Emily Dickinson's Poetry

Paper Summary:

The paper shows that one type of image that American poetess Emily Dickinson uses again and again is that of the insect or other tiny creature, with different insects being used as metaphors for love and sexual relations. The paper explains that the insect or other tiny creatures, such as the worm, seem to represent nature for Dickinson and particularly procreation and regeneration, perhaps because of a perceived role by insects in spreading seeds of plants and trees. Focusing on her poem "In Winter in My Room", a work which also reflects Dickinson's self-discovery and use of her immediate surroundings and experiences, the paper shows that Dickinson uses these images in different ways in her poetry.

From the Paper:

"Much of the myth of Emily Dickinson centers on the fact that she lived most of her life in one house, and the concept of home is central in her work and is also embodied with her ideas of love; love for family, love for nature, and love for life. Dickinson's image of home is turned into an image of herself--her home is her world, and she has a perception of the architecture of the home that is akin to her perception of the architecture of the body. The home and the elements that make up the home, including its garrets, chambers, rooms, corridors, doorways, and windows, project the form of the poet's mind and bring the reader closer to Dickinson's evolving sense of "place," as person and poet. Other images objectify her inner life, including all of her major concerns--self, family, love, loneliness, madness, renunciation, nature, God, death, immortality, eternity, and poetry itself. Here again, the "home" is invaded by, and even improved by, the role of the insect, representing the regenerative element in nature."

More papers on Emily Dickinson's Poetry:

• Analytical Essay # 72359 : "Emily Dickinson"
• Analytical Essay # 67287 : "Imaginative Freedom within the Poetry of Emily Dickinson"
• Analytical Essay # 83762 : " Emily Dickinson"
• Essay # 86482 : "Emily Dickinson and the Symbolism of Birds"

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