Emily Dickinson 1830 1866 Biography Emily Dickinson is

Emily Dickinson 1830 - 1866

Biography • Emily Dickinson is a lyric poet known for her eloquent, concise, and deceptively simple verses. • Dickinson was well-educated • She wrote 1, 775 poems – Most after 1858 when she began collecting them in small, hand-sewn booklets

Poetry • 1850 s – Fairly conventional in sentiment and form • 1860 s forward – – Experimented with language Altered hymnlike beats to fit her thoughts Used off-rhymes widely Played with syntax • Often put ordinary words in extraordinary context

Reclusiveness • One of the most interesting things about Emily Dickinson is how much time she spent alone. • After the late 1860 s she never left the narrow boundaries of her family’s property • After the Civil War, she sought to live her life by rules of art – Wore only white – Saw few of the people who came to be with her

Major Characteristics of Dickinson’s Poetry • Theme and Tone – Universal themes: wonders of nature, identity of the self, death and immortality, love – Very Witty (look for humor) • Form and Style – Lyrics: short poems with a single speaker who expresses thought and feeling – Very few titles – Describes abstract concepts with concrete images

Major Characteristics of Dickinson’s Poetry • Meter and Rhyme – Common meter: alternating lines of eight syllables and six syllables – Often used in song lyrics (think “Amazing Grace”)

Major Characteristics of Dickinson’s Poetry • Punctuation and Syntax – Dashes – Capitalization of interior words • Diction – Precise and interesting word choice

“I’ll Tell You How The Sun Rose”

“I’m Nobody! Who are you? ”

“I dwell in possibility”

“I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died”

“Hope is the thing with feathers”