(
7
)
C H A P T E R - I
The Themes of Emily
The main
begins
with
novelty
a
of h e r
effort
detailed
study
treatment
of
Looking
back
just
the
old
New
puritan's
sense
of
grace
on
literary
approach
aim
to h i s
being
to
imagination.
children
set
forth
Though
that
Dickinson
concurrent
two
England
and
materials
her
Emily
from
themes,
as a r e b e l
focussing
t h e conventional
poet,
upon
point
the
of
view
contemporaries.
Dickinson
imposed
of
them not o n l y
but also f r o m those of h e r
limits
at e s t a b l i s h i n g
Dickinson
centuries
Church
beauty
from
provides
expressed
compositions
too
birth
enough
in
;
the
simple
the
style
evidence
glory
of
Cod
and
a poet,
Anne
Bradstreet
not
to
wanted
of
the
There
of
artist,
the
were
his
to s o c i e t y ,
indulge
to
Emily
forms.
and h i s medium/which must be useful
the
of
in
make
it
the
the
artists'
clear
to
her
:
"
I have
d e c l a r e the t r u t h ,
Deep
not
studied
not to set f o r t h
into
in t h i s
myself
t h e nineteenth
you
read to show my s k i l l ,
but t h e g l o r y
century
the old
of Cod
but
to
".
ideas and o p i n i o n s
clung
to t h e new n a t i o n .
Whitman
Leaves
of
literature
new
Cr£ss
while
that
the
observes
"
the
life
l i f e of t h e new f o r m s .
T'.
again
the
old
the
slough
which
opening
still
served
its
of
sticks
his
to
1855
opinion
requirements
Preface
and
has
to
the
manners
and
passed
into
the
"
The conventional
stating
in
poet
conceptions
of W h i t m a n ' s
from
abroad
day
and
took t h e easy
affirming
The wj|r^.§ of Anne B r a d s t r e e t , edT. Jeannine Hens ley
Chuset'ts ; Harvand U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s ,
1967) p . 240.
anew
way out of
the
(Cambridge,
outworn
Massa-
(
8
)
affirmations of the past. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's " A Psalm
of
Life
"
disturbed
nobody's
comfortable
remained snug and safe by s t r i c t l y
beliefs.
Walt
Whitman could
have
cdd'hering to the sentimental verses like "
0 Captain, My Captain, " Which proved so popular during that time. But his
choice was d e l i b e r a t e . Like Emily Dickinson he chose to look deeply into his
own nature, to make profound discoveries of the self and s p i r i t
For Emily Dickinson too,
poetry
probing and questioning of her
-
"
Life as it
poems,
to
Dickinson,
live
by
the
orthodox
religion
doctrinal
aspect
accept
reading
images
involved
is less a form of self expression then a
inner l i f e , her soul. Infact her grand theme is
in her
life
Her empire
one over which she has total dominion - her soul. "
Emily
late
is
the
and
of
of
immortality,
of
the
Bible
many
of
morality,
dogmas,
a Puritan
Emily
New Ei'nglander,
Inspite
of her great
reverence
not
She could neither
reject
outright
her
with
poems. Her
she
struggled
her various
principal
conform
with
are
subject
death
faith.
and
of
death,
Perhaps the greatest
her
thematic
therefore
death,
almost
to
the
as thirteen
point
when
of
she
obsession.
lost
one of
Her
experience
her
dear
of
friends.
influence on her response to death was the death of her
For
her
"
a
friend
without
a
corporeal
frame
means
".
By
the closing
years of
her
life
Emily
the death of her close and dear ones», her f a t h e r ' s
2.
with
Benjamin Franklin N:,ewton. She talks of him as a friend who taught
immortality.
immortality
The
love and nature.
came as early
preceptor
the
finally
Emily Dickinson's poems strongly suggest her pre-occupation
the
for
to
nor
her
structures
themes
in the
was born too
could
along
is,
2
Dickinson
all
inspired
her
of
Puritanism.
Puritanism.
religious
of
descendant
laws
there.
Dickinson
death
had
witnessed
in ISZ^*, followed
The Continuity of American Poetry by Roy Harvey Pearce. Princeton
New Jersey University Press, 1961. "American Rennaisance" p. 82.
(
by
the
death
of
Samuel
Wadsworth's
and
her to w r i t e
to h e r cousin
"
her
Bowles
mother's
of
abstract
light
idea
the
various
also
one
is
for
fact
that
has
presented
the
state
to
another
to t a l k
wholly
Emily
She
-
years
followed
in
about
personified
of
death
from
it
of
her
has
death
as
as t h e
actual
for
quick
death
consciousness
led
the
it tires
reflections
is
death
not
of
and
the
merely
an
brings
death
lover.
of t h e d i s c a r n a t e
to
me."
on
poems
subject
a gentleman
passing
Charles
succession,
is t h a t
Her
various
treated
Rev.
three^^,
freely.
philosophical,
Dickinson
later
of so many y e a r s
An ennumeration
lines.
world
which
of t h e s o r r o w
not
her.
Four
in t h e y e a r ninteen e i g h t y
The C r i s i s
death
)
1878^
death
She was close enough to d e a t h
subject
in
9
to
along
She
mind
t h e consciousness
3
has
from
of
the
dead.
