Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson Her Life Born on 10th December 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, USA She was considered an eccentric by locals Now considered one of the towering figures of American literature Attended Amherst Academy (founded by her grandfather) for 7 years – they only started taking female students two years before she enrolled Attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary – left after 10 months – unknown why she left after this short period – theories suggest it was because of her fragile emotional state – she also refused to sign an oath to dedicate her life to Jesus before dropping out – did not conform Lived a reclusive life at home where she secretly wrote poetry and letters Her father was a state legislator – said to have been a severe and remote father but was dearly loved by Emily She was the middle child in a family of three – one older brother, William (Austin), and one younger sister, Lavinia Went against religious norms of the time – questioned the strict Calvinist culture which she lived – didn’t conform to society, to religious expectations or in her writing – not having ‘conventional’ religious view may have contributed to her isolation She clearly had a belief in God and heaven – was different to the views held by her peers There were at least 3 men in her life that could have broken her heart Early influences include Leonard Humphrey (principal of Amherst Academy), and a family friend called Benjamin Franklin Newton (sent her a book of poetry) Her closest friend and advisor was Susan Gilbert, who married Emily’s brother, Austin – may also have been a love interest of Emily’s – wrote her 100s of letters – no proof of homosexuality however Emily and her sister were chief caregivers for their mother until her death in 1882 Neither girls married – lived together until their respective deaths After the mid-1860s, she rarely left the family Homestead – this was when she was most productive Between 1874 and 1885, she lost her father, her mother, her beloved nephew and her close childhood friend Was traumatised by the death of her cousin, Sophia Holland Became a recluse for the last 10 years of her life – wrote like a person possessed – often wrote a poem per day By shutting herself in, she transformed her house into a kind of magical realm in which she was free to engage her poetic genius Had a quest for self-sovereignty Attacked the puritan fathers, their cheerless Calvinist doctrine, their stern patriarchal God and their rigid notions of ‘true womanhood’, with wit and irony Studied botany in her spare time Her work (over 1800 poems and letters) was published after her death on 15th May 1886 when her sister Lavinia discovered her work She had tied up her poems and letters with little blue ribbons & had hidden them away in drawers and boxes Only 7 poems were published during her lifetime – those that were published were done so anonymously – some of her poems were edited to conform with society at the time – they were written to other people who had them published for her – it is unknown whether or not she knew they had been published Probably wanted to have her poems published on her own terms – publishers weren’t willing to take a risk with her unconventional poems Her collection was published in 1890 Biography & Style Was America’s first major female poet Invented her own style for her poetry – has a distinctive voice – looks inward, introspective – often referred to as “The Poet of the Inner Soul” Transformed traditional forms & meter of poetry to irregular meter Used a unique structure in her poetry – used dashes and unconventional capitalisation Poems have a sing-song quality – are similar in many ways to the old ballads of English & Irish tradition Use of half-rhyme (or slant-rhyme), irregular punctuation, capitalisation, dashes, enjambment etc. In one poem, she calls her poetry: “My letters to the world which never wrote to me” Used bold, startling imagery and themes in her poetry Her style greatly influenced 20th century poetry – with its wit, delicate metrical variation, irregular rhythms, directions of statement, and bold startling imagery Topics / Themes of poetry Personal pain & joy Relationship between self & nature Intensely spiritual The intensely ordinary Confronting death – wrote 600 poems about death – confronts a subject often seen as taboo – some poems deal with topic in a rational/inquisitive way; others incorporate fantastical imaginings and horrifying scenarios Immortality: “the flood subject” Religion – reverence, rebellion, uncertainty – mixed message (‘There’s a Certain Slant of Light’) offers bleak view of religion, oppressive – whereas ‘I Felt a Funeral, In My Brain’ there is bizarre imagery to suggest a person losing touch with reality Love Wrote 500 nature poems – saw nature as a source of joy & inspiration – suggests we should be open to the beauty of the natural world – however nature can also be bleak and depressing Noted for her aphoristic style (tersely/briefly phrased statement of a truth or opinion) She alternated confident statements of belief with lyrics of despairing uncertainty that were both reverent & rebellious

