Dickinson 4 Essay, Research Paper
Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson is an important poet principally because of the distinctiveness of her writing.
Though only 7 out of her 1,200 poems were published critics still classify her as one of the
principle poets of her time. In Dickinson’s life the most important things to her were love,
religion, individuality and nature. While writting about these themes she followed her lifestyle
by braking away from the traditional forms of writing and wrote with an intense energy and
complexity never seen before and rarely seen today. Her poems are written expressions of
personal experiences throughout her life. It would be hard to classify her as a certain type of
writter because of the diversity of her poems, but they can be broken down individualy into four
main themes: Romanticism, Realism, Individuality, and Depression.
Romanticism emphasized passion rather than reason, imagination and intuition rather than logic
and full expression of the emotions. Which is exatly what Dickinson wrote about in many of her
poems. Poem 214 is a prime example of this.
“I taste a liquor never brewedFrom Tankards scooped in PearlNot all the Frankfort Berries
Yield such and Alcohol!”
“Inebriate of Air-am IAnd Debauchee of DewReeling-thro endless summer daysFrom inns of Molten Blue-”
“When “Landlords” turn the drunken Bee
Out of the Foxglove’s doorWhen Butterflies-renounce their “drams”I shall but drink the more!” -214
This Poem by Dickinson demonstrates her universal spirit and beleif that nature is not only a
source of comfort but also Gods greatest reflection. Beleifs that are identical to those exhibited
by many Romanticists. She speaks of being high on nature, a feeling of intoxication that not even
the “Frankfort berries” could provide, and every bee, butterfly or parcil of Gods creation only
makes her higher.
Another example of the diversity in Dickinson’s poems is her existential view of life on earth in
poem 301.
“I reason, Earth is shortAnd Anguish-absoluteAnd many hurt,
But, what of that?
I reason, we could dieThe best Vitality
Cannont excell Decay,
But, what of that?
I reason, that in HeavenSomehow, it will be evenSome new Equation, givenBut, what of that? -301
Dickinson’s attitudes of sorrow and hopelessness are displayed in this poem. A question that
everyone is sure to ask themself at one point in their life “what does it all matter”, obviously this
poem relects deppression, an emotion she must have been feeling while writting this poem.
Dickinson also went against the Church which was an extreme rarity of the time. Similar to
many other that shared her beliefs she too did not think that a set religion was the way for
salvation. This certain poem not only contains Romanticism, but also demonstrates her beleif in
Non-Conformity.
“Some keep the Sabbath going to Church;
I keep it staying at home,
With a bobolike for a chorister,
With an orchard for a dome.
Some keep the Sabbath in SurpliceI just wear my WingsAnd instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,
Our little Sexton-sings.
God preaches, a noted ClergymanAnd the sermon is never long
So instead of getting to heaven, at lastI’m going, all along. -324
According to this poem Dickinson clearly states that nature is her source of guidance and that she
doesn’t have any need for the Church as an institution. She is a non-conformist in that she
doesn’t beleive in the church and a Romanticist by describing her church as the natural world
around her, Gods true temple of worship, a place where she isn’t forced to listen to long drawn
out sermons.
Sought to portray things as they really are, Realism was the movement that attempted to picture
people and things as they really are. In Dickinson’s poem 241 she does an incredible job at
camparing anguish with truth.
“I like the look of Agony,
Because I know it’s trueMen do not sham Convulsion,
Nor simulate, a ThroeThe Eyes glaze once-and that is DeathImpossible to feign
The Beads upon the Forehead
By homely Anguish strung.” -241
Because pain and agony can’t be faked Dickinson beleives that death is the ultimate truth. The
way that the beads of sweat align on your forehead and the look upon your face tells all. Honest
can’t be hidden when your faceing death. A true example of Realism.
There are a wide range of emotions eshibited by Dickinson through the many poems she had
written throughout her life. Many may be direct emotions felt by her in different stages of her
life. The wide range of themes discussed through out her poetry reflect the diversity of her
writting with the complex imagery and depth to her poems she is definetly one of America’s
greatest poets.
31e
http://ua-referat.com