One of the most well-known poets of the 19th century was Emily Dickinson. Not only were her poems considered valuable pieces of literature, she also helped advance the place of female writers. Traditionally, females were considered the inspiration for literature instead of the creators. Dickinson was one of the female poets who helped to change that mindset and pave the way for other female poets to follow in her footsteps. Three common themes in Dickinson’s poems are first person narrative, nature imagery, and death. These common themes are showcased within three of her poems: “I Started Early-Took my Dog,” “Because I Could not Stop for Death,” and “I Heard a Fly Buzz- When I Died.”
Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts (Wolff 3). She spent her entire adult life at her parents’ home and never married (Wolff 4). Her family was relatively prominent as they were responsible for the establishment of Amherst College, specifically her grandfather (Wolff 14). While she was alive her friends and family knew she wrote poems but she did not publish many. The majority of Dickinson’s work was published after she died, as her sister found a box full of over one thousand of her poems going through her things, so much of her poetic success happened posthumously (Wolff 3). Her sister published the poems, and the first volume was completed in 1890 (Wolff 4). Her letters have also been published since her death, as she had written correspondence with other literary figures such as Thomas Wentworth Higginson (Wolff 6).
Subjectivity is a common theme in Dickinson’s work, perhaps largely due to the fact that she lived such a quiet, reserved life. Much of her poetry expresses her concerns with the outside world. She grew up in a time when it was common and socially proper for a woman to dedicate all of her time to being a domestic provider instead of having a career. She was clearly curious about the outside world. Imaginative escape is one of the biggest aspects of her writing and the world she lived in, and is commonly reflects in various different themes (Baldi 444). She did not have many experiences with the outside world, as she took barely a dozen trips away from Amherst (Wolff 3). Therefore, she wrote subjectively using all of the experience she could create in her mind.
Dickinson mastered the art of writing in the first person. Even just looking at the titles of many of her poems one can draw this obvious conclusion. “I Started Early- Took my Dog,” “Because I Could not Stop for Death,” and “I Heard a Fly Buzz- When I Died” all have “I” in the title. Her poems center on the theme of an unnamed narrator telling the audience a story, and she uses this method of storytelling to bring the image alive in the reader’s eyes. By telling the story in first person, Dickinson is trying to make the story personal to the reader, and help form a dialogue between the reader and the narrator. This also adds a personal level because the reader is being inspired to feel the emotions, thoughts, and feelings in their own mind.
Nature was also a major source for inspiration and theme within her poems. Dickinson was a dog lover, and was given a dog by her father, whom she named Carlo. Carlo is mentioned in many of her letters as well as some of her poems. Images of nature create scenes in her work as well, with descriptive voice used to describe the outside world. In the poem “I Started Early- Took my Dog” Dickinson provides a narrative filled with ocean imagery such as “the mermaids in the basement” (3). This poem also briefly mentions her walking her dog, showcasing that even though he is only given a brief mention, Carlo is still an important presence worth mentioning for her. In “Because I Could not Stop for Death” there are also many references to nature, such as the setting sun, mentioning the ground and the “fields of gazing grain” (11). “I Heard a Fly Buzz- When I Died” describes a fly buzzing around the narrator as they take their last breath. Dickinson uses the imagery of the stillness between a storm to illustrate a nature-based calm tone (2-4). This poem links nature to death as it equates to the natural process that comes with dying.
Dickinson described death as one of the most crucial moments in life and she had a very calm approach to the subject (Baldi 438). Therefore, she made it a common theme among her poetry. She alludes to death in “I Started Early- Took my Dog” as she describes being chased by the sea for fear of being eaten (14-16). She goes from casually taking a walk with her dog to being chased away in a matter of a few lines, showcasing the fact that death can creep up on someone without any warning. She takes the calm approach in “Because I Could not Stop for Death” when she alludes to death riding in a carriage, stopping for her politely and carrying on slowly (1-5). In “I Heard a Fly Buzz- When I Died” Dickinson writes the experience of death calmly until the last moment when the fly starts to become irritating at the same time the narrator closes their eyes (13-16). This is metaphorical for the building up to death that happens when one finds himself close to the end.
Emily Dickinson showcased three common themes of first person narrative, nature, and death through three of her poems, “I Started Early- Took my Dog,” “Because I Could not Stop for Death,” and “I Heard a Fly Buzz- When I Died.” Dickinson lived a reclusive life, and as a result her imagination became expressive and creative and she was able to write about the outside world in her own perspective.
Works Cited
Baldi, Sergio. “The Poetry of Emily Dickinson (1956).” The Sewanee Review 68.3 (1960):
438-449.
Dickinson, Emily. “Because I Could not Stop for Death.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation,
Dickinson, Emily. “I Heard a Fly Buzz- When I Died.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation,
Dickinson, Emily. “I Started Early- Took my Dog.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d.
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Wolff, Cynthia Griffon. Emily Dickinson. United States: Da Capo Press, 1988.
