Emily Dickinson is an important poet because of the uniqueness of her writing style. Despite only having 7 of her 1,200 poems published, critics still consider her one of the main poets of her time. Love, religion, individuality, and nature were the most important things to Dickinson in her life. While expressing these themes, she deviated from traditional forms of writing and brought a level of intense energy and complexity that was unprecedented and is rarely seen today. Her poems serve as personal expressions of her experiences throughout her life. It is difficult to categorize her as a specific type of writer due to the diversity of her poems, but they can be separated into four main themes: Romanticism, Realism, Individuality, and Depression.
The emphasis of Romanticism was on passion instead of reason, imagination and intuition rather than logic, and the full expression of emotions. This is exactly what Dickinson wrote about in many of her poems. Poem 214 serves as a prime example of this concept. “I taste a liquor never brewed-From Tankards scooped in Pearl-Not all the Frankfort BerriesYield such and Alcohol!” “Inebriate of Air-am I-And Debauchee of Dew-Reeling-thro endless summer days-From inns of Molten Blue-” “When ‘Landlords’ turn the drunken BeeOut of the Foxglove’s door-When Butterflies-renounce their ‘drams’-I shall but drink the more!”-214 This poem by Dickinson illustrates her belief that nature is not only a source of comfort but also God’s greatest reflection, which is a belief shared by many Romanticists. She describes being intoxicated by nature, a feeling that not even the “Frankfort berries” could provide, and every bee, butterfly, or creation of God only heightens her high.
Another illustration of the variety present in Dickinson’s poems is her existential perspective on life on earth, as depicted in poem 301.
“I reason, Earth is short-And Anguish-absolute-And many hurt,But, what of that?I reason, we could die-The best VitalityCannont excell Decay,But, what of that?I reason, that in Heaven-Somehow, it will be even-Some new Equation, given-But, what of that?-301
Dickinson’s attitudes of sorrow and hopelessness are displayed in this poem. A question that everyone is sure to ask themselves at one point in their life “what does it all matter”, obviously this poem relects depression, an emotion she must have been feeling while writing this poem.
Dickinson, like many others who shared her beliefs, went against the Church, which was highly uncommon at the time. She held the belief that salvation did not lie in a specific religion. In this particular poem, she not only embodies Romanticism but also expresses her firm belief in Non-Conformity.
“While some choose to observe the Sabbath by attending Church, I prefer to celebrate it by staying at home. My hymn singer is a bobolike bird and my place of worship is an orchard with its vast dome.
Instead of wearing a surplice like some people do to keep the Sabbath, I prefer to wear wings. I don’t ring the church bell like the normal tradition, instead, our little sexton sings.
According to this poem, Dickinson explicitly states that nature serves as her spiritual guidance, rendering the Church irrelevant to her. As a non-conformist, she rejects the institution of the church and identifies herself as a Romanticist who views the natural world as God’s true temple of worship. In this realm, she is not subjected to lengthy sermons. Dickinson adeptly portrays anguish in her poem 241, aiming to depict reality as it truly is. This aligns with the Realism movement, which sought to faithfully depict people and things without any idealization or romanticism.
“I appreciate the appearance of Agony, because I recognize its authenticity. Men do not pretend Convulsion or imitate a Throe. The Eyes become glazed and that signifies Death, which is impossible to feign. The Beads upon the Forehead are strung with plain Anguish.”-241
According to Dickinson, death represents the ultimate truth because pain and agony cannot be counterfeited. The way sweat beads form on the forehead and the facial expression reveal honesty when one is facing death. This is a genuine representation of Realism.
Throughout her life, Dickinson expressed a wide range of emotions in the many poems she wrote. These emotions were often personal to her and reflected the different stages of her life. The diverse themes explored in her poetry highlight the complexity and depth of her writing, establishing her as one of America’s greatest poets.
