During her quiet, reserved life, Emily Dickinson privately wrote some of the most important and persevering poetry in all of American history. While many of her acquaintances probably knew of her love of writing, very few had any idea of the great extent of the talent she harbored or the countless pages of beautiful poetry that had poured from her soul throughout her lifetime. Because of her humility, her work is not tainted by a selfish underpinnings for recognition or money. Her discretionary lifestyle of quiet reflection gave a unique sincerity, a deep well of intricate truths to her writing that explains the universality of her appeal.
Emily Dickinson at a Glance
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 - May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were ther...
Featured Dickinson Poem
Not death; for who is he?
The porter of my father's lodge
As much abasheth me.
Of life? 'T were odd I fear a thing
That comprehendeth me
In one or more existences
At Deity's decree.
Of resurrection? Is the east
Afraid to trust the morn
With her fastidious forehead?
As soon impeach my crown!
A Quick Guide to Understanding Dickinson's Grammar
First of all, she writes in a very metaphorical language, so the picture she describes is often representative of a deeper truth and a bigger picture. She often does this in a very tight package, using a minimalist amount of words to paint this very large abstract picture. A reader who can take her exact description and paint the mental picture in the mind's eye will be most ready to fully understand Dickinson's word art.
Another thing you must be aware of is that her writing loosely follows that of the biblical psalms and proverbs. I say loosely because she interrupts the rhythm of the poem with odd grammatical structures, like her characteristic dashes and odd capitalization patterns. She uses these to break the regular meter long enough for the reader to notice the subtle emphasis she places on unexpected words or phrases. By spotlighting a certain word or phrase, she is able to paint a more vivid picture with fewer words.
For a more thorough reference to understanding this literary genius, check out Decoding Dickinson: A Reader's Guide to Analyzing the Classic Poet.
Dickinson Resources- Vote for your favorite!
The Poetry of Emily Dickinson. Complete Poems of 1924. Bartleby.com
The Poetry of Emily Dickinson. Complete Poems of 1 more...0 points
Emily Dickinson - Biography and Works
Emily Dickinson. Biography of Emily Dickinson and more...0 points
Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More - Emily Dickinson
The Academy of American Poets presents a biography more...0 points
Emily Dickinson International Society
Official web site of the Emily Dickinson Internati more...0 points
Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts more...0 points
Emily Dickinson: Links, bibliographies, and information
Emily Dickinson, bibliography, notes, and links to more...0 points
Dickinson Electronic Archives
The Dickinson Electronic Archives is dedicated to more...0 points
Emily Dickinson Museum
Consists of two historic houses in the center of A more...0 points
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Dickinson's Misery: A Theory of Lyric Reading by Virginia Jackson
How do we know that Emily Dickinson wrote poems? H more...1 point
How do we know that Emily Dickinson wrote poems? How do we recognize a poem when we see one? In Dickinson's Misery, Virginia Jackson poses fundamental questions about reading habits we have come to take for granted. Because Dickinson's writing remained largely unpublished when she died in 1886, decisions about what it was that Dickinson wrote have been left to the editors, publishers, and critics who have brought Dickinson's work into public view. The familiar letters, notes on advertising flier...
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The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson proved that brevity can be beautif more...0 points
The Life of Emily Dickinson by Richard B. Sewall
Winner of the National Book Award, this massively more...0 points
Open Me Carefully: Emily Dickinson's Intimate Letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson by Emily Dickinson, Ellen Louise Hart, Martha Nell Smith
Emily Dickinson is a figure of intense contradicti more...0 points
Dickinson's Misery: A Theory of Lyric Reading by Virginia Jackson
How do we know that Emily Dickinson wrote poems? H more...0 points
How do we know that Emily Dickinson wrote poems? How do we recognize a poem when we see one? In Dickinson's Misery, Virginia Jackson poses fundamental questions about reading habits we have come to take for granted. Because Dickinson's writing remained largely unpublished when she died in 1886, decisions about what it was that Dickinson wrote have been left to the editors, publishers, and critics who have brought Dickinson's work into public view. The familiar letters, notes on advertising flier...
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The Passion of Emily Dickinson by Judith Farr
"How tame and manageable are the emotions of more...0 points
"How tame and manageable are the emotions of our bards, how placid and literary their allusions!" complained essayist T. W. Higginson in the Atlantic Monthly in 1870. "The American poet of passion is yet to come." He was, of course, unaware of the great erotic love poems such as "Wild Nights--Wild Nights!" and "Struck was I, nor yet by Lightning" being privately written by his reclusive friend Emily Dickinson.
In a profound new analysis of Dickinson's life and work, Judith Farr explores the de...
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The Dickinsons of Amherst
Jerome Liebling, one of our foremost documentary p more...0 points
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Shout Out For Emily Dickenson!
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confetta
GREAT LENS! Posted July 15, 2008 |
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NAIZA
Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite writer! Fantastic lens about her. I enjoyed reading it and learning much more about her. Definitely, a fabulous five! Posted June 17, 2008 |
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cappuccino136
Great lens with lots of good information and resources. I love Emily's poetry. She is also a fascinating and mercurial character. Posted May 29, 2008 |
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flowski
Nice look at Emily Dickenson, her poetry is beautiful. Thanks! Posted April 17, 2008 |
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tdove
Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory! Posted April 16, 2008 |
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GypsyPirate
Emily Dickinson was indeed a wonderful and gifted poet. I'm glad I found this lens in The Phenomenal Women Group! Posted March 24, 2008 |