1. ‘Hope’ is the Thing with Feathers – Emily Dickinson ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers ― That perches in the soul ― And sings the tune without the words ― And never stops ― at all ― And sweetest ― in the Gale ― is heard ― And sore must be the storm ― That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm ― I’ve heard it in the chillest land ― And on the strangest Sea ― Yet, never, in Extremity, It asked a crumb ― Of Me. Background · Written in 1861, during a difficult time period for Dickinson · Poem is an extended metaphor of a bird personifying hope · Displays hope as an intangible “thing” – it cannot be described · Hope itself is only mentioned once in the whole poem – it doesn’t have to be mentioned again due to the fabulous metaphor Poem Analysis · Structure: 3 stanzas · Loose ABAB rhyme scheme in first two stanzas, last stanza has ABBB rhyme scheme · Title: a definite statement mimicking the first line of the poem – distinctive of Dickinson · Tone is optimistic throughout the poem · Rhyme: use of slant-rhyme (characteristic of Dickinson) – “soul” “at all”, definite rhyme in the last 2 stanzas · The “feather”, like hope, is hard to describe · Poem describes hope as an abstract concept – the bird gives this concept a shape and helps Dickinson to describe it · Poem is an extended metaphor – compares hope to a bird – this physical comparison allows Dickinson to give us something tangible to help illustrate what hope is · Comparing hope to a bird is common in religious symbolism – peace and hope often associated with doves · The bird analogy has positive connotations attached to it · Stanza One: First line of the poem is modified from the title – ‘Hope’ is in inverted commas to emphasise this single word “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers ―” – hope is a presence that cannot be described easily – it is intangible, like a feather, light and soft to touch “That perches in the soul ―” – Dickinson maintains the spiritual aspect of hope – it is a part of each of us, deep in our souls “And sings the tune without the words ―” – the bird’s song has an uplifting effect, the same effect that hope has – it is a silent presence as the bird’s song has no words “And never stops ― at all ―” – the bird’s song is limitless and perpetual, just like hope – hope is eternal and never leaves us, just as the bird’s song never ceases – the power of hope is limitless – the bird is always active, likewise hope is always active – Dickinson emphasises the fact that it is permanent by her use of dash · Stanza Two: There is sibilance in the first two lines of this stanza “And sweetest ― in the Gale ― is heard ―” – the song of the bird (hope) is sweetest in the difficult times in life – hope is felt most strongly when we need it the most – “in the Gale” : in wind, during the hard times in life “And sore must be the storm ― / That could abash the little Bird” – the difficulties in life would have to be extremely bad that could stop the bird singing/to stop hope/to have a negative impact – although the bird is delicate and fragile, it is also strong and indomitable – paradoxical image “That kept so many warm” – shows the continuous positive impact of hope – hope has helped so many to endure hardship – hope is resilient, able to soar above the wind · Stanza Three: This stanza is the poet’s own personal experience with hope “I’ve heard it in the chillest land ―” – she has heard the bird’s song when she, herself, was in the depths of despair “And on the strangest Sea ―” – sibilance – she compares her difficult times in life to a journey, travelling over unknown, unfamiliar seas “Yet, never, in Extremity, / It asked a crumb ― Of Me.” – hope has never looked for something from her in return– it has always been there for her unconditionally – we can understand how important hope is for Dickinson · Specific words are capitalised to highlight their importance; use of dash before and after certain phrases draws our attention to certain expressions – it makes us think about why she wrote it this way · Absence of full stop at the end of stanzas, suggesting the continuous nature of the bird’s song and the ongoing, everlasting nature of hope · Language is musical – enjambment – short words – simple language – sibilance (linked into, and carried on to, last stanza) · Bird is depicted as a spiritual thing that “perches in the soul” · The seemingly frail little bird is paradoxically strong and resilient – just like hope · While Dickinson associates fear with coldness in other poems, hope, in contrast, is linked with a sense of warmth · Hope generously reassured the poet in the most extreme circumstances (symbolised by the references to “the chillest land” and “the strangest Sea”) without looking for anything in return Themes · The enduring power of hope Hope is apparently fragile yet remarkably strong when tested It exists within each of us (“so many”) The poem places this “little Bird” in a harsh environment(s) (“Gale” “chillest land”) but the bird never stops, which implies that hope never dies – it keeps singing to all · HardshipUses images of freezing and foreign lands to describe her suffering, yet the speaker is not alone – hope is said to accompany her at all times, giving comfort (this is lacking in Dickinson’s other poems e.g. “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain”)