Above
raised problematic
In
all,
questions
the
poem,
humanized
and
made
level
poem
is
the
in a s i n g l e
to
its
"Because
an e x c e l l e n t
obvious
theme
I
like
of
Could
death
was s c a r c e l y v i s i b l e
of
which
interpretation
"
Not
a gentleman-
example
journey,
by a k i n d gentleman who
The roof
the
such as of t h e a f t e r w o r l d
behave
image a b r i d a l
In
a lady
through
For
lover.
poem
is
taken away
seemed
has
death.
Death".^ death
On
the
conceit
in f a c t t h e f u n e r a l
the
House t h a t
Dickinson
and l i f e a f t e r
a metaphysical
is
is f i n a l l y
Stop
Emily
simply
is
descriptive
describing
procession.
the
courting
of
in a coach to a
/ A s w e l l i n g of t h e g r o u n d / .
"
3.
The Letters of Emily Dickinson, 3 \Jo\s.
e d . Thomas H. Johnson and
Theodora W a r d . ( C a m b r i d g e : H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y Press , 1958)
In subsequent c h a p t e r s , E m i l y D i c k i n s o n ' s l e t t e r s w i l l be r e f f e r e d to b y
t h e volume number to be f o l l o w e d by t h e page number.
U.
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, ed b y Thomas H. Johnson London
: Faber and Faber ; 3 Queen Square, - 1970. A l l r e f e r e n c e s to E m i l y
D i c k i n s o n ' s poems are from t h i s e d i t i o n i n d i c a t e d as ' J ' f o l l o w e d by the
number of t h e poem q u o t e d .
(
At
a
deeper
themes
of
death.
describes
children
in h e r
level
her
objectified
agony.
bestowed
journey
towards
through
this
poem
of
the
its
the
the
actually
picturesque
details
-
vision
the
the
of
dead
the
woman,
school
and
the
sun as she sees passing
by
figure
on t h e poem t h a t
of
the
genteel
-
" The t e r r o r
of death
driver
5
,"
word
'kindly'
suggests
how
lines
great
impart
is
no
regret
the
nor
narrator
any
was
sense
busy
of
a
a sense of
her
is
terror
has
been
premonition,
Death.
doubt.
with
favour
is
Before
life's
the
tasks,
journey
but
now
I had put away
The
third
/ My
labour and my
/ For His c i v i l i t y
and
the
fourth
and I m m o r t a l i t y
. "
The
are
travellers
Emily
Immortality.
Dickinson
She
and t h e s e l f
Myself
of
103)
the
poem
state
t h e number
of
just ourselves
the
narrator,
particular
distinguishes
-
the
about
the
coachman
such
three
(Death)
terms
terms
as
-
and
Eternity
Eternity,
:
" B e h i n d me - d i p s
Before me -
(J.
them.
is v e r y
clearly
"
lines
in t h e coach and i d e n t i f i e s
" The c a r r i a g e h e l d but
5.
unified
obviously
and also t h e s e t t i n g
remark
Leisure too,
Immortality
an
had been i n f o r m e d about t h e visii'^or.- -
started
"
and
poem,
n a r r a t o r , "yhe opening
There
Immortality.
presents
The n a r r a t o r ' s v o i c e does not at any p o i n t seem to r e v e a l
upon
passengers
all
)
eternity.
Tate's
Infact
she d e c l a r e s
in
the f i e l d s ,
as i f t h e n a r r a t o r
had
the
narrator
Allen
questionable.
or
meaning
The
playing,
journey
of
10
Eternity
-
Immortality
- t h e t e r m between
;"
( J . 721)
Emjjiy Dickinson : A Collection of C r i t i c a l Essays e d . R i c h a r d B,
Englewood C l i f f s : P r e n t i c e H a l l , I n c , 1963.
" E m i l y oickinson (1932), Allen Tate".
Sewall.
(
Both
opinion that
Richard
essence
Dickinson's
of
light
in
the
death
does
attitude
not
is but a s t o i c
a sense of
is
two
leads
poem
we
Hers
is
the
her
of
She
the
describes
no
(as
fact
that
Imortality
place
poet
a part
as
the
In
'Terror
is k e e n l y
the
Emily
soul.
of an e s c a p i s t
Dickinson
the
attitude.
immortal
finds
is
theological
Dickinson's
'terror'
bisection
to accept
the
non-conformist
Emily
Emily
soul
enough,
within
not t h e a t t i t u d e
-
the
of
in
her
;
hers
aware of
calls
it
)
of o n e ' s
divided
in
self
part
of
reach
the
that
the
first
part
the
self.
mortal
Slowly
However,
the
self,
frame".
mortal
to
of
immortal
entities
corporeal
death
find
experiences
and
her
about
because
without
separate
through
fast
of
the
journey.
Suprisingly
contained
of
-
pass
the
well
remark
a feeling
mortal.
theology
oersonality.
inspite
good,
death.
"Mind
The
Christian
acceptance of d e a t h .
which
certainly
the body
human
Tate's
division,
Anderson a r e
can best be e x p l a i n e d as t h e
hold
towards
the mind
the
Christianity,
Allen
R.
in t h e poem is t h e end of t h e
to
"Immortality'
)
and C h a r l e s
ideas about d e a t h are
framework
this
Chase
"Immortality"
According
immortal
n
state
of
ending
and l e i s u r e l y
of
the
is
evolved
and
poem
As
we
to
imaginative
stanzas
the
immortal
relates
the journey
by
the
eternity.
in t h e
in t h e succeeding
quickness
body
soul
read
the
the
visual
sensations
of
proceeds.
t h e movement
alliteration
of
becomes
the
word"
passed".
