Firstly, Dickinson’s poetry stands apart for its ability to explore themes, such as, death. Her seclusion may have contributed to her obscure view point. She had a morbid fascination with death; however her portrayal of it was largely positive. She was strongly influenced by religion, although she didn’t conform to conventional religion, this theme is explored in “There’s a Certain Slant of Light” even the title of this poem depicts Dickinson’s optimistic side even in the evident darkness she can see a certain glimmer of hope. Dickinson speaks of the “Heavenly Hurt… Sent us of the Air” Dickinson suffered bouts of depression which often led to oppressive verse like this “Winter Afternoons- That oppresses, like the Heft of Cathedral Tunes”. However it is crucial to note that by the final stanza, she avows that the sense of melancholy goes, the “heavenly hurt” lightens and once again hides in the shadows “like the Distance on the look of Death-” it is evident that she sees death as a release from the anxiety she suffers on earth, death will be her refuge.
Likewise, “I heard a Fly Buzz When I Died”, Dickinson takes us through the formalities of death “I willed my Keepsakes- Signed away” until then the rather humorous interruption of a fly came “there interposed a Fly.” In regards to her use of punctuation the dash is also vital, “I Heard a Fly buzz-when I died” it is the finest opening lines as it effectively juxtaposes the trivial in contrast with the momentous, it adds a visual attract, it also gives the reader a chance to pause and savor the idea. In this poem Dickinson chose to break the beautiful silence, end the negative, anxiety and haunting experience of death by distracting the reader until “the Windows failed- and the I could not see to see”
Finally, in “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain” Dickinson allows the mind to be thoroughly accessible as a living and breathing entity through such concrete and literal language. The reader is able to associate the strong feelings that funerals evoke with the feelings of mental instability and clinical insanity. In other words, death is not only the body, but is especially the mind. This poem illuminates how Dickinson places the mind in an exalted position among life’s pecking order. In Dickinson’s eyes, the death of a rational, functional mind is the real tragedy.
In conclusion, her unique view point on matters such as death, made her poetry mystical and psychological, rendering her a poet too radical for her time to eccentric to be accepted, too shocking to be published. Furthermore Emily Dickinson employment of nature imagery the world that inspired her enhanced her poetry creating aesthetically appealing and also very idealistic, positive poetry. Finally, Dickinson’s attitude to death and the afterlife was not tainted by fear but the idea of relief; this is summed up in her words.
Works Cited
Barnet Sylvan, William Burto, and William E. Cain, Eds. An Introduction to Literature. 16th Ed. New York: Longman, 2011.print
Dickinson, Emily.”I felt a funeral, in my brain.” Barnet, Burto, and Cain 745.
---. “There’s a Certain Slant of Light”. Barnet, Burto, and Cain 737.
---. “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died”. Barnet, Burto, and Cain 740
