Emily Dickinson, A Creative Poet During The Mid

Emily Dickinson, A Creative Poet During The Mid-nineteenth Century, Wr Essay ote what manyconsider to be truly American poetry. To understand why Dickinson is considered abrilliant writer of American poetry, one must know about the time period in which shewrote her poetry. Dickinson wrote during the era of American literature known as the Ageof Expansion (Perkins 869). This was during the first half-century after the Civil War tothe First World War which was approximately 1865-1915 (Perkins 869). During this timeperiod, American literature went through many drastic changes. American writersprogressively moved from romanticism to realism (Perkins 870). Realism was a muchmore realistic interpretation of humanity and its destiny (Perkins 870). This new approachaddressed a larger and more general audience than the writings of the Romantic era(Perkins 870). Although Dickinson is considered a writer from the Age of Expansion, herstyle of writing combined elements from the Romantic and Realism eras (Perkins 872). Emily Dickinson was from the Amherst village which possessed a deeply rooted identityfrom Puritanical America (Perkins 872). Dickinson wrote with such a style andcompassion that her poems are still among the most popular of all American poetry today. All but a few of her poems were published after her death. This is a great symbol ofAmerican Patriotism for the fact that she wrote from the heart and not for a paycheck. Allof the elements combined were poured into everyone of her works and because of this,Dickinson is a symbol of American poetry. Throughout Emily Dickinsons poetry there are three main themes that sheaddresses: death, love, and nature. Another aspect of Emily Dickinsons work thatfascinates many critics is the importance and the impact of the word in her poetry. InDonald E. Thackreys essay The Communication of the Word, he talks about how thepower of the individual word, in particular, seems to have inspired her with nothing lessthan reverence (Thackrey 51). Dickinson approached her poetry inductively, that is, shecombined words to arrive at whatever conclusion the patterns of the words suggested,rather than starting out with a specific theme or message. Instead of purposefully workingtoward a final philosophical point, Dickinson preferred to use series of staccatoinspirations (Thackrey 51). Dickinson frequently used words with weight in her work,and as a result her works usually cannot be grasped fully in one reading withoutdissecting each word individually. Often Dickinson would compile large, alternativeword lists for a poetry before she would come to a decision on which word was justright for the impact she wished to achieve (Thackrey 52). For example, this poemdisplays Dickinsons use of alternative, thesaurus-like lists:Had but the tale a thrilling, typic,hearty, bonnie, breathless, spacious,tropic, warbling, ardent, friendly,magic, pungent, winning, mellowtellerAll the boys would come?Orpheuss sermon captivated,It did not condemn. Eventually, Dickinson came to rest on the word warbling, but one can see themeticulous care that she put into the decision on which word to use. Another poem ofDickinsons that shows her compositional method is Shall I Take Thee? the Poet Said. In this poem, Dickinson discusses from where the power of the world comes. Shall I take thee? the poet saidTo the propounded word. Be stationed with the candidatesTill I have further tried. The poet probed philologyAnd when about to ringFor the suspended candidate,There came unsummoned inThat portion of the visionThe word applied to fill. Not unto nominationThe cherubim reveal. In the preceding poem, one can see the artistic style come through her composition. Thebest representation of that particular idea comes from the author Donald Thackrey whenhe says, It is significant that the revealed word comes unsummoned in a flash ofintuition.and yet the implication of the poem is that the revealing of the word must bepreceded by the preparatory, conscious, rational effort of probing philologyShe herself was well aware that inspiration, while all-sufficient when present,seldom came even to a great poet(Thackrey 53).Emily regarded the words she used asliving entities that could have being, growth, and immortality (Thackrey 54). Thisattitude toward language comes through clearly in the following six-line poem about thenature of the word. Child development EssayDickinson artistically shows the sunset in terms of house cleaning (McNaughton36). The themes of domestic life and housewifery are displayed in the preceding poem. Only somebody with the observational powers and original creativity like EmilyDickinson could see something so unique and refreshing in a sunset. Dickinson also sawnature as a true friend most likely because of her time spent alone with it. She describesnature as a show to which she has gained admission. Dickinson saw friendship andentertainment in the world of trees, bees, and anthills. The Bee is not Afraid of Me is anexcellent example of Dickinsons communion with nature. The bee is not afraid of me,I know the butterfly;The pretty people in the woodsReceive me cordially. The brooks laugh louder when I come,The breezes madder play. Wherefore, mine eyes, thy silver mists?Wherefore, O summers day?Also, consider the minute detail that Dickinson pays the world of bugs and insects. Convicted could we beOf our Minutiae,The smallest citizen that fliesHas more integrity. And part of another poem:And then he drank a dewFrom a convenient grass,And then hopped sidewise to the wallAnd let a beetle pass. Each of the previous four lines creates images and scenes from a kind of miniaturepainting that Dickinson works to create (McNaughton 39). More is achieved through theuse of precise description than could be done by examining the philosophical aspectsbehind a nature. Dickinson always felt as if she were one of them, the creatures of nature,and she felt more at ease with her world of crickets, dew, and butterflies. Even thoughspending life as a recluse seems like undesirable to most people, our world owes a debt ofgratitude to Emily Dickinson for the way she introduced us to her world of nature in sucha different and special way. It is quite obvious that if anyone portrays American poetry, Emily Dickinsondoes. Not only did she blend as an American poet in the Age of Expansion, but she stoodout with her own originality. She was able to stand out as a brilliant woman in a unsteadyand chauvinist time in American History. Emily Dickinsons works have been a modelfor perfection and originality of American poetry for many years and are showing nosigns of ever fading away. Works CitedMcNaughton, Ruth E. The Imagery of Emily Dickinson. University ofLincoln, Nebraska, 1949. Morris, Adalaide. The Love of Thee?a Prism Be. Feminist Critics ReadEmily Dickinson. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983. 98-113. Perkins, George and Barbara Perkins. The American Tradition inLiterature.Boston: McGraw Hill College, 1999. Thackrey, Donald E. The Communication of the Word. Emily Dickinson:A Collection of Critical Essays. Sewall. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall,1963. 51-69. BibliographyWorks CitedMcNaughton, Ruth E. The Imagery of Emily Dickinson. University ofLincoln, Nebraska, 1949. Morris, Adalaide. The Love of Thee?a Prism Be. Feminist Critics ReadEmily Dickinson. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983. 98-113. Perkins, George and Barbara Perkins. The American Tradition inLiterature.Boston: McGraw Hill College, 1999. Thackrey, Donald E. The Communication of the Word. Emily Dickinson:A Collection of Critical Essays. Sewall. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall,1963. 51-69.