Emily Dickinson is an influential American poet known for her original and unique poetry, much of which remained unpublished during her lifetime due to her reclusive nature. Her works reflect the societal constraints of her era and explore themes such as death, individuality, and emotional extremes, making significant contributions to American literature. After her death in 1886, thousands of her poems were discovered and published, solidifying her legacy as one of the greatest poets of the nineteenth century.

1. Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson's works are studied by various audiences from high school students to college
scholars. Even without striving to hope that her works would impact so many generations,
Dickinson has influenced many generations of poets and plays a major role in the development of
American Literature. Dickinson did not become famous for her works until after her death in 1886.
Not only is Emily Dickinson's work important to the study of American Literature, most of her
writings were composed during the tumultuous Civil War era. The study of her work is important to
historians a snap shot into the mindset of American citizens during a violent time in our countries
history. As a poet, Dickinson was very private. She has been characterized...show more content...
"Dickinson called Higginson her 'master' and repeatedly turned to him for literary advice"
(Mead, 149). Because Emily Dickinson lived such a guarded life in Amherst, all critical analysis
of her poetic works and existing correspondences can only be categorized as speculation. Save a
few publications, the bulk of her creative work was published after her death. In an article from the
Emily Dickinson Museum titled "Emily Dickinson and the Civil War", Dickinson is credited for
writing for the purpose of raising money for medical supplies for the Union Army. The
Brooklyn–based newspaper, Drum Beat, published three poems anonymously during late February
and March of 1864 ("Emily Dickinson and the Civil War"). It would only make sense that
Dickinson would offer help to the Union cause due to her connection with Colonel Higginson. It
also is characteristic of her reclusive nature to require anonymity. One critic, Timothy Morris, who
speculated on Emily Dickinson's popularity, discounts the idea that Dickinson's works manifested
a secret and repressed voice of Victorian women. In light of the fact, that Dickinson's work rose
quickly once made public and overshadowed many women voices of the period. "Morris
speculated that Dickinson posed no threat because she did not publish during her lifetime and was
dead before her works entered the critical discourse (Litz & Weigel, 40). Critics from various angles
have analyzed Dickinson's works for generations. She has
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2. Emily Dickinson Essay
cember 2012 "Emily Dickinson's original approach to poetry results in startling and
thought–provoking moments in her work" Give your response to the poetry of Emily Dickinson in
the light of this statement. Support your points with suitable reference to her poems. Emily
DIckinson is a wonderful, idiosyncratic poet, who's original and powerful poetry is marked by
startling and thought–provoking moments, defining Dickinson's poetry. Dickinson describes in
shocking detail, moments of utter elation, as demonstrated in 'I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed,'
and 'I Could Bring You Jewels.' We see moments of depression and drastic desparation in 'I Felt a
Funeral in My Brain,' and 'I Heard a Fly Buzz.' Even these titles give evidence of...show more
content...
The most astonishing example of startling and thought–provoking moments of Dickinson's poetry
comes in "The Sould Has Bandaged Moments," where the poet's two extremes of human emotion
are dealt with in one poem; despair and joy. She opens with harsh moments of lonliness and grief –
"With long fingers – caress her freezing hair." The 'soul', or spirit, is portrayed as wounded,
damaged, needing to be wrapped in self–protective and restraining bandages, when the grotesque
parody of love comes to prey on her. "Sip, Goblin, from the very lips The Lover – hovered – o'er –"
Through immediate fluidity Dickinson's poem reaches ecstacy "The soul has moments of Escape–"
A full spectrum of emotion is observed here in its urgency. I think the most thought–provoking
moment of the peice comes in the final enslavement of the poet's spirit. "When, Felon led along, with
shackles on the plummed feet." She explain in so few words that the recapture of the spirit is more
painful after a taste of freedom. I think it is clear through the exploration of Dickinson's astounding,
unconventional poetry that there are indeed startling moments and examples of thought–prokoving
content. I think Dickinson is exceptionaly powerful in concretising and in communicating her
personal and psychological feelings through her blatant language and structural study of the
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3. Emily Dickinson Essay example
Emily Dickinson, recognized as one of the greatest American poets of the nineteenth century, was
born December 10, 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts (Benfey, 1). Dickinson's greatness and
accomplishments were not always recognized. In her time, women were not recognized as serious
writers and her talents were often ignored. Only seven of her 1800 poems were ever published.
Dickinson's life was relatively simple, but behind the scenes she worked as a creative and talented
poet. Her work was influenced by poets of the seventeenth century in England, and by her puritan
upbringing. Dickinson was an obsessively private writer. Dickinson withdrew herself from the social
contract around the age of thirty and devoted herself, in secret, to writing....show more content...
Only five poems can be dated prior to 1858, the year in which she began gathering her work into
hand– written copies bound loosely with thread to make small packets called ?????. She sent these
fives early poems to friends in letters or as valentines. One of them was published anonymously
without her permission in the Springfield Republican in 1852 ( ). This was the first time any of
Emily's writings were published. After 1858, she apparently convinced herself that she had a
genuine talent, because now, the packets were carefully stored in an ebony box probably awaiting
discovery by future readers or publishers. Perhaps Emily knew that her writing was too far advanced
for her time and that her accomplishments would be recognized and given the recognition that they
deserved in the future.
