Women voice in Romanticism
28/02/2025
“Hope” is the thing with feathers
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
What specific features can you notice
in the text of the poem? What would
you say about her style?
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (1830 – 1886)
Emily Dickinson
• How did Emily Dickinson's poetry challenge the
conventions of her time?
• What impact did Emily Dickinson's isolation have on her
poetry?
• How did Emily Dickinson's poetry reflect her interest in
nature?
• How did Emily Dickinson's poetry explore themes of
spirituality and faith?
• How has Emily Dickinson's poetry influenced contemporary
literature?
Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886)
• considered one of the first truly distinctive voices in
American poetry
• born in1830 in Massachusetts
• preferred a quiet home life and domestic duties like
baking, gardening, and writing
• during her teen years was socially active
• Later, as the family experienced a vast amount of loss,
and became more devout (religious), Dickinson began
questioning the world around her: Emily alone in her
family rejected church membership and often
pronounced herself unable to “believe” in traditional
religious faith
• chose to live in isolation and spent her days writing
• the years 1855-1865 were most prolific
• she handstitched fascicles in which she wrote her
poetry focusing on topics, such as
➢nature,
➢self-identity,
➢God.
Fascicle: any of the sections of a book being brought out in 4
instalments prior to its publication in completed form
Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886)
• During her emotional crisis, Dickinson
composed "'Hope' is the Thing with Feathers”:
- struggled with her identity and the world's
fascination with religion as the answer to all
things
- states that hope remains, though, no matter
what the battle, no matter how fierce
- implies one must acknowledge the bird inside
us all and listen to its music even when words
do not exist
• nature as a theme to explain the complexities
of life is most often used
• claims that nature is wonderful but also
mystical
• exploring nature is like exploring one's own
identity - unending, peculiar, and unique as it
is influenced by outside forces such as religion 5
Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886)
• During her later years, 1865-1886, was
encouraged to submit her work under a
"no name" printing
• some of her poems were published, but it
is unknown if she ever gave her permission
• in all, Dickinson wrote over 1,800 poems.
• in 1874, she was inflicted with an eye
disease.
• was less prolific, but she still wrote poetry
• rarely left her room
• her health further declined due to Bright's
disease, a kidney dysfunction
• died in1886 at the age of 55
6
Emily Dickinson
• most of her life remained in the town she
was born – in Amherst,
• had a rich life of correspondence with
numerous other writers and editors
• many scholars believe Emily had
agoraphobia
• was known as the "White Witch of
Amherst" and the subject of gossip
among locals whenever she was spotted
wearing entirely white garments
• after 1850, she rarely left her home
• drew much of her inspiration and subject
matter from nature, religion, and
domestic spaces
7
Emily Dickinson: Works
• Her style is marked by its brevity Hope is the thing with feathers
and emotional depth That perches in the soul,
• Her subject matter focused most And sings the tune without the
often on nature, identity, death, words,
and immortality
• While not a member of any And never stops at all,
organized church, Dickinson
often wrote about faith and the
self in relation to religion.
• Her poems often blend nature
and faith
8
Emily Dickinson: Works
• Dickinson's work includes a first-person
• often explored themes speaker, whom Emily distinguished from
of death and immortality: her own voice in her correspondence.
I heard a Fly buzz when I died • Very few of her poems are titled, most
-- referred to with numbers or denoted by
The Stillness in the Room their first line.
Was like the Stillness in the • Dickinson typically used a ballad
Air -- structure for meter and rhythm, with
Between the Heaves of alternating stresses on syllables and
Storm -- alternating eight and six-syllable lines.
• As ballads, her work can often be sung
to the tune of musical ballads
9
Emily Dickinson: Works
• Dickinson was endlessly
innovative with her punctuation
and capitalisation, • Considered one of the American
Since then -- 'tis Centuries -- and Romanticists, Emily Dickinson joined a
yet line of her American contemporaries in
the mid-19th century like Edgar Allen
Feels shorter than the Day Poe and Walt Whitman. They were
I first surmised the Horses' Heads influenced by the British Romanticists
in their subject matter, including
Were toward Eternity -- (479) - the role of the singular self,
She took the traditional ballad - emotion vs. reason,
form and altered it to get new - the gothic/supernatural.
effects, for example, via
enjambment
Enjambment
The running-over of a sentence or phrase from one poetic
line to the next, without terminal punctuation
10
Emily Dickinson: Works
• employed a variety of techniques and tools to explore these
themes:
✓ Topics of Dickinson's poems include - slant rhyme: Words that have similar ending sounds but not the
same sounds (''all'' and ''soul.’’)