" T h e coach passed t h e s c h o o l , w h e r e c h i l d r e n
.
.
.
.
Passed t h e f i e l d s
.
.
.
.
Passed t h e s e t t i n g s u n " .
The
to r e p r e s e n t ,
beginning,
respectively
the
prime
completeness
of
juncture
when
tina
images of c h i l d ,
sun" t h e
life
and
the
The
end.
"setting
the
103)
stages of
sun"
means t h e end of
narrator
in
(J.
g r a i n and sun are s i g n i f i c a n t l y
progressive
the
shift
of gazing g r a i n
the three
and o b v i o u s l y
strove
narrator's_
l i f e - M;- the
symbolizes
life.
passess
used
It
the
is at
this
the
consciousness, f r o m
"Setr
.
one
(
world
to
Tine
another
ordinary
starts.
is
swelling
t h e ground
visual
impact
narrator's
the
day
failed
the
at
its
clear
and
and
to
narrator
keep
consciousness
of h e r memory
feels
the
that
is " s h o r t e r
"
the cornice
the
out
of
towards
worldly
the
than t h e
Dickinson's
fly.
The
theme
scepticism
fly
of
about
becomes
the
of
time.
between
imagination.
consciousness.
grave
in
the
It
poem
we
has
been
but
her
Her
terms
of
" makes
find
that
'centuries'
a
the
the
since
consciousness
has
Time has s t o p p e d f o r h e r
and
her
burial
and t h e
picking
up
Day".
death
buzz
reaches
when I d i e d ,
"
a
dimension.
different
l i f e after death enters
the
to
in t h e ground
Eternity
In t h e poem " I h e a r d a f l y
The
end
calendar.
time
way
mythopoeic
describes
By
placed
travelled
into
now g i v e s
she
line
lasting.
account of
perception
when
the
is
)
changes
best
consciousness
the
sense
consciousness
imagination
of
Mer
12
dominant
factor
( J.
465 )
Emily
t h e poem in t h e f o r m of a
against
which
the
speaker
is
narrator
is
struggling.
reminiscing
to t h e
The
poem
about
a past
" stillness
is
"
familiar
experience.
in t h e
speaks f r o m t h e p r e s e n t
a
room
" filled
she can o n l y
whole
event of d e a t h . The
experience
'fly'
with
recall
the bereaved
death.
Just
The f l y
means
is
a
mental
" then
it
signifies
of
Emily
the
overtones.
Dickinson,
the
worn
out
body
The n a r r a t o r
the
and d y i n g
'Blue
Fly'
and
interposed a f l y
meaning stands f o r d i r t ,
decaying
contrast
voice
of
the
past
had
/ what p o r t i o n of me be /
i t was / t h e r e
in i t s general
in
ones. As the
reconstruction
"
that
stands
that
assignable
It
The
".
has r e l i g i o u s
" signed away
scene.
The buzzing of t h e f l y
I c o u l d not see to see
The
death-bed
situation.
can be
evil
( J.465)
tired
".
brain
( J.465
have
in
explained
mind
accepted
)
and m i s c h i e f .
Keeping
best
)
the
In the poem
scepticism
as t h e e v i l
spirit
(
13
)
coming at t h e moment of d e a t h to t a k e possession of t h e u n b l e s s e d soul of
narrator.
The
fear
she c o u l d not
crisis
is
of
damnation
respond
apparent
to t h e c a l l
here.
questionof an a f t e r
all
thinking
stage
in
of
mental
doubted.
Plato's
of
time
into
launch
the
It
of
is
the
the
the
mind
of
Puritan
faith
and C o d . The
theme
concept of
of
primitive
society.
development
dualism
a neat
soul
of
on
its
at
of
and
death
Emily
which
Dickinson
as
religious
leads
itself
Emily
retain
finite
identity
The
security
of
immortality
prospect
in
which
impossible
SOUIQ,
to
settle
to
the
or
merge
rooted
began
at
the
to
the
collapses
whether
was
pinpoint
with
question
was
death
to
death
which
The
Dickinson
physical
after
tended
eternity.
posed
after
is
survival
and
to
as i m p e r s i s h a b i l i t y
it
soul
body
journey
before
But
which
body
division
immortality
constantly
its
in
world.
The general
in
lingered
the
be
passage
death
to
that
must
have
the
soul
would
with
the
infinite
being.
for
her
a tame
"Heaven q u i t e
insecure"
"The
(J.
first
the
Bible
innocence
and
happiness
something
that
is
given
it
"
Emily
formula
eternal
felt
may
the
regarding
union
with
mean
inadequacy
by
is
the
a "House
Dickinson's
Paradise
symbolized
by
in e x p e r i e n c e .
orthodox
of
belief
is
Supposition"
and
or
the
It
experience
Eden,
unfallen
the
Adam
is a t t a i n a b l e ,
then,
was
that
of
lost
world
and
t h e poet
E\Q',
has
it
is
attained
'
is
intricate
God
or
of
her
h o l d my l i f e f o r me " .
6.
of E/mily
Dickinson
the
paradise
by
696).
fact
whatever
promised
highly
problem
eternal
faith
sceptical
of
immortality
damnation.
to
provide
about
Even
"
as
a Cod
the
-
accepted
as
dogmatic
a future
a girl
so strong
Emiy
life
of
Dickinson
as t h a t
/
To
(J.576).
