“Emily Dickinson’s Contribution to the American Voice”
American literature advanced when the American Revolution came along, and brought social and economic change. American folk stories, enduring tales of adventure on the frontier and Puritan lifestyle were some of the starts of the American voice. Then the start of romanticism, transcendentalism, and realism created a whole new aspect to the American voice. American literature’s universal themes of individualism, self-reliance, and slavery help create the uniqueness of the American voice. The birth of transcendentalism from Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau started an overall movement of individualism. The desire to reform society and education, and the traditional morals of the …show more content…
Her outlook on nature was more elaborate and exaggerated than any other author before. “She perceived the natural world in far lovelier and more vivid images than had Thoreau.” (McDonnell 2). Emily’s poems brought a new vividness of the world and an elaborate description that had not been seen in writing before. Emily “knew what made poetry, otherwise she could never have kept writing in the face of such public indifference.” (“Emily Dickinson” 1) which made her poetry incomparable in this time period. She wrote about topics that were controversy to the audience. She challenged conventional religious points of view many had during this time period. Just like her poem “Tell all the truth but tell it slant” - (“Emily Dickinson” 6), meaning she twisted the average perception on nature and other subjects. She created a new voice of truth but, slanted. “And then a Plank in Reason, broke, / And I dropped down, and down / And hit a World, at every plunge, / And Finished knowing” (Dickinson 17-20) In this stanza of the poem, “I felt a funeral, in my brain” Emily shows the reality of life and how it is not perfect. It’s broken in many ways and one day it will just become an end. She compares reason to a plank which shows that there is a questionable bad side of reason similar to walking a plank on a ship. “And then, he drank a Dew / From a convenient Grass / …show more content…
Most of her work was not published till after her death. People did not appreciate her work, Dickinson was said to be too original for her time. “her poetry has been interpreted by various writers as representing everything from the first bugle call of Modernism to a deconstruction of America’s Puritan past.” (“Emily Dickinson” 1).Many writers and poets have said Emily Dickinson brought a new type of poetry and writing with modern lyrics and a different outlook on subjects such as, puritan lifestyle. She has uplifted of writers with her life poems, and inspired many poets. “Dickinson could not have written to please publishers, who were not ready to risk her striking aphoristic style and original metaphors.” (“Emily Dickinson” 3). Emily was perceived a lot different in her life span than how she is in today’s world. Now people appreciate her daring style of poetry and metaphors and many have learned lessons from her. “She had the right to educate the public, as Poe and Whitman eventually did, but she never had the invitation.” (“Emily Dickinson” 3). Emily could have been more influential in her time period if she would have had the offer. She never got the chance to be a leader until after her death. She is compared to Poe and Whitman which took after her style of
American literature advanced when the American Revolution came along, and brought social and economic change. American folk stories, enduring tales of adventure on the frontier and Puritan lifestyle were some of the starts of the American voice. Then the start of romanticism, transcendentalism, and realism created a whole new aspect to the American voice. American literature’s universal themes of individualism, self-reliance, and slavery help create the uniqueness of the American voice. The birth of transcendentalism from Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau started an overall movement of individualism. The desire to reform society and education, and the traditional morals of the …show more content…
Her outlook on nature was more elaborate and exaggerated than any other author before. “She perceived the natural world in far lovelier and more vivid images than had Thoreau.” (McDonnell 2). Emily’s poems brought a new vividness of the world and an elaborate description that had not been seen in writing before. Emily “knew what made poetry, otherwise she could never have kept writing in the face of such public indifference.” (“Emily Dickinson” 1) which made her poetry incomparable in this time period. She wrote about topics that were controversy to the audience. She challenged conventional religious points of view many had during this time period. Just like her poem “Tell all the truth but tell it slant” - (“Emily Dickinson” 6), meaning she twisted the average perception on nature and other subjects. She created a new voice of truth but, slanted. “And then a Plank in Reason, broke, / And I dropped down, and down / And hit a World, at every plunge, / And Finished knowing” (Dickinson 17-20) In this stanza of the poem, “I felt a funeral, in my brain” Emily shows the reality of life and how it is not perfect. It’s broken in many ways and one day it will just become an end. She compares reason to a plank which shows that there is a questionable bad side of reason similar to walking a plank on a ship. “And then, he drank a Dew / From a convenient Grass / …show more content…
Most of her work was not published till after her death. People did not appreciate her work, Dickinson was said to be too original for her time. “her poetry has been interpreted by various writers as representing everything from the first bugle call of Modernism to a deconstruction of America’s Puritan past.” (“Emily Dickinson” 1).Many writers and poets have said Emily Dickinson brought a new type of poetry and writing with modern lyrics and a different outlook on subjects such as, puritan lifestyle. She has uplifted of writers with her life poems, and inspired many poets. “Dickinson could not have written to please publishers, who were not ready to risk her striking aphoristic style and original metaphors.” (“Emily Dickinson” 3). Emily was perceived a lot different in her life span than how she is in today’s world. Now people appreciate her daring style of poetry and metaphors and many have learned lessons from her. “She had the right to educate the public, as Poe and Whitman eventually did, but she never had the invitation.” (“Emily Dickinson” 3). Emily could have been more influential in her time period if she would have had the offer. She never got the chance to be a leader until after her death. She is compared to Poe and Whitman which took after her style of