- biblical stories, - short lines
- nature, - simple langauge
- science, - metaphor
- mythological accounts, - imagery
- other subjects.
✓ The themes discussed through the lens of
these subjects include
- the fallibility of science and education,
- the ambiguity of Christian morals,
- the importance of humanity and human
emotions in living one's life.
11
Emily Dickinson: Works
• Her publishers or critics initially did
not appreciate Emily Dickinson's
poetry style: they removed the
dashes and other annotations that
Dickinson had made to her text.
• Many of these notations, including
the long dashes she used, have
been restored in the modern world.
12
From: americainclass.org
Emily Dickinson: Because I Could Not Stop for Death
Because I could not stop for Death – Or rather – He passed Us –
He kindly stopped for me – The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves – For only Gossamer, my Gown –
And Immortality. My Tippet – only Tulle –
We slowly drove – He knew no haste We paused before a House that seemed
And I had put away A Swelling of the Ground –
My labor and my leisure too, The Roof was scarcely visible –
For His Civility – The Cornice – in the Ground –
We passed the School, where Children strove Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
At Recess – in the Ring – Feels shorter than the Day
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – I first surmised the Horses' Heads
We passed the Setting Sun – Were toward Eternity –
What can one learn from this poem?
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47652/because-
i-could-not-stop-for-death-479 14
Emily Dickinson: I’m Nobody! Who Are You?
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you – Nobody – too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don't tell! they'd advertise – you What can one learn from this poem?
know!
How dreary – to be – Somebody!
How public – like a Frog –
To tell one’s name – the livelong
June –
To an admiring Bog! https://poets.org/poem/im-nobody-who-are-you-260 15
Emily Dickinson: Pain has an element of blank
Pain — has an Element of Blank
—
It cannot recollect
When it begun — or if there were
A time when it was not —
What can one learn from this poem?
It has no Future — but itself —
Its Infinite realms contain
Its Past — enlightened to perceive
New Periods — of Pain.
https://allpoetry.com/Pain--has-an-Element-of-Blank--16
Emily Dickinson: The Soul selects her own Society
The Soul selects her own Society —
Then — shuts the Door —
To her divine Majority —
Present no more —
Unmoved — she notes the Chariots — pausing —
At her low Gate —
Unmoved — an Emperor be kneeling
Upon her Mat —
I've known her — from an ample nation —
Choose One —
Then — close the Valves of her attention —
Like Stone —
https://poets.org/poem/soul-selects-her-own-society-303
17
Emily Dickinson: I started Early – Took my Dog
And made as He would eat me up –
I started Early – Took my Dog – As wholly as a Dew
And visited the Sea – Upon a Dandelion's Sleeve –
The Mermaids in the Basement And then – I started – too –
Came out to look at me –
And He – He followed – close behind –
And Frigates – in the Upper Floor I felt His Silver Heel
Extended Hempen Hands – Upon my Ancle – Then My Shoes
Presuming Me to be a Mouse – Would overflow with Pearl –
Aground – upon the Sands –
Until We met the Solid Town –
But no Man moved Me – till the Tide No One He seemed to know –
Went past my simple Shoe – And bowing – with a Mighty look –
And past my Apron – and my Belt At me – The Sea withdrew –
And past my Boddice – too –
What can one learn from this poem?
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50976/i-started-
early-took-my-dog-656 18
Emily Dickinson: “Why do I love” You, Sir?
“Why do I love” You, Sir? The Lightning—never asked an Eye
Because— Wherefore it shut—when He was by—
The Wind does not require the Grass Because He knows it cannot speak—
To answer—Wherefore when He pass And reasons not contained—
She cannot keep Her place. —Of Talk—
There be—preferred by Daintier Folk—
Because He knows—and
Do not You— The Sunrise—Sire—compelleth Me—
And We know not— Because He’s Sunrise—and I see—
Enough for Us Therefore—Then—
The Wisdom it be so— I love Thee—
What can one learn from this poem?
https://emilyspoetryblog.com/2014/02/21/why-do-i-love-
19
you-sir-by-emily-dickinson/