N o r t h r o p F r y e - Fables of Identity : Studies in Poetic mythology
/ o r k : H a r c o u r t , b r a c e and W o r l d , INC 1963) P . 2 1 1 ,
In subsequent c h a p t e r s any r e f e r e n c e to t h i s book w i l l be c i t e d as
to be f o l l o w e d by t h e cage n u m b e r .
(New
Frye
(
She
Whether
notion
of
is heaven
life
as a v a l l e y
escape
from
childlike
which
notion
of
or
that
not
of
is
In
bluer
and
larger
letter
here
no
Heaven
need
of
here t h i s
other
summer,
He w o u l d t h i n k
purified
and s e l f - f u l f i l l m e n t ,
To
e x p e r i e n c e of
Emily
intimately
idea
of
Dickinson
became f o r
whom
heaven
at
she
however v e r y
the
of
written
late
is
large,
blue
a
in June
letter,
had n e v e r come, and
-
and
if
Cod
1 have seen -
were
had
been
I guess
that
supreme
joy,
".
temporal,
experiencing
h e r e and now.
death
death
is
an
as
abstract
Dickinson's
with
her
regrets
is
an
adventure
an aspect
truth
of
for
of
happiness
her
Death
of
of
reality
the
is
not
on
her
Immortality
are
her
based
of
about
themes
of
as
Though
did
impress
her,
Emily
attitude.
So
poetry
not
non-conformist
Absolute
and
Cod and r e l i g i o n .
means of a s s o c i a t i o n
conceives
sceptical
theme
concept
eternal
the o n l y
The
that
a
death.
of
times
her
things
adopts
immortality.
associated
a
of
conception
is
Heaven
below
the
means
I c o u l d not w a k e n , t h e r e
one
Dickinson,
Immortality
direct
the
only
/
:
in t h e same
whom
the
Holland,
I have seen
amounts to I m m o r t a l i t y
Ettiily
her
Mrs
of
paradise superfluous
Life
dogmatic and nor
than
and seen t h e
his
consciousness,
and t h e r e
Heaven
Dickinson
had not f a d e d , and f r o s t s
one had not f a l l e n
is
She refuses to accept
she w r i t e s
than t h e b i g g e s t
roses
Earth
Emily
to
profile,
"She also w r i t e s
"If
times
six
sketch,
that
and u n h a p o i n e s s ,
At
a
fact
(J.1408).
misery
in t h e y e a r eighteen f i f t y
only
)
"The
"
heaven.
Heaven.
"My
sky,
claims
Heaven
of
summer
even
14
between h e r
Reality.
Emily
soul and God
Dickinson
the P u r i t a n Cod and
faith.
Death
interrelated
and
love
are
the
in
is
Emily
(
Dickinson's
poetry.
So c l o s e l y
exactly
pin
one is
point
involved
of a l y r e ,
the
are
of
thernes"'^flB»i^that
in a n o t h e r .
The themes
Dickinson,
death
Emily
and
themes
love
are
positioned
love
an
and
emblem
immortality.
poems
is d i f f i c u l t
have
their
thou
Bride
of
hallowed
knight
like
the
love and d e a t h ,
becomes
ressurrection
Dickinson's
of
it
to
between each t h e m e , as each
one cannot be touched w i t h o u t d i s t u r b i n g
Emily
life,
the
lines of d e m a r c a t i o n
As to t h e
in
£.
:^i^
lO
1
it
the
strings
others.
can be seen
absorbing
This
is
roots
the
how
in
that
cycle
the
her
of
finest
religious
consciousness.
"Circumsference
be / possessed by e v e r y
That d a r e to covet thee " .
It
personal
and
term
'Awe'
for
has
poet
heaven
mortal
is
this
abdicated
the
offered
her
constitute
immortal
in
her
even
Trinity.
reject
centred
the
after
But
in t h e
lovers
Cod
her
is
and
courts
lover,
ceased.
god,
yet
she
calls
;
her
death
and
could
them.
the
attains
this
principles
themselves.
idea
and
shalt
not
bridegroom.
it
the
abandoned
and
remain
in C h r i s t i a n
and
theology
Puritanism
ideas and emotions
that
the
in
poems,
conception
the
soul
that
remains
person
Emily
of
to
after
altogether
with
her
takes
only
she
The
Cod to whom
soul,
oneness
her
-
Christianity
notion
Dickinson's
'circumference'
possible
Though
- a m i x t u r e of
specially
the
the
to t h e concept of T r i n i t y
as she
Emily
consciousness
has
expressing
theological
bride
earth
ingredients
poetry
'Awe'
between
a greater
with
Host'
valuable
by
union
the
that
the
virgin.
hostile
'Celestial
to
a
Puritan
uncompromisingly
or
the
her
thou
( J . 1620)
relationship
equated
like
on
the
The
possessed
is
existence
recalled
Cod.
responds
-
be
been
'circumference'
the
can
Awe/Possessing
of
Cod
Dickinson
Immortality
is
(
"These F l e s h l e s s
A Heaven
16
)
L o v e r s met
in a gaze
-
A Heaven of Heavens - t h e
of one a n o t h e r ' s
Eyes".
