Emily Dickinson’s poems explore the realms of spirituality and transcendentalism. Emily Dickinson’s poems explore concepts such as God, eternity, eternal life, and death in a transcendentalist way. Emily Dickinson was a strong believer in a spiritual world which transcended the physical one. She wanted to live forever because she felt that there were not enough words to describe an afterlife, which she referred to as “Heaven” or “Paradise” (Mudge 23).
Emily Dickinson’s poem #577 shows her idea that Heaven is too pure for words to encompass: It has no taste of sun or apple juice – But rather seems reminiscence – Just as a certain yellow – In autumn foliage is seen… It tastes like Water Tastes – Then salt – and then the bitter-sweet -” Emily Dickinson’s poem #577 (Mudge 24) Emily Dickinson’s poems also speak about how eternity has no time, but it can still exist in our imagination (Cliff 1105). Emily Dickinson believed that there were certain things humans cannot understand. Emily Dickinson questioned whether a man could be good if God does not tell him what to do (Cox 683).
Emily Dickinson did not believe that humans should even try to understand what she thought was beyond understanding. She believed that one should accept religious beliefs without questioning them (Cox 684). Emily Dickinson believed that the mere fact of her existence disproves the theory of evolution (Cox 686). Emily Dickinson believed that humans are not evolved beings, but are rather put on Earth by God. Emily Dickinson believed she was created by God instead of evolving from monkeys or another creature (Cox 686). Emily Dickinson’s poems show how she struggled to understand life, death, and eternity.
Emily Dickinson wanted to know what happens after death because she felt there were no answers to these questions in life. Emily Dickinson stated that “There is Another Life- / And Death? -A Doubt? ” This poem shows Emily Dickinson’s struggle with religious doubt. Emily Dickinson found comfort in believing there is an afterlife, despite not being able to comprehend it. Emily Dickinson believed that there was life after death, but she could not comprehend what form it would take (Cox 686). Emily Dickinson’s poems explore her idea of God and immortality in a transcendentalist way.
Emily Dickinson wanted to live forever because she felt that there were not enough words to describe an afterlife (Mudge 23). Emily Dickinson’s poems show how humans cannot understand eternity, but can still believe in its existence. Emily Dickinson tried to prove her beliefs by using scientific examples that only proved to deepen the confusion for Emily Dickinson (Cliff 1105). Emily Dickinson struggled to reconcile her rational mind with her spiritual side, which led her to atheism at times until she began praying again (Cliff 1106).
Emily Dickinson’s poems explore transcendentalism by exploring the notions of God, eternity, and death. Emily Dickinson struggled to find a balance between her rational mind and her spiritual side (Cliff 1106). Emily Dickinson’s poems show how she chose to believe in an afterlife even though she could not comprehend it. Emily Dickinson chose this belief because not believing would drive Emily Dickinson mad (Nelson 314). Emily Dickinson chose to live believing in Heaven because without that hope she felt lost (Mudge 22).
Emily Dickinson chose to believe in Heaven for her sanity’s sake even though she could never understand it (Oberhaus 82). Emily Dickinson wrote about the struggle within herself between science and religion. She was briefly taken with Darwinism, but in her poems she ultimately denied evolution. Emily Dickenson believed in the afterlife because it was only through this belief that she could have hope. Emily Dickinson is considered one of the most important American poets of all time.
Her poems are known for their use of unconventional meters and extreme brevity with language which allowed Emily Dickinson to fit many ideas into a few words. Emily Dickinson’s poems are transcendentalist in nature because she often explores religious themes in her poetry (Oberhaus 83). Emily Dickinson explored immortality as well as humans’ struggle to understand life and death (Rosenbaum 738). In the poem The Brain is Wider than the Sky, Dickinson writes about the effects that nature has on humanity. Emily Dickinson uses nature to represent the human mind and how, despite being vast, it cannot completely comprehend everything.
Emily Dickinson wrote about transcendentalist themes in her poems (Cliff 907). Emily Dickinson’s poems explore a variety of transcendentalist themes including humanity’s relationship with nature and the afterlife. Emily Dickinson explored transcendentalism by exploring humanity’s place in nature and their attempts to understand the natural world around them (Weisbuch 302). Emily Dickinson used nature as a metaphor for understanding God’s existence because Emily Dickenson knew that humans could not fully comprehend the realm of immortality (Rosenbaum 738).
In Emily Dickinson’s poem, Nature is an Accomplice, Dickinson writes about how humans are a part of nature and how they cannot separate themselves from it. Emily Dickinson believed humans were a part of the natural world because Emily Dickinson saw all living things as one (Rosenbaum 737). Emily Dickinson explored transcendentalism in her poems by discussing humanity’s relationship to the universe. Emily Dickinson was influenced by Plato’s idea that “the earth is a mirror which makes images of external things appear in it, but they are distorted and reversed” (Weisbuch 302).
In her poem Water, is taught by thirst, Dickinson is depicting the transcendental belief that there can be no good without evil and vice-versa. Emily Dickinson explores the relationship between good and evil throughout her poems (Mudge 23). Emily Dickenson’s poems focus on ideas of morals and mortality. Emily Dickinson explored the struggle to understand life, death, and human morals in her poems (Weisbuch 303). Emily Dickinson believed that there must be evil for us to fully appreciate and understand best. Emily Dickinson believed that without evil we would not know what was good (Weisbuch 304).
Emily Dickinson’s poems explore transcendentalism by looking at how we may only feel happy because we have felt pain; we can only recognize light once we have been surrounded by darkness (Rosenbaum 740). Emily Dickinson’s poem I Dwell In Possibility shows Emily Dickinson struggling between fear of the unknown future and Emily Dickinson’s hope for what lies ahead (Oberhaus 83). Emily Dickinson wrote about transcendentalist themes in her poems through Emily Dickinson’s exploration of immortality. Emily Dickinson’s poems explored transcendentalism by looking into humanity’s relationship to nature, life, death, and immortality.
Emily Dickinson believed that humans were just a part of the natural world and Emily Dickinson knew that they could never truly understand the mysteries of life (Mudge 23). Emily Dickinson often used nature as a metaphor for God or Heaven because Emily Dickinson understood that humans cannot fully comprehend these realms (Rosenbaum 737). Emily Dickinson is known as one of America’s most important poets who inspired many other writers throughout history, Emily Dickinson was a transcendentalist which Emily Dickinson’s poems explored Emily Dickinson’s ideas about humanity and their place in nature, life, death, and the universe.
