptoms of which include chronic pain, which may have contributed to her seclusion from the outside world. She died in Amherst in 1886. Dickinson herself was afflicted for some time with her own illness affecting the kidneys, symptoms of which include chronic pain, which may have contributed to her seclusion from the outside world. She died in Amherst in 1886.

5. Emily Dickinson's tombstone in the family plot.

6. The DICKENSON HOMESTEAD as it appears today. In 2003 it was made into the Emily Dickinson Museum.

7. HER POETRY She was not publicly recognized during her lifetime. The first volume of her work was published in 1890 and the last in 1955. She was not publicly recognized during her lifetime. The first volume of her work was published in 1890 and the last in 1955.

8. HER POETRY Dickinson's poetry reflects her loneliness and the speakers of her poems generally live in a state of want, but her poems are also marked by the moments which suggest the possibility of happiness.

9. Most of her poems exhibit her extraordinary powers of observation and description. Her poetic form – with her customary four-line stanzas, – ABCB rhyme schemes and – alternations in iambic meter is derived from hymns. Most of her poems exhibit her extraordinary powers of observation and description. Her poetic form – with her customary four-line stanzas, – ABCB rhyme schemes and – alternations in iambic meter is derived from hymns.

10. A poet of INWARDNESS Dickinson's greatest achievement as a poet of inwardness is her brilliant language. Dickinson often writes aphoristically, –she compresses a great deal of meaning into a very small number of words. This makes her poems hard to understand on a first reading. Dickinson's greatest achievement as a poet of inwardness is her brilliant language. Dickinson often writes aphoristically, –she compresses a great deal of meaning into a very small number of words. This makes her poems hard to understand on a first reading.

11. Her language Her forceful language is characterized by – long disruptive dashes, – iambic meters, – rhymes, – aphoristic style. Her forceful language is characterized by – long disruptive dashes, – iambic meters, – rhymes, – aphoristic style.

12. LIFE DEVOTED TO REFLECTION & CREATIVITY Dickinson is not a "philosophical poet“. She makes no effort to organize her thoughts and feelings into a coherent, unified worldview. Rather, her poems simply record thoughts and feelings experienced naturally over the course of a lifetime devoted to reflection and creativity. That’s why her poetry is astonishing, compelling, moving, and thought-provoking. Dickinson is not a "philosophical poet“. She makes no effort to organize her thoughts and feelings into a coherent, unified worldview. Rather, her poems simply record thoughts and feelings experienced naturally over the course of a lifetime devoted to reflection and creativity. That’s why her poetry is astonishing, compelling, moving, and thought-provoking.

13. Dickinson's descriptions of nature Her themes are uncomplicated. Her nature poems describe important ways in which human beings interact with creatures of nature. Her themes are uncomplicated. Her nature poems describe important ways in which human beings interact with creatures of nature. She creates memorable poems by closely observing details of the physical world vividly generating new images in the mind. She creates memorable poems by closely observing details of the physical world vividly generating new images in the mind.

14. Two techniques Despite their simplicity, her poems are memorable because of the techniques she uses. Two techniques metaphors a new and startling application of language  both techniques result in powerful images. Two techniques metaphors a new and startling application of language  both techniques result in powerful images.

15. NOT A SOCIAL POET Dickinson was no social poet. Her world was bounded by her home and its surrounding countryside; the great events of her day play little role in her poetry. Social and historical ideas and values must have contributed in shaping her character, but Emily Dickinson's ultimate context is herself, the milieu of her mind. Dickinson was no social poet. Her world was bounded by her home and its surrounding countryside; the great events of her day play little role in her poetry. Social and historical ideas and values must have contributed in shaping her character, but Emily Dickinson's ultimate context is herself, the milieu of her mind.

16. Though she was a reclusive individual and a poet of extraordinary inward depth, Dickinson's poems are not simply private shorthand for her own thoughts. She universalizes her own experience. Her poetry enables her audience to enter into and share her experience. She universalizes her own experience. Her poetry enables her audience to enter into and share her experience.