The Pt3.radise or
lovers
separated
Certain
other
immortality
on
earth
poems
which
deal
would
the
625)
is t h e p l a c e of u n i f i c a t i o n
severity
with
the
enable
privilege
( J.
Heaven
by
-
the
of
moral
possibility
lovers
to
and
of
meet
a
in
for
Social
laws.
knowledge
the
the
of
post-mortal
life.
Emily
lover,
with
the
a Him
lover
"Dim
in
Dickinson's
companion"
Eternity.
brings
The
love
of
her
other
experience
sou!
fact
about a Conversion
-
is
and
also
that,
in h e r
recognises
Cod
establishes
in the union
which
is b o t h
as
union
with
Cod
emotional
and
physical .
In
(J.506)
Christ
upon t h e
the
the
lover's
lover
breast
The
physical
touch
lover
in
contrast
flows
towards
expanse,
lover,
so
poem
"
He
touches
finds
"
experience
but
also
to
the
the
touched
the
the
of
narrator,
the
puniness
of
the
its
lose
her
Or b r u s h e d a Royal
Cown
already
"
the
poem
stepped
"
into
I
know",
latter
identity
air
not
Just
in i t s
in
the
(
groping
"(1.4)
merely
the
of
as t h e
( sea )
profoundly
the
stream
limitless
person
of
the
:
before.
-
-
face - t r a n s f i g u r e d now
To tenderer; Renown " In
to
expansi»/eness
t o o , t h a t had wandered so
My C y p s y
the
is
narrator.
from
I breathed superior
My f e e t ,
I'ue
and
the
identity
"And now I am d i f f e r e n t
has
of
and t h i s e x p e r i e n c e has changed h e r
As i f
I
narrator
realisation
narrator
so
i t was a boundless p l a c e
t h e sea to submerge
does
me,
-
-
( J . 506 )
am a l i v e
immortality".
-
I guess
The
-
",
speaker
the
is
narrator
immensely
(
17
)
happy for being not merely a l i v e but
"Alive
-
Twofold
The B i r t h
and t h i s
I had
- besides,
in - Thee
;"
(J.470
she has now become one w i t h God and has a t t a i n e d
Emily
Puritan
when
age
God and
she
of
could
continued
and
not
Emily
soul.
But
individual
God
to
over
the
all
without
is
declared
often
other
her
as
of
her
things.
of
She
though
God.
struggle
sceptical
by
school
"standing
The
plagued
towards
her
call
herself
of being
life,
attitude
the
".
integrity
immortality.
early
answer
Inspite
was v e r y
in
as
careless
life.
was
There
poems
herself
throughout
she f e e l s ,
reflected
very
her
faith
uncompromising
Dickinson
growing
triimphed
Puritan
nothing,
Emily
Dickinson
her
was
bring
throughout
life,
the
theology
seventeen
rebellion,
Dickinson's
1.27,28 )
the
days,
At
the
alone
for
about
in
faith
an
after
idea of a damned
own mind
remained
she
the
and
so
her
a critic
would
have
of
been
Cod.
a sense
of
regret
expressed
in
several
of
her
:
"Those-dying
then.
Knew - w h e r e t h e y
They
went
-
went to C o d ' s R i g h t Hand
-
That Hand is amputated now
And God cannot be found " .
Cod
with
this
Her mood
together
parody
is
'Absolute
her
an'
Reality',
is g e n e r a l l y
with
to
a kind
of the L o r d ' s
she v e r y
surcharged
of c h i l d l i k e
Prayer
;
O'erpowered
by
often
wears
and
innocence. T h i s
t h e cat
;
kingdom
while
t h e mask
w i t h a m i x t u r e of w i t ,
/ r e g a r d a mouse
in t h y
1551 )
Reality'
:
"Papa above
Reserve w i t h
Absolute
{ J.
dealing
ofachild.
humour,
is d i s c e r n i b l e
irony
in
her
(
18
)
A 'Mansion' for the Rat
Snug in seraphic
To n i b b l e a l l
cupboards
the
day.
W h i l e unsuspecting
V»fheel solemnly
The
poem
charge
"
I
never
against
lost
;"
cycles
away
as
Providence
; "
much
for
(J.61)
but
twice"
stealing
is
away
Emily
from
Dickinson's
the
already
impoverished.
The
loss of h e r
loved
ones f o r c e s an e x c l a m a t i o n f r o m her w h i c h
much a,? accusation as a plea
"
:
t w i c e have
I stood a beggar
b e f o r e t h e d o o r of Cod
Angel - t w i c e
; Banker
-
- Father
I am poor once more
Behind
Absolute R e a l i t y ' ,
this
playful
there
is
a
a b i d i n g f a i t h as she ( E m i l y
"
;
descending
Reimbursed my s t o r e
Burglar
;
; "
and
(J.
clear-cut
Dickinson)
all
was Cod
and
night
and
; fascinated
letters.
(J,201)
Biblical
The
myth
defeats
her
poem
it,
remarks
in
Two
is a r e f e r e n c e to t h i s
"Two Swimmers
Swimmers
Biblical
Myth
; the other
The s t r a y
ships -
Spied a face
-
one :
passing
sincere
trust
'
and
I am not
wrestles
refers
to i t
wrestled
on
-
to t h e
land
with
discovers
-
-
When one - t u r n e d s m i l i n g
Oh Cod
who
w r e s t l e d on t h e s p a r
Until'^' t h e morning sun
but
morning
and she f r e q u e n t l y
"
of
this
."
