Emily Dickindon

’s Work’s Essay, Research Paper

There is a life in Emily Dickinson’s poems, readers have found. Although one may not completely understand her as a legend, a writer, or as a part of literature books, she is considered one of America’s greatest poets. While unknown answers may not be revealed about her, secrets may not be told, nor any new discoveries made, evidence from books and articles showing Emily Dickinson’s experiences and hardships exists. Critic Paul J. Ferlazzo describes her writings: “Many students and casual readers of her poetry have enjoyed hearing tales about her which remind them of storybook heroines locked in castles, of beautiful maidens cruelty relegated to a life of drudgery and obscurity, of genius so great that all the world’s suppression cannot deny its flowering.” 1 Many researchers ignore the bases of her writings, her life, and her dreams.

Fascinated by many works examining the life and writings of Emily Dickinson, some may find that Dickinson’s trials at a young age are the basis of many assumptions today. The facts of her childhood and young adult life are few and simple,but the interpretations are many and complex. She was born in Amherst Massachusetts, a small farming town which had a college and a hat factory; she seldom left her home town. Even though she was claimed to be a high-spirited and active young woman, Dickinson began to withdraw from society in the 1850’s; virtually her only contact with her friends came to be made through letters.

Wendy Martin, a critic of Emily Dickinson, discusses Dickinson’s choice of seclusion: “…as a young woman, Dickinson rejected these comforting traditions, [anxiety, helplessness, anger, confusion, desperation, fears, and frustrations] resisted male authority, and wrestled alone with her complex and often contrary emotions. Finally, she rejected all masters; God, father, potential husband, and literary preceptor, to devote her life’s energy to her poetry.” 2 She gathered from many of the trials throughout her youth that no one could save her; she had to save herself. She wanted to create her own poetic craft that demonstrated her independence, and this extraordinary individuality characterizes her work and career. Ferlazzo gives some prime examples of her poetry dealing with her religious experience: “Most of her poems and letters are given a biographical reading. For instance, “Going to Heaven!” and “Some Keep the Sabbath going to church” are meant to summarize her religious opinions.” 3

Going to Heaven! Some keep the Sabbath going I don’t know when- to church:

Pray not ask me how! I keep it staying at home,

Indeed I’m too astonished With a bobolink for a To think of answering you! chorister,

Going to Heaven! And an orchard for a dome. How dim it sounds! Some keep the Sabbath in And yet it will be done surplice; As sure as the flocks go home at night I just wear my wings;

Into the Shepherd’s arm And instead of tolling the bell for church.

I’m glad I don’t believe it Our little sexton sings

For it would stop my breath- And I’d like to look a little more God preaches-a noted At such a curious Earth! clergyman-

I’m glad they did believe it And the sermon is never Whom I have never found long;

Since the mighty Autumn afternoon So instead of getting to I left them in the ground. heaven at last,

I’m going all along!

Perhaps the start of these desires to be independent began in adolescence, says W. Martin: “Strong social pressure was put on young Dickinson during her adolescence to join the church. Her refusal to commit her soul to Christ meant that she had spurned a tradition honored by her family for several generations.”4 Karl Keller, a critic, has much to say about her religious views: “Her literary experience was not a religious experience, however, but merely a momentary mythologizing, brief, tentative, fanciful, provisional, a suspension.” 5

Pressures increased as she resisted God. Several of her friends and neighbors who had been acknowledged during this time, repeatedly urged her “to accept Christ as her Savior.” The pressure put on her is evident in a letter she wrote to her close school friend Abiah Root on January 31, 1846: “I am far from being thoughtless on the subject of religion. I am continually putting off becoming a Christian. Evil voices lisp in my ear-There is yet time enough. Nine months later she confided to Abiah Root; I know not why, I that the world holds a predominant place in my affections. I don’t feel I could give up all for Christ, were I called to die.” 6

Ferlazzo explains Dickinson’s trials with belief and disbelief toward God by using her a poem to create better understanding: Since she permitted herself to experience the extremes of faith and of loss, her poetry records a great soul’s journey to understand its place in the universe. Dickinson’s major poetic method in dealing with religious subjects reflects the tension in her mind between belief and disbelief. She begins a poem with a strong statement of faith, proceeds to examine it, qualify it, or question it, and then ends the poem with a statement of doubt or with one that indicates her condition of suspended judgment. 7

I know that He exists. Would not the fun

Somewhere in Silence- Look too expensive! Would not the jest He has hid His rare life, Have crawled too far

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