Publication remained a considerable conflict throughout her writing. A publisher for her writing
was never easily arranged. She befriended Samuel Bowles, the editor of the Republican and for
four years sent him poems and letters for publication. Because Bowles did not comprehend
Dickinson's poems only two were published, and even those were published anonymously. Both
poems were heavily edited and given titles that she had not given or was not aware of. Only five
other poems were published in her lifetime, each altered by editors.
In 1862 Dickinson turned to the literary critic Thomas Wentworth Higginson for advice about her
poems. She had known him only through his essays in the
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4. Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson is one of America's greatest poets, her work was original and
unique, and the speakers in her poem would often express what limitations they saw in their
society and how they wish they could escape it. Although Dickinson became a famous poet, she
didn't want her work published, during her lifetime other people would have some of her poems
published. The poems that were published were considered to be eccentric and were altered
significantly by publishers. Dickinson often wrote about the idea of being famous and how much
she would dread it if she ever did become famous because she felt that it wouldn't allow her to stay
true to herself. Upon her death thousands of poems were discovered by her family and were
eventually published, these poems are what cemented her legacy as one of the greatest poets to ever
live. Emily Dickinson was born in 1830 to a prominent family, her father was a well–respected
lawyer. Dickinson was well educated, she had attended school from a very young age and also
attended Amherst Academy, her father wanted his children to be well–educated and he reminded
them to pay attention in school and learn as much as possible. At age 15 Dickinson left the
academy and began to attend Mount Holyoke Female Seminary but after a year she left and went
back home, nobody knows why she left but some believe this was the beginning of her
reclusiveness. From an early age Dickinson began to write and some of her influences included her
principal and a friend who was an attorney that worked with her father. In addition, one day during a
trip to Philadelphia she befriended a minister who also became a great influence, she would
correspond with him, often writing letter just like she would with everyone else. Dickinson also
experienced many deaths of friends that affected her profoundly and it caused her to become
depressed, sometimes expressing it in her writings. In addition, she would often express herself in
statements to others not being able to understand why those close to her were constantly dying, she
also expressed her depression, and she even wondered if she should die too, it is believe that these
tragedies are also the reason for her reclusiveness. Emily Dickinson
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5. Emily Dickinson Essay
Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 in the community of Amherst, Massachusetts.
She was the second daughter of Edward and Emily Norcross Dickinson. Emily, her brother Austin,
and her sister Lavinia were brought up and nurtured in a quiet reserved household headed by their
father Edward. Throughout her life, her mother was not always around, or "accessible," a fact that
is said to have caused Emily's eccentricity. They were raised in Puritanical Massachusetts, where
they were expected to take on their fathers beliefs and values. Because Emily was the daughter of a
prominent politician, she was able to get a good education at the Amherst Academy. After her time at
the academy, she went to South...show more content...
It is said that although he was married, Emily had a love for him, and he may be the subject of
some of her love poems. When Emily had enough poems, she went to find someone who could help
her and give her advice about anonymous publication. On April 15, 1862 she found Higginson. She
wrote letters to him asking for advice. He was against publishing her poetry, however he did realize
that Emily was talented and gifted. After the letter in 1862, Emily decided against publishing her
poems, and that was why only seven of her poems were published in her lifetime. The later part of
her life was spent in mourning because of several deaths in a few years time. Emily's father died
in 1874, both her mother and Wadsworth in 1882, and her nephew in 1883. Over those years due
to the amounts of deaths she encountered, the theme of death became more prevalent in Emily's
poems. Emily Dickinson died on May 15, 1886. As a result of her life of solitude, it is said by
some that she is able to focus more on the world around her. Many of her poems were not
complicated and were written on scraps of paper, such as grocery lists, and when she died and her
works were published Editors began to arrange her works into categories, such as friends, nature,
love, and DEATH. In 1955, Thomas Johnson published Emily Dickinson's works in their original
format. In order to get a clear understanding of
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6. Essay about Emily dickinson
Emily Dickinson's poetry powerfully indicates values of society of the time. It does this through its
conciseness, its simplicity and its control. Indications of society's values are seen in many of
Dickinson's poems, but they are especially noticeable in 'It was not Death', and 'Because I could not
stop for Death'. In Dickinson's poem 'It was not Death', she demonstrates how restricting and
stereotyping society can be on an individual, and how society values the conformity of the whole
community, even though they may not want to. In Dickinson's poem 'Because I could not stop for
Death', she is questioning society's values on religion and everlasting life.
Emily Dickinson's poems analyze her perception of the world and society, which is...show more
content...
Chaos does not only mean 'a state of great disorder', but also refers to a biblical place where Satan
ended up when God threw him out of heaven. This brings about the possibility that Emily believes
that the real world is in fact a hellish place, and the rest of society cannot see this because they are
too absorbed in religion.
The restriction or strangulation of her life by society can also be seen through the verse techniques
of Emily Dickinson's 'It was not Death'. The rhythm of the quatrains enhances the sensation of
breathlessness that occurs in the poem. There is the exclusion of connecting words in stanzas three
to six, and this makes it seem that the words are tumbling over one another. Also, the repetition of
'And' in stanza four gives the feeling of breathlessness, as if Emily is trying to quickly relate her
story without taking a breath. The increasing number of pauses throughout the poem, created with
both commas and dashes adds to the breathlessness feeling of the poem. This is because it creates
sensations of increased inability to connect idea with idea, so as the poem progresses, the persona in
the poem is becoming increasingly restricted by the implications placed on them by society.
During Emily Dickinson's era, religion was a very big part of society. In 'Because I could not stop
for Death', she appears to be rebelling against this. The journey
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