Dr. Marc D. BaldwinDr. Marc D. BaldwinEmily DickinsonEmily Dickinson

Copyright © 2006 by Marc D. Baldwin, PhDCopyright © 2006 by Marc D. Baldwin, PhD

Microcosmic EmilyMicrocosmic Emily

The microcosm to Whitman’s macrocosm, Dickinson The microcosm to Whitman’s macrocosm, Dickinson wrote short lines inspecting domestic and natural objects wrote short lines inspecting domestic and natural objects while Whitman wrote long lines of the city, the battlefield while Whitman wrote long lines of the city, the battlefield and the far-flung multitudes. and the far-flung multitudes. Whitman explored large experiences while Dickinson Whitman explored large experiences while Dickinson minutely examined private experiences. minutely examined private experiences. Candid insights into her own mental and emotional life, Candid insights into her own mental and emotional life, her poetry resembles Blake’s and Yeats’ in the sense her poetry resembles Blake’s and Yeats’ in the sense that infinity may be represented by small things as well that infinity may be represented by small things as well as by large: "the brain is wider than the sky," she wrote. as by large: "the brain is wider than the sky," she wrote.

Private EmilyPrivate Emily

In the great Puritan tradition of diary keeping, In the great Puritan tradition of diary keeping, Emily’s 1750 poems were her “letter to the Emily’s 1750 poems were her “letter to the world." world." She believed that the power of external things She believed that the power of external things depends on our state of mind and that “the soul depends on our state of mind and that “the soul selects its own society.” selects its own society.” Preferring her own created world than what she Preferring her own created world than what she observed of society, she became a hermit by observed of society, she became a hermit by deliberate choice, mastering life by rejecting it—deliberate choice, mastering life by rejecting it—a doctrine she shared with the great evangelical a doctrine she shared with the great evangelical preachers Jonathan Edwards and Cotton preachers Jonathan Edwards and Cotton Mather. Mather.

Emily’s Poetic WorldEmily’s Poetic World

Full of natural description, her poetry examines Full of natural description, her poetry examines both moral and mystical experience. both moral and mystical experience.

Seeking immortality or permanence, Emily is Seeking immortality or permanence, Emily is forever defining the gap between the living and forever defining the gap between the living and the dead, and the tension between abstraction the dead, and the tension between abstraction and sensation. and sensation.

No poet since William Blake has made such No poet since William Blake has made such fruitful use of Protestant hymnology and Biblical fruitful use of Protestant hymnology and Biblical imagery. imagery.

Thoroughly Modern EmilyThoroughly Modern Emily

A precursor of the Imagist school, Emily’s A precursor of the Imagist school, Emily’s verses violated the regularity of the 19th verses violated the regularity of the 19th century hymnal form, anticipating instead century hymnal form, anticipating instead the modern enlargement of melody by the modern enlargement of melody by assonance, dissonance, and "off‑rhyme." assonance, dissonance, and "off‑rhyme." Her verbal ambiguity—often paratactic and Her verbal ambiguity—often paratactic and punctuated with dashes—brilliantly punctuated with dashes—brilliantly captures the most subtle psychological captures the most subtle psychological nuances.nuances.

Paradoxical EmilyParadoxical Emily

Many of her powerful poems are busy Many of her powerful poems are busy expressing their powerlessness and the expressing their powerlessness and the impotency of words. impotency of words. Struggling to express the inexpressible, Emily’s Struggling to express the inexpressible, Emily’s act of looking for a subject became her subject. act of looking for a subject became her subject. Often compared to the metaphysical poet John Often compared to the metaphysical poet John Donne, Emily employs paradoxes and riddles as Donne, Emily employs paradoxes and riddles as an essential aspect of her mode of expression, an essential aspect of her mode of expression, as in this wonderful line: "It might be as in this wonderful line: "It might be lonelier/Without the loneliness." lonelier/Without the loneliness."

Transformative EmilyTransformative Emily

The key moment in Emily’s poetry is often The key moment in Emily’s poetry is often a transformation from absence or a transformation from absence or ignorance into presence or knowledge.ignorance into presence or knowledge.The deprived speaker experiences a The deprived speaker experiences a vision of the Kingdom or Truth which vision of the Kingdom or Truth which brings with it a separate peace of sorts. brings with it a separate peace of sorts. "I dwell in Possibility,” she said. "I dwell in Possibility,” she said. "Spreading wide my narrow hands/To "Spreading wide my narrow hands/To gather Paradise."gather Paradise."

GodGod

Although she struggled with the problem of Although she struggled with the problem of belief and refused to take anything on faith belief and refused to take anything on faith alone, she doesn't doubt His existence. alone, she doesn't doubt His existence.

She seemed frustrated that God was She seemed frustrated that God was unattainable for her: "He who loves God unattainable for her: "He who loves God must not expect to be loved in return." must not expect to be loved in return."

DeathDeath

Death was Emily’s constant companion. Death was Emily’s constant companion. At the age of 17, five of her best friends died. At the age of 17, five of her best friends died. The view from her bedroom window was a cemetery. The view from her bedroom window was a cemetery. So Emily’s intense joy at being alive was tempered by a So Emily’s intense joy at being alive was tempered by a keen awareness of her mortality. keen awareness of her mortality. Unsure of whether or not she believed in an afterlife, Unsure of whether or not she believed in an afterlife, Emily nonetheless believed in the Puritan theology of Emily nonetheless believed in the Puritan theology of Redemption and Immortality. Redemption and Immortality. Yet, she ordered that upon her death all of her poems be Yet, she ordered that upon her death all of her poems be burned. burned. Fortunately, that order was not obeyed. Fortunately, that order was not obeyed.

““Reading Whitman & Dickinson”Reading Whitman & Dickinson”

Please watch my Lecture entitled Please watch my Lecture entitled “Reading Whitman & Dickinson” for a “Reading Whitman & Dickinson” for a sample reading of some of her poems. sample reading of some of her poems.