2. I felt a Funeral, in my Brain – Emily Dickinson I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, And Mourners to and fro Kept treading – treading – till it seemed That Sense was breaking through – And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum – Kept beating – beating - till I thought My Mind was going numb – And then I heard them lift a Box And creak across my Soul With those same Boots of Lead, again, Then Space – began to toll, As all the Heavens were a Bell, And Being, but an Ear, And I, and Silence, some strange Race, Wrecked, solitary, here – And then a Plank in Reason, broke, And I dropped down, and down – And hit a World, at every plunge, And Finished knowing – then – Background · The funeral is an extended metaphor for the speaker’s suffering – funeral is a metaphor for her inner sufferings · There are signs of possible mental collapse in this poem · We also get a sense of helplessness – brought to the edge of reason like the coffin being brought to the edge of a grave Poem Analysis · Structure: 5 separate stanzas · The first 3 stanzas of the poem make sense – show the different stages of a funeral that we can all relate to – it is almost like a story – structured slightly unusual but there is a sense of trauma and powerlessness – feels as though sense is nearly breaking through but not quite · The last two stanzas change into the surreal – little logic behind the description of events · Poem is dominated by funereal imagery – being confined within a coffin and being conscious – both aural and visual imagery · Poem concludes in an unsurprisingly ambiguous manner · Capitalisation is used frequently by Dickinson to highlight the essence of the experience · Stanza One: This first stanza is all about the sensation of the mourners “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” – this strange declaration in the opening statement conveys that something terrible is happening – personal “I” – we know that there is a dreadful event going on (“Funeral”) from this bizarre, dramatic statement “And Mourners to and fro,” – pace is slightly quicker due to absence of dashes in first two lines “Kept treading – treading – … ” – sense of continuous movement: verb – as though it is happening in the poet’s mind – the sensation felt by the poet – repetition of the ‘heavy’ verb to emphasise the feeling of the weight of the mourners “… till it seemed / That Sense was breaking through – ” – personification by the use of capitalisation – it seems as though she is on the verge of understanding something – could also be her ability to think rationally was breaking under the mourners feet The startling imagery used by the poet leaves little room for doubt in the reader – we can hear the sound of the “treading” mourners – combination of sound and sight/vision – sensuous imagery · Stanza Two: In this stanza, the poet discusses the funeral service “And when they were all seated, / A Service, like a Drum – ” – the mourners have now settled down into their seats, but the speaker’s mind has not yet settled “Kept beating – beating – …” – repetition occurs in the same place in the stanza as in the first stanza – both verbs are very strong and heavy – when reading them, we can almost feel the weight and pressure that they are putting on the speaker’s mind “… till I thought / My Mind was going numb – ” – there is no peace for the speaker – her mind is going numb from the “beating” and “treading” of the mourners in her head – it is driving her mad/crazy · Stanza Three: The burial is described in the third stanza “And then I heard them lift a Box / And creak across my Soul” – sensuous language, sounds – we know the speaker means coffin by saying “Box” – onomatopoeia: “creak” “With those same Boots of Lead, again” – image of heavy boots making the floorboards of her mind creak under their weight – shows the mounting pressure within the speaker’s head “Then Space – began to toll” – bell is associated with the coffin leaving the church · Stanza Four: Poet changes in the final two stanzas – changes into the surreal – speaker seems to be completely disorientated – there is little logic to the description of events “As all the Heavens were a Bell, / And Being, but an Ear” – strange images and metaphors – she is in such a place that all she hears are the sounds of the “Bell” – this sounds are the only things that exist in her mind – all her other senses are failing her in this moment “And I, and Silence, some strange Race” – silence is the opposite of being surrounded by sounds, as she claims to be in the previous line – on one level this doesn’t make sense as this woman feels so desperately consumed by a sound that she is completely alone – this is the opposite of being enveloped by sound – contradiction “Wrecked, solitary, here – ” – there is an awareness that she is not normal in the word “wrecked” – she is completely worn out, broken – this thing going through her head has completely broken her down – the poet and silence are removed from the ear, and she is broken and alone · Stanza Five: “And then a Plank in Reason, broke” – this “Plank in Reason” refers to the tenuous hold that she had on reason, as it finally snaps – “And then” signifies that we are coming to the end, possibly an end to her torment? “And I dropped down, and down – / And hit a World, at every plunge” – repetition – sense of helplessness – she hits an alien world, where “World” could refer to memories or feelings “And Finished knowing – then – ” – poem ends abruptly, like death – leaves us wondering what might follow – clear uncertainty The speaker plummeted down and finished knowing that she lost consciousness or died – ceased being