An Analysis of the Author’s Presence in Emily Dickinson’s Selected Poems

Abstract

A complex world of words and stories, literature is a fascinating mirror to the complexities of humanity. One of America’s greatest and most celebrated poets, Emily Dickinson lived a largely contemplative and solitary existence and was known for her unconventional writing style. This study investigates Emily Dickinson’s selected poems: “My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun,” It was not Death, for I stood up,” and “They shut me up in Prose -,” employing qualitative discourse analysis to reveal the author’s presence reflected through the first-hand experience, symbolisms employ, and social milieu. The data attained are supported and examined by Samuel Johnson's Biographical Theory, Richard Simon's Historical Theory, Virginia Woolf's Feminist Theory, William Wordsworth's Expressive Theory, and Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory. The findings of the study indicate that Emily Dickinson’s selected poems reveal the author’s presence. Based on the study’s findings, the following recommendations are offered for future researchers: Analyze the author's first-hand experience through investigating the sensory details and imagery that are distinctive to the author's perception. Investigate the symbolisms employ through identifying recurrent themes, motifs, or personas that might contain personal significance for the author. Lastly, social milieu can be examined by drawing comparisons between past and contemporary communities to show how enduring social challenges impact people's lives and creativity.