Jacob
the
towards
in 1848 :
of C h r i s t ,
about
and
attitude
manifestation
t h o u g h t l e s s on so i m p o r t a n t a s u b j e c t
The
angel
49)
sporting
I have not y e t g i v e n up to t h e c l a i m s
entirely
is as
-
that
in h e r
the
an
spar
it
poems
"
-
(
Upon t h e water
swimmers
swimmers
And b a n d s
- beseeching
the
and
the
the B i b l i c a l
Jacob.
herself.
This
(Jacob
the
poem
and
In
the
;
Qod
figure,
the
superior
matter
;-
'
is
a
Man
who
(J.
506).
The
poet
her
relationship
been
whose
She
various
with
Through
religion,
Cod and
religion
her
an e x p e r i e n c e
belonging
to feel
to
Cod
of
-
on
with
and
the
final
Dickinson
to
bless
Emily
is
and
calls
the
the
poet
she
is
greater
Jacob,
technique
Dickinson
suceeds
or
Cod
His presence w i t h h e r
is f o r
her
who
He does
not
Dim
poems
}
her
and
1620)
in
to
-
presenting
in making
She must feel
m i n d , and
love
lover
as
the
mind
and
(J.275).
concretize
like
that
of
t h e theme
of
to t h e s u n .
a sacrament.
whole b o d y ,
projects
Companion"
and she f o r
a
own
as t h e
(J,
daisy
of
her
Cod
and metaphors
of
visualises
unanswered.
consciousness
unique
a ritual
Jacob
projects
transformed
"My
images
t h e consciousness.
what
several
to t h e b r i d e g r o o m ,
just
her
changes
destiny
Dickinson
in
Him
symbols,
her
not
for
projected
her
Cod or
Emily
is
Emily
bride
also
the sea to t h e moon, b r i d e
Cod and
God
touches
employs
the
covey
in w h i c h t h e poet
reflection
enough,
He has
Awe'
where
conveniently
may be u n - b l e s s e d and t h e r e f o r e
Surprisingly
synonymous.
introduced
to
victorious
the situation
a non-believer.
is
herself
is
refusing
are
are
background
quite
identifies
poem
poem
prayers
Angel)
the
she
position
that her
(J,201)
intention
it
fear
the
in
person who d e f i e s -God. T h r o u g h
as
; "
-
one.
Dickinson
the
- thrown
Dickinson's
is e x a c t l y
Literaiy
begging r a i s e d
introduced
into a p o e t i c
faith.
still
morning.
through
myth
with
is
Emily
Emily
bless
sea
wrestled until
feelings
wrestles
wrestlers
}
-
in d e a t h -
Since
personal
borne
With ,eyes
Here
as
19
it
clear
that
Cod must be
a total
Him.
soul.
She
her
for
sense of
expects
(
Bible
deals
'Centre'
to i t .
This
is
with
the
for her
It
what
20
she
centre
)
indicates
and
her
when
she
business
announces
is
"The
circumference".
is the doctrinal aspect of religion and she feels alien
is Emily
Dickinson's mythopoe';ic
imagination that creates for
her the world of circumference - it is the metaphor through which she
describes
her
the a c t i v i t y
consciousness
of the consciousness.
she
finds
her
Cod
In this
and
innermost part of
Heaven.
Through
the
experience of her circumference she reaches Paradise.
Perhaps
the
most
recurrent
theme
in
Emily
Dickinson,
next to the theme of Death and Immortality,
is Nature. Nature was the
most
poets
popular
subject
picked
up
by
the
of
the
1860's.
It
continued from Blake and Wordsworth in England to Emerson in America.
The theme was exhaustively e x p l o r e d .
To Wordsworth
will,
Nature
was an expression
a 'guide, friend and p h i l o s o p h e r ' ;
the
poet
philosophised
different
perhaps
about
the
Nature.
and unique.
Her's
varied
that
a
single
to
treatment
approach,
around i t .
definition
Divine
is
In America, Emerson
Wordsworth.
Dickinson's
is a fresh
nature nor evolves a philosophy
so
closest
Emily
the
a cure of the evils of c i v i l i -
zation, and also a means of glimpsing i m m o r t a l i t y .
was
of
They
of
all
Nature
she never
is
idealizes
Her treatment of Nature is
inadequate
to
describe
her
attitude towards Nature.
In
most
of
her
minor
poems,
she
like
Wordsworth,
declares the existence of a mystical bond between Nature and man.
"Several of Nature's People/ I know, and they know me/
I feel for them a transport of c o r d i a l i t y
"(J.985)
Unlike her Puritan heritage, she does not see
Nature as a stern
preceptor.
humorous and f r i e n d l y .