able to know anything at all We think she will come back around at the end, back to sanity, but we are left uncertain as to what will happen to her The final “then” may be a hint at something to follow – something else happened after she lost consciousness which the poet in unable to relate to us because she is no longer in control of her faculties Her torment may be over, but she is not in a good place Whatever fragile link she had with the rational world is now severed Vividly imagined physical death or plunging into dark abyss of insanity Poet uses bizarre imagery to suggest a person rapidly losing touch with reality and sliding into insanity Themes · Mental anguish Poem can be read as mental collapse/descent into madness – from “Sense” to collapse of a “Plank in Reason” Poem documents terrible mental suffering – speaker appears constricted and helpless; confined and no longer in control of what is happening to her The speaker’s apparent awareness of the fact that she is experiencing a breakdown, and is unable to stop it, is distressing for the reader

3. A Bird came down the Walk – Emily Dickinson A Bird, came down the Walk – He did not know I saw – He bit an Angleworm in halves And ate the fellow, raw. And then, he drank a Dew From a convenient Grass – And then hopped sidewise to the Wall To let a Beetle pass – He glanced with rapid eyes That hurried all around – They looked like frightened Beads, I thought – He stirred his Velvet Head Like one in danger, Cautious, I offered him a Crumb, And he unrolled his feathers And rowed him softer home – Than Oars divide the Ocean, Too silver for a seam – Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon, Leap, plashless as they swim. Background · This poem is a celebration of nature · The poet functions as a narrator of a documentary · The bird has entered the human world – bird seems to display the social qualities of a person · Poem highlights the gap between the human and the animal worlds Poem Analysis · Structure: 5 separate stanzas · Rhyme scheme: erratic – not usual in Dickinson’s poetry · Tone: casual, playful at the beginning of poem · Poem has an upbeat, musical quality to it · Rhythm is like that of a nursery rhyme – number of syllables in each line · Liberal use of assonance and alliteration in first and second stanza · Effective use of rich, sensuous imagery · Stanza One: “A Bird came down the Walk – / He did not know I saw – ” – pleasant scene – the bird in unaware that it is being watched – oblivious to the fact that it is being observed by the speaker and us “He bit and Angleworm in halves / And ate the fellow, raw.” – directs our attention to the specifics of the bird’s behaviour – “the fellow”: playful, relaxed language – shows the brutality and fear within the natural world – savagery of this small bird: “raw” Rhyme: “saw” and “raw” – ABCB · Stanza Two: Description of funny, pleasant scene using cute, homely imagery “And then he drank a Dew / From a convenient Grass – ” – beautiful description of simple image in nature of the bird taking a drink of the morning dew “And then hopped sidewise to the Wall / To let a Beetle pass” – amusement – a comical scene of a traffic jam in nature – sense of fun Rhyme: “Grass” and “pass” – ABCB · Stanza Three: This stanza focuses on the bird’s appearance There is little rhyme in this stanza – slant rhyme: “around” “Head” “He glanced around with rapid eyes / That hurried all around – ” – the bird’s “rapid eyes” show a sense of fear – tone has shifted abruptly – the predator that we saw eat the worm in the first and second stanzas has now become the prey, watching carefully – shows the danger of nature – language of speed, anxiousness: “hurried” “They looked like frightened Beads, I thought – ” – simile – the bird is scared of being attacked and must stay vigilant “He stirred his Velvet Head” – beautiful description – sensuous – touch: “Velvet” has a luxurious texture/feeling – shows the beauty in nature – enjambment between the end of this stanza and the start of the next · Stanza Four: “Like one in danger, Cautious” – a bird must always be watchful so he doesn’t become the prey like the worm – there is always fear and cautiousness in nature “I offered him a Crumb, / And he unrolled his feathers” – has she frightened him away by giving him the crumb? – this innocent action drove away the bird – insinuation that Dickinson drove away a love interest by offering herself? “And rowed him softer home – ” – description of flight compared to the oars of a boat – the air is depicted as a liquid element in which the bird rows away from the speaker · Stanza Five: “Than Oars divide the Ocean” – metaphor – alliteration – the air/sky is described as an ocean – the bird’s wings are compared to the oars of a boat – sense of joy as the bird soars up – exultation and celebration of the bird taking flight “Too silver for a seam – ” – sibilance – beautiful image of the horizon, as the sky and land become one – they are seamless – both blend perfectly “Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon, / Leap, plashless, as they swim.” – butterflies are light and gentle creatures – musical quality of seeing the bird soar – poet seems to be in awe of the bird in flight Themes · Magical nature of the every day Celebration of, and joy in, the beauty and wonder of a bird Also shows the cruelty in nature Even the most mundane sight can be extraordinary It reminds us that beauty and mystery can be found all around us if only we took the time to look · Love? Poem could be an allegory of a failed relationship – male bird representing Dickinson’s lost lover – the speaker offers him a “Crumb” possibly representing her love or herself She offers herself cautiously but is rejected Even as the bird departs, she celebrates his majesty