At times her
attitude
towards Nature
It is in sheer delight and m i r t h she writes :
is
(
"
In
the
t h e B r e e z e , Amen ; "
Yet
and
close
to t h e
(J.
in
of
)
the
Bee
with
other
nature
They
startled,
Of My
is
of
her
and
minute
description
her
Nature
is t h a t
wisdom
what
we
of
her
Birds
and
between
winter
know/yet
of
and
all
"-
take
leaf".
and
a
The
she
her
(J.
the b i r d s
backward
look".
whole
appeals
process
to
it,
as
of Nature v i s u a l l y
"Thy
Thy
can
be t e r m e d
poem
/
moods.
order
For
and so
so impotfan't
our
is
mood
as r e f l e c t i v e
"These
beautifully
sky
are
the
described
the
days
transition
as
poems
when
period
'fraud'
as
it
of June "
as w e l l
As
of
wishes
the
to
"
(J.
air
alters
of
nature
Permit
a
to a p p r e c i a t e
"softly/Hurries
partake
consecrated b r e a d to
take
wine
;"
(J.
timid
to
the
poet
join"
in
this
is
sacred
child
to
t h e r e f o r e she p l e a d s
130)
:
fly'
a
t h e beauty of e v e r y
s a c r e d emblems to
immortal
130)
as t h e poet and a few b i r d s
renewal
and p h y s i c a l l y ,
And t h i n e
and
to a h i g h e r
to say
appreciation
668),
The
The
Nature
The poet
excellent
subtleties
belonging
130),^ d e s c r i b e s
cheats
'communion*.
unsure
Nature poems e x p r e s s i n g a c e r t a i n
to
spring.
an
h a v e no a r t
writing.
(J.
are
" a b l u e and a g o l d m i s t a k e . "
to
She becomes
friendly
835),
in
of c r e a t i o n
reactions
stage
back"
'fraud'
Dickinson's
know
poems
Nature
resumes t h e " Old s o p h i s t r i e s
The
of
Executors
nature
Dickinson's
her
early
come
Emily
reversed.
"y ( J.
simplicity
Emily
nature,
of
part
is / To h e r
of
ButterfI'^/TArid
knew me
like
identity
Most
is
the
of Nature :
Yet b o t h so w e l l
"Nature
And of
poems
" N a t u r e and God-I n e i t h e r
:
/
18)
certain
association
identity
name
21
object
(
The
same
summer
"
mood
than
is
the
persistent
Birds
",
22
in
(J.
several
1068)
"
other
There
poems
like
"Further
is a morn b y
in
men unseen
( J . 24)
Towards
Nature
poems
Bobolinks,
seem
to
sleeps
far
the
morning
unseen
is as
if
presence",
"A
the s p i r i t
itself
'madness'
in
the
mind even t h e a w f u l
in
poem
the
terrifying
is
"
by
mind.
towards
Tell
example
person questions
me
what
time
She even
:
the
asks
stage a d i r e c t
and ecstasy
leads
;".
has been v i s i t e d
"Intellectual
by
Shelly's
Beauty",
when
in
of
(J.
she
nature.
1333)
finds
In
such
is
tiring,
ecstatic
and
state
of
moods of nature c r e a t e an emotional
intense
early
the king"
ecstasy^
and t e r r i f y i n g
started
spring
and v i v i d .
took
my
The e x p e r i e n c e
Dog",
{J.520)
is
record
of
recorded
one
such
experience.
On
walk
mystical
an e x c e l l e n t
we c o u l d feel
in t h e
beauties
at ,-: once
I
the
l i k e an O r a c l e .
l i t t l e Madness
This
which
is
-
of t h e
like
with
of b l u e " * ; " ' (J.128)
Dickinson
Is wholesome even f o r
turmoil
now
an i n s p i r e d
leaps
images,
in a c u p . She f e e l s at t h i s
Emily
i n s p i r e d and t a l k s
expresses
is
Dickinson's
abstract.
a cup"
like
: "And Awe - was a l l
It
she is
concern
Emily
N a t u r e . Such moments of e x h i l a r a t i o n ,
to p r o c l a i m
"awful,
concrete
in
who spun t h e b r e a t h s
with
such
Her
sunset
t h e sunset to be b r o u g h t
communion
career,
of
a b s t r a c t i o n . Fhere, t h e poet
weaver
her
less
Sky and Sea.
me t h e
"How
for
contain
poetic
images and s y m b o l s used are
"Bring
of t h i s
t h e end of h e r
Bee, B i r d ,
ideas and so t h e
of
)
the
its
literal
sea s h o r e
with
level
her
the
dog.
As
she
stands
"Aground
her.
The
sea
personified
is
poem
is
She is
upon
the
here
a
in a most
sands"
first
as
the
a
the
poets
relaxed
state
sea
'Tide'
advance
then
as
{
He' .
23
)
Gradually
"the tide/went
past my s i m p l e shoe
And past my Apron - And My
And past my B o d d i c e - too
With t h i s
experience the narrator
physically.
Soon
the
narrator
faces
She
of
which
she
is
by
the
just
a
Dew/upon
a Dandelions
her
she
escapes
The
line
but
advances.
t h e beauty
of t h e
"I
expanse
puny,
'His'
'He'
in
t h e sea is seen w i t h d r a w i n g
.
fragile
allegiance
the
of
tiny
the
incidents
drama
Immortality,
outside
of
her
rebellious
backdrop
-
trying
look
as
to
court
resisting
her
appreciation
In t h e
a
'His'
last
of
stanza
-
-"
conception
of
nature
and roses of h e r
owes
its
g a r d e n , Simi l a r l y
formed
the
life
she
constructed
in
poems,
like
Death
and
and
suffering,
love
What
was
was
outside
the outside w o r l d
is
poems.
my
letter
Her
poems
claim
to
that
her
and
her
is h e r
the
the
orbit.
Her
only
(J.441)
feelings
is
and
educated
Americans
because t h e poet d e v i a t e d
'genteel
writing
electric',
his
-
time
such
by
ideas
which
form
of
what
she
reflect
a
work.
W h i t m a n ' s t i m e found h i m repy.gnant
of
basis
poetry.
her
at
-
separation.
world",
mirror
mind and a unique p e r s o n a l i t y
'body
"
in
aspect.
of
world,
Critics
the
-".
private
with
tradition'
- too
exclusively
'circumference'
her
the
her
"This
of
as
in
ecstasy
communication
says
whole
to t h e bees and b o b o l i n k s
and
:
At me - The sea w i t h d r e w
Dickinson's
as i f
reveal
terrifying
the
creature
her
heel"
terror
I started
succeeds
"And bowing - w i t h a M i g h t y
Emily
then
sea against
and
in degrees
agonising
/And
the
silver
its
of
follows
grip
his
sea even
.
helpless,
sleeve".
felt
-".
a kind
.
terrorised
Belt
in t h e poem is moved e m o t i o n a l l y
sea "made as He w o u l d eat me up
is
-
unabashedly
were
about
taboo
of
Walt
from
the
sex
and
during
that
(
period.
to
a
Emily
dickinson
lesser
degree
than
her
choice
of themes and s t y l e .
religion.
time.
Nor
scheme,
or
amorous
nature
contemporary
Emily
did
poetic
may
had
She never
she
stick
to
of
Whitman's
life.
;
Dickinson
language
of
)
inave been u n a c c e p t a b l e
Whitman
during
or
life
too
24
her
poems
defied
w r o t e about t h e conventional
Cod
the
her
traditional
time.
writing
metre
Whereas
debased
the
claims
techniques
limelight,
ran
fame she earned
to-day,
is
the
poet,
the
very
enigmatic
discovering
her
range
her
That
she
and
is
convinced
The
her
critics,
religious
of
her
that
poetry
that
of
sleeps at my
poet,
modern
the
and
failed
reach
the
to
utmost
to
was t h e o n l y
baffle
her
Critics
to
which
have f a i l e d
her
a specific
called
transcendental
Recognising
critics
she is
a
have
fully
place
in
metaphysical
poet,
the
to
read
establishes
novelty
made
of
the
claims
of
Dickinson
never
had
see
kept
the
her
light
poems
hidden
of
the
day
;
she c o n f i n e d
her
poems,
to
impress
her,
writing
precious.
secrecy
of
with
alive.The
her.
would
more
with
thought
she
assign
imagination.
they
clarification
nor
decency
Dickinson's
simultaneously
h e r and of r e s t o r i n g
a distinct
and
Myself)
Emily
modernity.
a poet
themes,
makes h e r poems a l l
is
erotic
:
and t h e d e l i g h t
The f a c t Qnat E m i l y
fully
(Song of
time
enough of h e r
poet,
of
"
rhyme
through
because
posthumsously
genre.
mystical
treatment
of
so m y s t e r i o u s
literary
the
and
as acceptance and r e c o g n i t i o n when she was
proof
appreciate
....
precisely
ahead
as w e l l
only
and w i t h d r a w s at t h e peep of t h e d a y
tread,
was
published
her
side
It
been
tradition
"As t h e hugging and l o v i n g b e d - f e l l o w s
stealthy
decidedly
in
The poet o u t r a g e o u s l y
the n i g h t ,
but
the
with
point
readers
which
that
with
means of communication
she
her
wrote
wit.
not
For
between h e r
inner soul
and
{
the
outside
perceived
world,
and
what
25
she
)
wrote
was
the ultimate
truth
as
she
it.
To quote R i c h a r d
"
experience,
Wilbur
-
The poems of E m i l y
motivated
by an a r r o g a n t
D i c k i n s o n are a continual
passion f o r t h e t r u t h ,
appeal
to
'Truth
is
o
so r a r e a t h i n g ' , she once s a i d ,
'it
is d e l i g h t f u l
In t h e
process,
the
Christian
short
of
Dickinson
personal
when
her
did
need
not
terms
to
found
establish
hesitate
even
to
the
religion
truth
replace
she
it'.
and
Cod
falling
conveived,
Emily
Christianity
with
her
own
religion.
"The
old
she
to t e l l
are
made
and d e r i t u a l i z e d
result
to
is
mean
; the sacred
a
home-made
their
religion
opposites
is d e s e c r a t e d
The a l l u s i o n functions as camp
;
the
to
suit
her
:
the
rituals
are
stolen
; t h e f o r m s are r e f o r m e d
; the naivete
is
.
revolutionary
„ 9
8."^"~'"Sumptous D e s t i l u t i o i r ' - ^Ri^chcTtrd W i l b u r , f r o m : Emily Dickinson^,; A
Collection of Ci^iitical E^.says, e d . b y R i c h a r d B . S e w a l l . New Yr>ri<
P r e n t i c e - H a l l INC, 1963 ' .
9.
" T h e Sweet Wolf W i t h i n ; E m i l y D i c k i n s o n and Walt Whitman" P.
292 in The only Kangaroo among the Beauty, Emily Dickinson and
America ( B a l t i m o r e and London : John Hopkins U n i v e r s i t y . P r e s s ,
1979)
In subsequent c h a p t e r s r e f e r e n c e to t h i s book w i l l be c i t e d as
jlfeller to be f o l l o w e d b y t h e page n u m b e r .