4. I Heard a Fly Buzz – When I Died – I heard a Fly buzz – when I died – The Stillness round 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 – Background · Poem shows a mocking view of religion · The speaker is talking from beyond the grave of the circumstances of her death · The scene is set of the death bed and the commotion associated with it · The fly acts as a symbol/personification of death – associated with death, decomposition and decay – image of fly is an unpleasant and disturbing one – however can also make death seem less menacing, more uncertain: “stumbling” and not something to be afraid of · Poem vividly depicts a death bed scenario with the speaker about to make the critical transition from the world of life to that of death Poem Analysis · Structure: 4 stanzas · Repetition of “I” throughout underscores the deeply personal nature of this poem · Stanza One: Sets the scene of the death bed “I Heard a Fly buzz – when I died – ” – statement mimicking the title of poem “The Stillness round the Room / Was like the Stillness in the Air – ” – simile – comparing the stillness in the room to the breaks in between the gales of a storm – simile captures the tense moment and atmosphere of dread and expectancy – the room had been silent (and would be noisy again) and the silence won’t last – onomatopoeia: “Heaves” · Stanza Two: Talking about the family members in this stanza – their reaction to the speaker dying “The Eyes around – had wrung them dry – ” – they had cried until they couldn’t cry anymore – normal reactions of family members to the death of a relation “And Breaths were gathering firm” – their breathing was laboured – heavy breathing “For that last Onset – when the King / Be witnessed – in the Room – ” – the “Onset” is referring to the final moment of dying – “King”: God coming into the room and bringing her to Heaven – mockery of religion/religious views · Stanza Three: Back to the practicalities of the dying process in the third stanza “I willed my Keepsakes – …” – talking about her will – she has prepared for her death by writing her will “… Signed away / What portion of me be / Assignable - …” – she couldn’t sign away everything – could not apportion/give away her soul (it is the only thing left to her), the ultimate destiny over which she has no control – doesn’t know what will happen to her soul after her death – repetition: “signed” “assignable” “… and then it was / There interposed a Fly – ” – archaic language – poet builds up this beautiful scene of death bed scene – this grim scene is interrupted by the comical image of the fly – reader is disappointed at the sight of the fly – assonance · Stanza Four: “With Blue – uncertain, stumbling Buzz – ” – language of confusion – alliteration ‘B’ – onomatopoeia: “Buzz” “Between the light – and me – ” – the fly interrupted her vision, distracting her – “interposed” between her and the light – the “light” refers to the light that we are said to see when we die – the fly blocks her path to the light/to Heaven “And then the Windows failed … ” – symbol – the “Windows” refer to the speaker’s eyes – they are often called the windows to our souls – her eyes failed her – her contact with the world is gone – portrays a mind dissolving as life leaves it – vision has failed, therefore narrowing into a tunnel – the fly floats into her reduced vision “… and then / I could not see to see – ” – repetition: “and then”: the process of death is relentless, unstoppable – uncertainty – the speaker dies and cannot see what happens anymore – the last thing she sees before her death is the fly and its buzzing is the last thing she hears Another interpretation is that the speaker could be hallucinating – the fly is in the room and the speaker dies and goes into blackness – both merge and she imagines the giant fly is blocking the light Uncertain ending – poem does not end with a full stop, but ends with a dash – signifies that the poet is uncertain about what happens after we die Closing lines indicate that the speaker has acquired no knowledge of the reality of death, while also conveying no belief in a spiritual afterlife beyond death Poem concludes with a sense of confusion and darkness Themes · Mental and physical anguish Parallel to “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” Depicts an interlude during suffering and its aftermath · Death Poem reveals her intense preoccupation with, and compelling interest in, death and dying; it movingly depicts the process of dying; sense of logic also fails (link); indignity of death She is prepared for her death, but the last thing she hears is not the soothing words of her gathered family, but a buzzing fly and the last thing she sees is the fly – almost comical Her last experience of this world is miserable We are left with distinct impression that the poet feels there is nothing but oblivion after death – no afterlife awaits her · Religion Mocking view of religion – expectations of the “King” are not borne out (don’t happen) There is no sign of Jesus at her death, only a “stumbling” fly